CBT Thought Record Portrait

Beck’s cognitive model (Beck et al, 1979) proposes that events are not directly responsible for the way we feel. Rather, it is the interpretation of those events – our appraisals, thoughts, or cognitions – that trigger our emotional responses. The model implies that we can change how we feel by changing how we think. 

The CBT cognitive model describes different levels of cognition that underpin how we think about ourselves, other people and the world, shaping our interpretation and response to events. Moving from the deepest to the most superficial, these are:

• Core beliefs. These are understood as generalized statements that shape how an individual understands themselves, other people, and the world (e.g. “I’m competent”, “I’m unlovable”, “No one can be trusted”, “The world is dangerous and unpredictable”, “I’m adaptable”).
• Intermediate beliefs. These are understood as a set of assumptions that guide behavior across different situations. They can often be stated in a

“The way CBT works is that what we think affects the way we feel. Everyone has hundreds of ‘automatic thoughts’ every day. These are thoughts that just ‘pop’ into your mind. Sometimes the thoughts that we have are facts, but other times they are opinions: sometimes they are accurate and helpful, and sometimes they are inaccurate and unhelpful. People often mistake CBT as being about ‘thinking happy thoughts’ but actually it’s about thinking accurate thoughts. A good way of catching and examining your negative automatic thoughts is to use a thought record. Would you be willing to practice one with me now?”

1. Situation. Thought records are completed with respect to specific situations. Clients can be instructed to complete a thought record when they notice a change in how they are feeling. If a therapist and client are completing a thought record in session the therapist can start by cueing the client’s

• Beck, A.T. & Beck J.S. (1995). Cognitive Therapy: Basics and Beyond. New York: Guilford.
• Beck, A.T., Rush, A.J., Shaw, B.F., & Emery, G. (1979). Cognitive therapy of depression. New York: Guilford.
• Greenberger, D., Padesky, C. (1995). Mind over mood: Change how you feel by changing the way you think. New York: The Guilford Press.