Cognitive Distortions 1
Cognitive Distortions 2
Examples
Random
Reflection
100
Sometimes called black and white thinking
What is All or Nothing thinking
100
Only paying attention to certain types of evidence. Noticing our failures but not seeing our successes.
What is Mental filter
100
She broke up with me last night. Now I'll never meet anyone.
What Overgeneralization
100

Share a time you felt powerful or strong

100

What is different today than a year ago that you are grateful for?

200
Seeing a pattern based upon a single event, or being overly broad in the conclusions we draw.Often use words, always, never, no one, everyone, all, and none.
What is Over-generalizing
200
Predicting that an event will turn out bad.
What is Fortune telling (JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS)
200
She did not say anything about my new haircut. She must think it is ugly!
What is Mind Reading
200

Choose a color for a random reflection question: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, or pink.

200

Choose a color for a random reflection question: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, or pink.

300
Blowing things out of proportion
What is Castastrophising
300
Assigning labels to ourselves or to other people.
What is Labelling
300
She is moving to a new apartment because she does not like having me as a neighbor.
What is personalization
300

The expectation that a situation will turn out badly without adequate evidence.

What is Fortune Telling

300

What is something that made you smile today?

:)

400

Assuming that because we feel a certain way what we think must be true. Ex: “I feel like a bad friend, therefore I must be a bad friend.”

What is Emotional Reasoning

400

Blaming yourself or taking responsibility for something that wasn't completely your fault, or blaming other people for something that was your fault.

What is Personalization

400
I know she complimented me on my new outfit but she was just being nice.
What is Disqualifying the Positive
400

Choose a color for a random reflection question: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, or pink.

400

Share a challenge you are grateful for.

500

Using critical words like "should", "must"' or "ought", that make us feel guilty, or frustrated at others.

What are Should Statements

500
Discounting the good things that have happened or that you have done for some reason or another.
What is Disqualifying the positive
500

I am a good person, bad things shouldn't be happening to me. 

What is Magical Thinking.

500

What is an emotion that is difficult for you to express?

500

Share a story of a time you felt empowered.

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