CBT post: Communication and Identification of Healthy Beliefs -template

Last time we identified core beliefs. Today's exercise is an extension of that: to identify whether the belief is healthy, and if not, what would be a more helpful belief to replace it with. Then you might want to write down a few problems created by the unhealthy belief, and how the new belief can fix those problems.

For example:
"I am/am not special" = unhealthy; "I am just as deserving as anyone else" = healthy.

My belief that I am special creates difficulty because it allows me to discredit other people's value and disrespect them.

Believing that I am just as special or deserving as any other person allows me to see the value in other people and treat them with respect more easily.

Remember: when you are replacing old thoughts and beliefs with new ones, you don't have to get everything exactly right the first time. Therapy is a process. Ideas need workshopped and refined, and that's okay.

"_____" = unhealthy;
"_____" = healthy.

Believing _____ creates difficulty because _____ and _____.

Believing _____ fixes those difficulties by _____ and _____.

"_____" = unhealthy;
"_____" = healthy.

Believing _____ creates difficulty because _____ and _____.

Believing _____ fixes those difficulties by _____ and _____.

"_____" = unhealthy;
"_____" = healthy.

Believing _____ creates difficulty because _____ and _____.

Believing _____ fixes those difficulties by _____ and _____.

[Adapted from The CBT Toolbox by Jeff Riggenbach]