CBT Triangle
What are the three parts of the CBT Triangle?
Thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
What is the primary goal of cognitive restructuring?
Thinking in extremes like "always" or "never" is called what?
Black and White thinking / All-or-nothing thinking.
Seeing only the worst possible outcome of a situation.
Catastrophizing
"I can't eat this - It's unsafe."
“This feels unsafe to my nervous system, but it isn’t actually dangerous.”
What does the CBT triangle help us do?
Understand the connections between our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors as they are interrelated and influence each other.
What are cognitive distortions?
Irrational thoughts that shape how we see the world, how we feel, and how we act.
Focusing only on what went wrong and ignoring everything that went right.
Mental Filter OR Discounting the Positive
Judging yourself harshly using “should,” “must,” or “have to” statements.
Should and Must Statements
"I have no self-control around food."
"I can develop a relationship with food that allows me to practice mindfulness and self-compassion."
What CBT technique involves challenging and changing unhelpful cognitive distortions?
Cognitive Restructuring
Why do we practice cognitive restructuring?
Because our thoughts determine how we feel and how we act, it's important to challenge any thoughts that cause us harm. Restructuring thoughts can change how we feel and our behaviors.
You blow things way out of proportion or you shrink their importance.
Magnification or Minimization
The belief that you are responsible for events outside of your control.
Personalization
"I am not worthy unless I look a certain way."
"My worth is not determined by my appearance. I am deserving of love and respect just as I am."
When we are restructuring, what point on the triangle are we targeting?
Thoughts.
True or False: Restructuring means forcing positive thoughts.
False! Restructured thoughts should be neutral, balanced, and evidence based.
Believing something must be true because it feels true.
Emotional Reasoning
You interpret the thoughts and beliefs of others without adequate evidence.
Mind Reading
"Eating more means losing control."
“Restriction is what reduces control—nourishment supports it.”
If a person's negative, automatic thoughts about a meal lead to anxiety, which part of the CBT triangle does this fall under?
Feelings
Why is it important to separate thoughts from feelings in CBT?
Assuming a negative outcome is inevitable because it happened before.
Overgeneralization
Helps individuals justify or explain their behaviors, actions, or thoughts in a way that makes them seem more reasonable and acceptable.
Rationalizing
"I must workout to earn this meal."
"I don't have to earn food or a meal. Food is fuel that I need to nourish my body."