Chapter 9-11
Exploring Setbacks
Key Learning Points
Introduce the concept of “setbacks”/CBT Core Principle #5 Growth does not occur in a straight line. Because distress is such a common part of life and because risk factors rarely disappear suddenly, almost everyone will experience setbacks as Harry does in these chapters. It is important to emphasize that setbacks are an expected part of a person’s journey towards resilience and are not an indicator of failure.
Further discussion of what it means to be depressed: In Chapter 5, we introduced common symptoms of depression. In this section, Harry experiences a recurrence of those symptoms and has many typical thoughts and feelings experienced by people who are depressed such as embarrassment, shame, an urge to keep it to himself, and fear that he will never feel better.
CBT Foundations
CBT Core Principle #5
Growth does not occur in a straight line
Setbacks, the reoccurrence of difficulties, and relapse are common features of the recovery process. If someone suffers from depression or an anxiety disorder, they demonstrate an underlying vulnerability to experience related thoughts and feelings which does not disappear with treatment.
Therefore, we should anticipate a recurrence of symptoms and treat this as an opportunity for further growth and intervention. Because setbacks are quite common, it is vital to understand that they do not mean the situation is hopeless or insurmountable or that a person has failed. We want to ensure that people do not feel ashamed, discouraged or reluctant to seek help.
Remember that we want students to look for objective evidence. If they have overcome their struggle once, logic suggests they can do it again. In fact, since they come equipped with the learning from the original experience, recovering from a setback is often easier than recuperating from a first episode. We can use the skills and knowledge gained in our initial recovery to help us navigate this setback and overcome our struggle once again.
In these chapters, we see Harry struggling with embarrassment, shame, the desire not to share and worries he will never feel better. Although these are not symptoms specific to depression, they are very common for people experiencing setbacks. Luckily, Harry uses his skills learned in previous chapters including seeking evidence, asking for help, cognitive restructuring and behavioural activation to combat these thoughts.
How are Chapters 9-11 Related to CBT?
Harry experiences setbacks throughout Chapters 9-11. At the beginning of Chapter 9, he is faced with several risk factors including the attack by Sirius Black, a threat that he cannot practice for his Quidditch match, and the appearance of Professor Snape as a substitute for Professor Lupin (note that Snape jumps to the end of Lupin’s fear hierarchy – werewolves – missing several steps, which is not the proper way to build confidence and manage anxiety).
When he arrives for the Quidditch match, the conditions are awful and then he sees the Grim. A swarm of dementors approach. The depression is returning: “a horribly familiar wave of cold swept over him”. He feels ice water in his chest and re-experiences the murder of his parents. Not only does he fall to the ground, but he experiences failure by losing his first Quidditch match and his broom is destroyed.
At the beginning of Chapter 10, Harry is feeling very low and alone: “nothing anyone said or did could make Harry feel any better, because they knew only half of what was troubling him.” He worries: “Was the Grim going to haunt him until he actually died? Was he going to spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder for the beast?” He feels “sick and humiliated”. Remember that depression makes people think negatively about themselves, the world around them, and the future. Harry is again experiencing thoughts through a depressive lens.
Notably Harry finds “It was a relief to return to the noise and bustle of the main school on Monday”. Here Harry is benefiting from another useful Stress Buster – distraction. While distracting himself won’t solve his problems, it can be a useful technique for managing distress in the moment.
Once again, despite his reluctance to share, Harry takes a chance and tries to gather some objective evidence by asking Professor Lupin why he is so affected by the dementors (with the implied worry that he is damaged or feeble). And, once again, Lupin helps him restructure his thoughts. He reassures him that “It has nothing to do with weakness” but rather was due to Harry’s past trauma. Lupin notes that what has happened to Harry “is enough to make anyone fall off their broom. You have nothing to feel ashamed of”. When Lupin begins to reassure Harry, he sees a “ray of wintery sunlight” symbolizing the change in his thinking and accompanying mood. Lupin promises to give him anti-dementor (i.e. anti-depression) lessons and “Harry's mood took a definite upturn”. Lupin continues to emerge as the character in the novel who is most effective at helping Harry restructure his thoughts.
Not only do Harry’s thoughts and emotions improve, but he feels up to spending more time with his friends and sneaking into Hogsmeade. Leaving aside whether this is a safe thing to do, Harry’s discussion with Lupin helps him to stop avoiding activities and do behavioural activation as discussed in Chapter 8.
Unfortunately, on learning of Sirius Black’s role in his parents’ deaths, Harry’s mood worsens and he has trouble sleeping at the beginning of Chapter 11. The visit to Hagrid’s cabin offers an opportunity for Harry to hear about Hagrid’s symbolic experience of depression (i.e. the dementors of Azkaban) and what it felt like when it passed: “Yeh can’ really remember who yeh are after a while. An’ yeh can’ really see the point o’ livin’ at all. I used ter hope I’d jus’ die in me sleep. When they let me out, it was like bein’ born again, ev’rythin’ came floodin’ back, it was the bes’ feelin’ in the world”. Hagrid shares his fear of returning to Azkaban which is in parallel with Harry’s recent fear of a relapse.
The final pages of Chapter 11 offer further ups and downs for Harry in the form of receiving a new broom as a gift and then having it confiscated. Professor McGonagall also has a further opportunity to poke fun at Professor Trelawney’s silly predictions.
These chapters emphasize that we all have setbacks from time to time. Although someone may have recovered from struggling with depression, anxiety, substance use etc., they will likely experience occasional setbacks – and this is to be expected. Each time we experience success in dealing with a difficult situation or event, we grow stronger, more resilient, and are able to face that struggle again with increased confidence that we will be successful in overcoming it.
Core Lesson Plan - Exploring Setbacks
How not to be demoralized
Duration: 1 to 2 50 min periods
LESSON OBJECTIVES
Students should understand what a setback is and why we should expect it.
Students should understand how common it is to feel discouraged when a setback happens and how to overcome that.
SUMMARY OF TASKS/ACTIONS
Lesson Planning:
After reading chapters 9-11, answer the questions provided in the handout as a class, in groups, or individually.
As a group, discuss CBT Core Principle #5 and whether we should expect growth to happen in a straight line in any aspect of our lives.
The focus of group discussion should be on why we should expect setbacks and how to handle them. If they feel comfortable, students can be encouraged to share situations where they have had a setback and how they managed to overcome it
Entire Lesson Plan
Student Activities
Teacher Answer Key
1: No Answer Key
Guiding Questions
Optional Lesson Plans and Activities
The following lessons and activities are optional. You may download the full set of optional lesson plans, activities, and chapter questions. Alternatively, you can download each activity or worksheet separately.
Entire Set of Optional Activities
Optional Activities (Separated)
Chapter Questions