The Francesca Psychology Podcast How To Manage Negative Or Intrusive Thoughts - Dr Ethan Kross
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Apr 16, 2026 
Dr Ethan Kross, award-winning psychology professor and author who studies the inner voice and self-control. He explains what intrusive thoughts are and who gets them. He outlines types of harmful self-talk and where they come from. He shares practical tools like distant self-talk, expressive writing, environmental tweaks and ‘shifters’ to help regulate emotions.
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Ethan's Rehearsal And Gym Self Coaching Examples
- Ethan rehearsed a meeting in the car and used self‑talk to coach himself through painful gym exercises.
- These everyday examples show inner voice functions for memory, planning, motivation, and coaching.
Use Distant Self Talk And Time Travel To Lower Chatter
- Do distant self-talk by referring to yourself using your name and 'you' to give yourself advice as if to a friend.
- Use temporal distancing by asking how you'll feel about the issue a week, month or year from now to lower chatter.
Write Expressively For 15 Minutes To Clear Chatter
- Try expressive writing for about 15 minutes to help process worries and reduce negative looping.
- Kross recommends freewriting with paper and pencil as a simple evidence‑based chatter management tool.
