The 2 Minute Therapy Blog

Many clients benefit from understanding the ideas of filters and screens. I like discussing them together because the contrast makes each function clearer.

A filter helps us pause and shape our raw thoughts and emotions before we speak. What we say may need to change depending on the role we are in and the person we are speaking with.

A screen helps us examine feedback from the outside world before we internalize it as the truth about who we are or what our relationships mean.

The hardware metaphor is useful because filters and screens do not always work the way we want them to.

A filter can become clogged, leaving too little room for engagement and connection. It can also become too open, allowing raw thoughts and feelings to spill out before we have considered how to express them.

A screen can become torn, allowing criticism or another person’s reaction to pass inside without enough examination. It can also become too closed, blocking useful feedback that deserves consideration.

Questions for reflection:

• Think of yourself, or of a client if you are a therapist. How well are the filters and screens working?
• Are they too open, too closed, or flexible enough for the situation?
• Do they work well in some roles but become harder to use in other environments?

One last thought: this concept also applies to couples therapy. We can look at how each partner’s ability to filter what they express and screen what they receive affects the relationship.

I hope you enjoyed this short blog. My intention is to offer food for thought and reflection. Please feel free to share any thoughts or comments. Thanks for reading.

Ken Burnstein, LCSW, provides individual, couples, and group therapy and is also available for consultation services.