WHAT IS COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy refers to:
  • Noticing the interplay between how thoughts, feelings and actions affect each other.
  • So you might slow down to notice what thoughts or beliefs have lead to a particular behaviour or feeling.
  • You may notice Unhelpful Thinking Patterns & this is the first step in developing more helpful thoughts.
  • You may notice Unhelpful Beliefs and come to know how they have lead to consequences that we might not want.
We might notice that our minds tend to think in certain patterns that are unhelpful. his is so common that these patterns can be grouped together ​

 ALL OR NOTHING ("Black-and-white") Thinking


This is when there is no in-between. 
For instance making a small error leads to viewing one-self as a failure or demonising another person when they have hurt us in a small way.

 Jumping to conclusions ("mind-Reading")

This is automatic negative assumptions about what others may be thinking even when there may be no evidence to support our assumptions.  

CATASTROPHISING

This is viewing a small event that didn't go how we wanted as a disaster and imagining that the worst will occur. 

"SHOULD" STATEMENTS

This is using using strict language and putting harsh demands on ourselves which leads to guilt, frustration and anger.  We might replace "should" and "must" with "could" and "might"

LABELLING

We might notice calling ourselves "a loser", or "I'm stupid" when in fact we are multifaceted human beings.

MINIMISING THE POSITIVES

This is downplaying anything good that has happened and focussing too much on what went wrong. It may arise when thinking we don't deserve some praise or reward or simply choosing not to feel good when we've received something good, done, said or thoughts something good.

Emotional reasoning

This is feeling bad and having this colour our view of everything as thought that is how things really are.

COMMON IRRATIONAL BELIEFS  >> AND THEIR CONSEQUENCES 

I MUST BE LOVED AND APPROVED OF BY EVERYONE

>> Anxiety, unassertive behaviour, depression, poor self-esteem

I Must BE COMPETENT, ADEQUATE AND ACHIEVING IN EVERY RESPECT

>> Anxiety, depression, frustration, shame, procrastination

PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE THE SAME VALUES AND BELIEFS AS ME, AND THEY SHOULD DO THINGS THE WAY I WOULD DO THEM

>> Anger, resentment, poor relationships

CERTAIN PEOPLE ARE BAD, AND THEY SHOULD be blamed or punished for their misdeeds

>> Anger, Resentment, Hatred, Depression

WHEN I DO SOMETHING BADLY, i am a bad person, a failure, an idiot

>> Poor self-esteem, frustration, depression

The world should provide me with what i need. life should be comfortable.  i shouldn't have to suffer or be inconvenienced

>> Frustration, depression, despair

it is awful to when things don't go the way that i would like

>> Frustration, anger, depression, anxiety

IT is easier to avoid problems than to confront and deal with them

>> Procrastination, unresolved problems, relationship tensions, helplessness

Human unhappiness is caused by life circumstances, and it is impossible to be happy when things are not going well for me

>> Helplessness, hopelessness, failure to take responsibility, despair

if there is a chance that something might happen, i should dwell on it now

>> Anxiety, rumination

there is a correct solution to every problem, and if it's awful if i can't find it

>> Indecision, procrastination, anxiety
Edelman, Sarah 2006, 'Recognising Faulty Thinking' in Change Your Thinking, ABC Books, pp 16-32

CONTINUUM OF BELIEFS EXERCISE

You may wish to ask yourself to what degree you believe in any particular belief.
​
This could be a rating from 0 to 100% for instance:
  • 100% representing that that belief is very strong and there is little room for believing in any alternative view, in other words being 100% certain of that belief.
  • 0% would represent having no belief in that view at all.

You might notice that when you rate from 0-100% the strength in which a belief is held, that alternative views or doubts to that belief may also be present which reduce the certainty of this unhelpful or irrational belief.  Bringing awareness to different perspectives can loosen our beliefs so they no longer control us, hold us ransom, cause us to act automatically or feel certain ways.  We might continue to hold that belief but perhaps a little more loosely, find ourselves more able to act with freedom, choice and flexibility. 

A shift can occur in our feelings.

 SIMPLE THINGS TO DO 

Thought Monitoring Exercise

  • If a situation was distressing - what happened at that time?
  • What thoughts were going through your mind or what may have you been thinking?
  • What emotions followed and what actions did you take?
  • Is there a more friendly way of viewing this situation?
  • Could I do something here that would be positive?

SLEEP
We may come to associate sleep with certain negative thoughts or behaviours that keep us awake rather than help us sleep.

We can develop positive, gentle attitude towards sleep even if we've been struggling with it in the past.  Bed can become a place that is learnt as a relaxing and calm place.
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