The Court Trial Thought Challenging Record (Archived) is a structured worksheet that helps clients re-evaluate negative automatic thoughts using a courtroom trial metaphor.
Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
Includes client-friendly guidance. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
A fillable version of the resource. This can be edited and saved in Adobe Acrobat, or other PDF editing software.
An editable Microsoft PowerPoint version of the resource.
Thought challenging records are commonly used in CBT to help people to evaluate their negative automatic thoughts for accuracy and bias. This Court Trial Thought Challenging Record uses the metaphor of a court trial, which makes the challenge of the negative thought explicit and concrete. The client is encouraged to adopt the role of a defense attorney to defend the truthfulness of the NAT, and the role of a prosecuting attorney attempting to undermine the truthfulness of the NAT. This format may be helpful when clients are able to identify their negative automatic thoughts (NATs), but they struggle to identify evidence against the NAT and to then generate a balanced, more realistic alternative thought. The court metaphor and the adoption of different roles can help clients to ‘de-center’ and view the situation more as an observer.
This worksheet is designed to help clients to challenge their negative automatic thoughts. It uses the metaphor of a court trial, which makes the process more explicit and concrete.
Addressing with thoughts related to self-blame.
Questioning all-or-nothing thoughts about performance.
Challenging self-critical thoughts.
Suitable for other difficulties where thought changing might be helpful, such as social anxiety and interpersonal difficulties.
Identify a negative thought that troubles the client.
Encourage clients to play the prosecutor and outline evidence supporting the thought.
Shift roles to the defense and identify evidence that does not support the thought.
Act as the jury, reviewing the presented evidence objectively.
Arrive at a balanced conclusion and develop a more balanced thought.
Beck’s cognitive model (Beck et al., 1979) suggests that our feelings are not directly caused by events themselves but rather by how we interpret those events - our appraisals, thoughts, or cognitions. This model indicates that we can change our emotional responses by changing our thought patterns.
Automatic thoughts that lead to negative emotions, such as sadness, anxiety, or anger, are often referred to as negative automatic thoughts (NATs). While some of these negative thoughts may accurately reflect reality, many are inaccurate and biased in specific ways.
The Court Trial Thought Challenging Record is a cognitive restructuring worksheet. “Cognitive restructuring” encompasses the techniques used by cognitive therapists to help clients overcome cognitive biases and think differently. This worksheet employs the metaphor of a court trial to make the process of challenging negative thoughts explicit and concrete.
This strategy can be particularly beneficial for clients who can identify their negative automatic thoughts (NATs) but find it challenging to gather evidence against those thoughts and to develop a more balanced, realistic alternative.
The court metaphor, along with the adoption of different roles, can help clients “de-center” and view the situation more like an observer.
