Cognitive Restructuring
At the core of the cognitive model is the assumption that a patient’s appraisals of an event determine their feelings and reactions to it. Cognitive restructuring is an umbrella term that refers to any methods that help people to think differently about an event (which might include any stimulus, thought, memory, or belief). In a broad sense the term ‘cognitive restructuring’ could apply to anything done in (or outside of) a therapy session that promotes cognitive change. In a narrower sense, therapists deliberately use a range of therapeutic approaches designed to promote cognitive restructuring. Leahy and Rego (2012) give a narrow definition of cognitive restructuring as:
“a multistep process that involves: (1) eliciting problematic cognitions known as automatic thoughts or negative automatic thoughts of the self, world, or future, (2) formulating rational responses to these negative automatic thoughts by (3) identifying and removing cognitive distortions found in the automatic thoughts and (4) correcting false beliefs, assumptions, predictions and so on, using a Socratic dialogue.”Read more
93 of 93 resources
Cognitive Distortions – Unhelpful Thinking Styles (Extended)
Cognitive distortions (or ‘unhelpful thinking styles’) are ways that our thoughts become biased. Different cognitive biases are associated with di ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-distortions-unhelpful-thinking-styles-extended/
Cognitive Distortions – Unhelpful Thinking Styles (Common)
Cognitive distortions (or ‘unhelpful thinking styles’) are ways that our thoughts become biased. Different cognitive biases are associated with di ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-distortions-unhelpful-thinking-styles-common/
Thought Record (Evidence For And Against)
CBT Thought Records exist in multiple variants, depending on the needs and abilities of the client. This Thought Record (Evidence For And Against) is ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/thought-record-evidence-for-and-against/
Before I Blame Myself And Feel Guilty
Guilt is a common post-traumatic reaction and is often the result of cognitive bias. This CBT worksheet explores common cognitive biases that have bee ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/before-i-blame-myself-and-feel-guilty/
Unhelpful Thinking Styles (Archived)
NOTE: Two improved versions of this resource are available here: Cognitive Distortions – Unhelpful Thinking Styles (Common) and Cognitive Disto ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/unhelpful-thinking-styles-archived/
Theory A / Theory B
Human beings actively try to understand their world and what happens to them. However, these understanding can be inaccurate or unhelpful. Worse, unhe ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/theorya-theoryb/
Prompts For Challenging Your Negative Thinking
Cognitive restructuring is an evidence-based intervention that involves identifying, evaluating, and modifying maladaptive cognitions, including negat ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/prompts-for-challenging-your-negative-thinking/
Thought Distortion Monitoring Record
Thinking is often biased in particular ways and individuals often have their own characteristic patterns of bias. The Thought Distortion Monitoring Re ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/thought-distortion-monitoring-record/
Behavioral Experiment (Portrait Format)
Behavioral experiments allow individuals to test the validity of their beliefs and assumptions. They are a core experiential technique for therapeutic ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/behavioral-experiment-portrait-format/
Examining Your Negative Thoughts
Cognitive restructuring is an evidence-based intervention that involves identifying, evaluating, and modifying maladaptive cognitions, including negat ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/examining-your-negative-thoughts/
Self-Blame
The Self-Blame information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effectively wi ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/self-blame/
Mastery Of Your Anxiety And Worry (Second Edition): Workbook
Mastery Of Your Anxiety And Worry comes in two volumes. This page is for the Workbook. Click on the following link to access the accompanying Therapis ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/mastery-of-your-anxiety-and-worry-workbook/
Evaluating Unhelpful Automatic Thoughts
The Evaluating Unhelpful Automatic Thoughts guide is written for clients who struggle with negative automatic thoughts. It provides a comprehensive in ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/evaluating-unhelpful-automatic-thoughts/
Anxiety - Self-Monitoring Record
Developing self-monitoring skills teaches clients to systematically observe and record specific targets such as their own thoughts, body feelings, emo ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/anxiety-self-monitoring-record/
Behavioral Experiment
Behavioral experiments are planned experiential activities to test the validity of a belief. They are one of the most powerful techniques available to ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/behavioral-experiment/
Decatastrophizing
Catastrophic thinking (magnification) is characteristic of many anxiety problems. This CBT worksheet for decatastrophizing is a tool for cognitive res ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/decatastrophizing/
Compassionate Thought Challenging Record
Thought challenging records are commonly used in CBT to help people to evaluate their negative automatic thoughts for accuracy and bias. This Compassi ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/compassionate-thought-challenging-record/
Intrusive Thoughts Images And Impulses
Intrusive Thoughts, Images, And Impulses that are experienced as distressing are a feature of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). They are also a com ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/intrusive-thoughts-images-and-impulses/
Uncovering Your Deeper Beliefs
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) describes three levels of cognition: automatic thoughts, assumptions, and core beliefs. While CBT therapists do not ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/uncovering-your-deeper-beliefs/
Pie Chart - Responsibility
The Pie Chart - Responsibility exercise is designed to guide clients through the process of clarifying and re-evaluating their responsibility for nega ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/pie-chart-responsibility/
Treating Your OCD With Exposure And Response (Ritual) Prevention (Second Edition): Workbook
Exposure and Response (Ritual) Prevention for Obessssive-Compulsive Disorder comes in two volumes. This page is for the Client Workbook. Click on the ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/treating-your-ocd-with-exposure-and-response-ritual-prevention-workbook/
Identifying Your Demanding Standards
Striving to meet demanding standards can be a rewarding process and lead to significant gains (e.g., praise, social status, financial rewards, etc.). ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/identifying-your-demanding-standards/
Nightmare Exposure And Rescripting
Imagery rescripting is an effective treatment for intrusive and unwanted memories. Nightmare Exposure And Rescripting employs similar techniques and c ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/nightmare-exposure-and-rescripting/
Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (Second Edition): Client Workbook
The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (Second Edition) comes in two volumes. This page is for the Client Workbook. ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/unified-protocol-for-transdiagnostic-treatment-of-emotional-disorders-second-edition-client-workbook/
Catastrophizing
The Catastrophizing information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series. It is designed to help clients and therapists to work more eff ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/catastrophizing/
Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (Second Edition): Therapist Guide
The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (Second Edition) comes in two volumes. This page is for the Therapist Guide. ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/unified-protocol-for-transdiagnostic-treatment-of-emotional-disorders-second-edition-therapist-guide/
Managing Social Anxiety (Third Edition): Workbook
Managing Social Anxiety – A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Approach comes in two volumes. This page is for the Workbook. Click on the following link t ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/managing-social-anxiety-workbook/
Thought Record – Courtroom Trial
Thought records are commonly used in CBT to help people to evaluate their negative automatic thoughts for accuracy and bias. The Thought Record – Co ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/thought-record-courtroom-trial/
Social Comparison
The Social Comparison information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effecti ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/social-comparison/
"Should" Statements
“Should” statements (sometimes referred to as ‘musturbation’, ‘necessitous thinking’, ‘self-commands’, and ‘injunctions’) are char ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/should-statements/
Thought Record (Considered Response)
Thought records exist in multiple variants, depending on the needs and abilities of the client. This Thought Record (Considered Response) is a cogniti ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/thought-record-considered-response/
Interoceptive Exposure
Misappraisals of body sensations trigger emotional and physiological reactions of fear and heightened arousal. These feelings motivate behavioral resp ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/interoceptive-exposure/
Overcoming Depression (Second Edition): Workbook
Overcoming Depression – A Cognitive Therapy Approach comes in two volumes. This page is for the Client Workbook. Click on the following link to acce ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/overcoming-depression-workbook/
Thought-Action Fusion
The Thought-Action Fusion information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more eff ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/thought-action-fusion/
Mastery Of Your Anxiety And Panic (Fifth Edition): Therapist Guide
Mastery Of Your Anxiety And Panic comes in two volumes. This page is for the Therapist Guide. Click on the following link to access the accompanying C ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/mastery-of-your-anxiety-and-panic-therapist-guide/
CBT Appraisal Model
The CBT Appraisal Model worksheet is a transdiagnostic formulation tool. The centrality of appraisals underpins all of the disorder-specific cognitive ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cbt-appraisal-model/
CBT Thought Record Portrait
The CBT Thought Record is an essential tool in cognitive behavioral therapy. Thought challenging records help people to evaluate their negative automa ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cbt-thought-record-portrait/
Self Critical Thought Challenging Record
Disputing thoughts is a critical skill in cognitive therapy. The Self-Critical Thought Challenging Record helps clients to identify and challenge thei ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/self-critical-thought-challenging-record/
Reciprocal CBT Formulation
CBT therapists often describe finding it difficult to apply CBT skills when clients bring relational problems to therapy. Familiar methods of visu ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/reciprocal-cbt-formulation/
Emotional Reasoning
The Emotional Reasoning information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effec ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/emotional-reasoning/
Worry Thought Record
Anxiety stems from negative predictions about the future (and also from assumptions that one will not be able to cope with the magnitude of the threat ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/worry-thought-record/
Mastery Of Your Anxiety And Panic (Fifth Edition): Workbook
Mastery Of Your Anxiety And Panic comes in two volumes. This page is for the Workbook. Click on the following link to access the accompanying Therapis ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/mastery-of-your-anxiety-and-panic-workbook/
Modifying Rules And Assumptions
Assumptions are often considered dysfunctional if they are inflexible, rigid, or lead to counterproductive behaviors. Modifying Rules And Assumptions ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/modifying-rules-and-assumptions/
All-Or-Nothing Thinking
All-or-nothing thinking (often also referred to as ‘black and white thinking’, ‘dichotomous thinking’, ‘absolutist thinking’, or ‘binary ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/all-or-nothing-thinking/
Demanding Standards – Living Well With Your Personal Rules
Demanding Standards – Living Well With Your Personal Rules is a guide written for clients who have high or perfectionistic standards which cause th ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/demanding-standards-living-well-with-your-personal-rules/
Interpersonal Beliefs And Styles
Interpersonal issues and relationship problems form an important part of what clients bring to therapy: they might present as clients’ current conce ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/interpersonal-beliefs-and-styles/
Stimulus Discrimination
Stimulus discrimination is a component of cognitive behavioral treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Clients are guided to deliberately ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/stimulus-discrimination/
Reclaiming Your Life From A Traumatic Experience (Second Edition): Workbook
Prolonged Exposure Therapy For PTSD comes in two volumes. This page is for the Client Workbook. Click on the following link to access the accompanying ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/reclaiming-your-life-from-a-traumatic-experience-workbook/
Mastery Of Your Anxiety And Worry (Second Edition): Therapist Guide
Mastery Of Your Anxiety And Worry comes in two volumes. This page is for the Therapist Guide. Click on the following link to access the accompanying W ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/mastery-of-your-anxiety-and-worry-therapist-guide/
Schema Bias
Core beliefs (schemas) are self-sustaining. They act to 'attract' confirmatory evidence and 'repel' or 'distort' disconfirmatory evidence. This inform ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/schema-bias/
Prompts For Challenging Negative Thinking (Archived)
NOTE: An improved version of this resource is available here: Prompts For Challenging Negative Thinking. Older versions of a resource may be arch ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/prompts-for-challenging-negative-thinking-archived/
Hotspot Record
Enhanced 'reliving' in trauma-focused CBT for PTSD involves addressing the meaning associated with 'hot spots' of traumatic memory. This Hotspot Recor ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/hotspot-record/
Catching Your Thoughts (CYP)
Before thoughts can be examined or challenged they must be ‘caught’ – they must be noticed and distinguished from events and feelings. The Catch ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/catching-your-thoughts-cyp/
Evaluating Your Demanding Standards
Striving to meet demanding standards can be a rewarding process and lead to significant gains. However, demanding standards can also have adverse cons ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/evaluating-your-demanding-standards/
Managing Social Anxiety (Third Edition): Therapist Guide
Managing Social Anxiety – A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Approach comes in two volumes. This page is for the Therapist Guide. Click on the following ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/managing-social-anxiety-therapist-guide/
Overcoming Your Eating Disorder: Workbook
Overcoming Eating Disorders comes in two volumes. This page is for the Client Workbook. Click on the following link to access the accompanying Therapi ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/overcoming-your-eating-disorder-workbook/
Managing Substance Use Disorder (Third Edition): Practitioner Guide
Managing Substance Use Disorder comes in two volumes. This page is for the Practitioner Guide. Click on the following link to access the Workbook.&nbs ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/managing-substance-use-disorder-practitioner-guide/
Health Anxiety Thought Record
Individuals with health anxiety experience clinically significant distress associated with health concerns. This thought-challenging record enables cl ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/health-anxiety-thought-record/
Mind Reading
The Mind Reading information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effectively ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/mind-reading/
Disqualifying The Positive
This Disqualifying the Positive information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists work more ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/disqualifying-the-positive/
Prolonged Exposure Therapy For PTSD (Second Edition): Therapist Guide
Prolonged Exposure Therapy For PTSD comes in two volumes. This page is for the Therapist Guide. Click on the following link to access the accompanying ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/prolonged-exposure-therapy-for-ptsd-therapist-guide/
Hindsight Bias
Hindsight bias describes the tendency that people have – once an outcome is known – to believe that they predicted (or could have predicted) an ou ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/hindsight-bias/
Anger Thought Challenging Record
Evaluating and disputing thoughts is a fundamental skill taught by cognitive therapists to their clients. The Anger Thought Challenging Record can hel ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/anger-thought-challenging-record/
Dysfunctional Thought Record
The Dysfunctional Thought Record is a worksheet to record and challenge dysfunctional thoughts. It encourages clients to identify the involvement of a ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/dysfunctional-thought-record/
Challenging Your Negative Thinking (Archived)
NOTE: An improved version of this resource is available here: Evaluating Unhelpful Automatic Thoughts. Older versions of a resource may be archived in ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/challenging-your-negative-thinking/
Overcoming Insomnia (Second Edition): Workbook
Overcoming Insomnia comes in two volumes. This page is for the Client Workbook. Click on the following link to access the accompanying Therapist Guide ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/overcoming-insomnia-workbook/
Permissive Thinking
The Permissive Thinking information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effec ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/permissive-thinking/
Externalizing
The Externalizing information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effectively ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/externalizing/
Overcoming Depression (Second Edition): Therapist Guide
Overcoming Depression – A Cognitive Therapy Approach comes in two volumes. This page is for the Therapist Guide. Click on the following link to acce ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/overcoming-depression-therapist-guide/
Barriers Abusers Overcome In Order To Abuse
Individuals who have experienced abuse often focus on their own actions (or inactions) and blame themselves for their own abuse. This client informati ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/barriers-abusers-overcome-in-order-to-abuse/
Personalizing
The Personalizing information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effectively ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/personalizing/
Pie Charts (Archived)
NOTE: An improved version of this resource is available here: Responsibility Pie Chart. Older versions of a resource may be archived in the event ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/pie-charts-archived/
Taking Panic Out Of The Body
A critical driver of panic reactions is catastrophic misinterpretation of body sensations. This worksheet helps therapists to teach clients about the ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/taking-panic-out-of-the-body/
Fortune Telling
The Fortune Telling information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effective ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/fortune-telling/
Overcoming Eating Disorders (Second Edition): Therapist Guide
Overcoming Eating Disorders comes in two volumes. This page is for the Therapist Guide. Click on the following link to access the Client Workbook.&nbs ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/overcoming-eating-disorders-therapist-guide/
Court Trial Thought Challenging Record (Archived)
NOTE: An improved version of this resource is available here: Thought Record - Courtroom Trial. Older versions of a resource may be archived in the ev ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/court-trial-thought-challenging-record/
Jumping To Conclusions
The Jumping to Conclusions information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more ef ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/jumping-to-conclusions/
Nightmare Rescripting (Audio)
Nightmare rescripting is an evidence based treatment for nightmares, with medium to large effect sizes on nightmare frequency, distress, intensity, an ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/nightmare-rescripting-audio/
Arbitrary Inference
Arbitrary inference is one of the earliest and broadest cognitive disotortions described in CBT. Beck defines it as "the process of forming an interpr ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/arbitrary-inference/
Simple Thought Challenging Record
Disputing thoughts is a critical skill in cognitive therapy. The Simple Thought Challenging Record encourages clients to identify alternative perspect ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/simple-thought-challenging-record/
What If
"What if...?" questions are a powerful way in which anxious individuals generate or maintain anxious states, particularly in generalized anxiety disor ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/what-if/
Overcoming Insomnia (Second Edition): Therapist Guide
Overcoming Insomnia comes in two volumes. This page is for the Therapist Guide. Click on the following link to access the Client Workbook. It is ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/overcoming-insomnia-therapist-guide/
Overgeneralization
The Overgeneralization information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effect ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/overgeneralization/
Disqualifying Others
This Disqualifying Others information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more eff ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/disqualifying-others/
Hindsight Bias (Archived)
Survivors of loss or trauma often think "If only …". Hindsight Bias is a cognitive bias / cognitive illusion which makes events seem more predictabl ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/hindsight-bias-archived/
Perspective-Taking
Cognitive restructuring techniques in CBT teach clients ways of analyzing situations in ways that might initially be unfamiliar. A simple way of intro ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/perspective-taking/
Belief-O-Meter (CYP)
The Belief-O-Meter is an engaging way of helping children and adolescents to relate to their thoughts differently. It is a form of cognitive restructu ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/belief-o-meter-cyp/
Thoughts In CBT (Psychology Tools For Living Well)
Cognitive behavioral therapy can help your clients to live happier and more fulfilling lives. Psychology Tools for Living Well is a self-help course ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/thoughts-in-cbt-psychology-tools-for-living-well/
Working With Anxious Thoughts And Predictions (Psychology Tools For Overcoming Panic)
Psychology Tools for Overcoming Panic takes a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach to this common anxiety problem. This chapter introduces the ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/working-with-anxious-thoughts-and-predictions-psychology-tools-for-overcoming-panic/
Meaning In Tinnitus
The psychological approach to tinnitus proposes that it is the meaning attached to perceptions which gives rise to distress - this is similar to the a ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/meaning-in-tinnitus/
Fact Or Opinion
One cognitive error which commonly results in distress is to act on our opinions as though they were facts. This CBT exercise helps clients to practic ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/fact-or-opinion/
Stimulus Discrimination (Audio)
The Stimulus Discrimination audio exercise is taken from the Psychology Tools For Overcoming PTSD Audio Collection. It is designed to help people with ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/stimulus-discrimination-audio/
Testing Anxious And Panicky Predictions (Psychology Tools For Overcoming Panic)
Psychology Tools for Overcoming Panic takes a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach to this common anxiety problem. This chapter introduces beh ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/testing-anxious-and-panicky-predictions-psychology-tools-for-overcoming-panic/
Links to external resources
Psychology Tools makes every effort to check external links and review their content. However, we are not responsible for the quality or content of external links and cannot guarantee that these links will work all of the time.
Information Handouts
-
Unhelpful Thinking Styles (Information Handouts)
| Centre For Clinical Interventions
- Mental Filter
- Jumping To Conclusions
- Personalisation
- Catastrophizing
- Black And White Thinking
- Shoulding And Musting
- Overgeneralization
- Labelling
- Emotional Reasoning
- Magnification And Minimisation
- Challenging Unhelpful Thinking Styles
Information (Professional)
- Definition of cognitive restructuring | Marks, I., Borgo, S., and Sibilia, B.
- Modification of core beliefs in cognitive therapy | Wenzel
Websites
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Cognitive Restructuring resources from Psychodelights.com
- Identifying and Challenging Thinking Errors
- Identifying and Modifying Negative Automatic Thoughts
- Identifying and Working With Dysfunctional Assumptions
Recommended Reading
- Schema change processes in cognitive therapy | Padesky | 1994
- Bouchard, S., Gauthier, J., Laberge, B., French, D., Pelletier, M. H., & Godbout, C. (1996). Exposure versus cognitive restructuring in the treatment of panic disorder with agoraphobia.Behaviour Research and Therapy,34(3), 213-224.
- Bryant, R. A., Moulds, M. L., Guthrie, R. M., Dang, S. T., & Nixon, R. D. (2003). Imaginal exposure alone and imaginal exposure with cognitive restructuring in treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder.Journal of consulting and clinical psychology,71(4), 706. archive.org
What Is Cognitive Restructuring?
Techniques for Cognitive Restructuring
- Behavioral experiments (including hypothesis testing and surveys) have been a fundamental CBT technique since the publication of the first treatment manual: “a powerful method with which to investigate the validity of a specific assumption consists of designing an experiment or task to test the assumption empirically” (Beck et al., 1979). Bennett-Levy et al. (2004) define behavioral experiments as:
“planned experiential activities, based on experimentation or observation, which are undertaken by patients in or between cognitive therapy sessions … their primary purpose is to obtain new information which may help to: test the validity of the patients’ existing beliefs …; construct and/or test new, more adaptive beliefs; contribute to the development and verification of the cognitive formulation.”
- Examining and reality-testing automatic thoughts and images, popularly known as ‘thought challenging’ or ‘disputing thoughts’ is a technique by which patients are encouraged to examine the accuracy of and validity of their negative automatic thoughts and images.
- Psychoeducation in therapy refers to information-giving. Many patients experience psychological distress because they lack critical information. Information can be given directly in the form of handouts or reading, or indirectly in the form of information-gathering exercises.
- Socratic dialogue is “a method of guided discovery in which the therapist asks a series of carefully sequenced questions to help define problems, assist in the identification of thoughts and beliefs, examine the meaning of events, or assess the ramifications of particular thoughts or behaviors” (Beck & Dozois, 2011). The Socratic method can help patients to reflect upon how they think and the assumptions they make, and can promote cognitive change.
References
- Beck, A. T., & Dozois, D. J. (2011). Cognitive therapy: Current status and future directions. Annual Review of Medicine, 62, 397–409.
- Beck, A. T., Rush, A. J., Shaw, B. F., & Emery, G. (1979). Cognitive therapy of depression. New York: Guilford Press.
- Bennett-Levy, J., Butler, G., Fennell, M., Hackmann, A., Mueller, M., & Westbrook, D. (2004). Oxford guide to behaviouralexperiments in cognitive therapy. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Leahy, R. L., & Rego, S. A. (2012). Cognitive restructuring. In W. T. O’Donohue & J. E. Fisher (Eds.), Cognitive behavior therapy: Core principles for practice(pp. 113–158). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.