i know that you can control ruminating but sometimes it feels like i want/need to do it. is that just a habit?

We definitely get caught up on the habit of it because that’s what we’ve been used to for so long. It takes time but we can learn to break that habit 🙂

I find this hard! It definitely feels comfortable for me in some ways, but doesn't help in the long run. What do you find good strategies for stopping yourself from doing it?

Yes, rumination can be a habit and one that we can easily get sucked into. ERP trains us how to break the habit.