Name the Cognitive Distortion
A person hears about a problem and uses what if questions (e.g., “What if tragedy strikes?” “What if it happens to me?”) to imagine the absolute worst occurring.
Catastrophizing
“I'm such an idiot.”
“I made a mistake, but making a mistake doesn't make me stupid.”
True or False: “I made a mistake” and “I am a bad person” mean the same thing.
False
Complete the phrase:
“Progress, not ______.”
Perfection
What is one simple definition of self-compassion?
Treating yourself with understanding, kindness, and support when you're struggling.
a distortion where a person believes that everything others do or say is some kind of direct, personal reaction to them.
Personalization
“I should have my life figured out by now.”
“I'm still figuring things out, and that's part of being human.”
Which statement demonstrates accountability?
A. “Nothing was my fault.”
B. “I'm a terrible person.”
C. “I made a mistake, and I can take responsibility for it.”
D. “It doesn't matter what happened.”
C. “I made a mistake, and I can take responsibility for it.”
What's one way to measure progress besides looking at whether you've completely reached your goal?
Looking at effort, consistency, increased awareness, coping skills, behavior changes, or recovery from setbacks.
What is the name for the harsh, judgmental voice that tells you you're not good enough?
The inner critic.
appear as a list of ironclad rules about how every person should behave.
Should statements
“I always screw everything up.”
“I've made mistakes, but I don't always mess things up.”
What is the difference between guilt and shame?
Guilt focuses on behavior (“I did something wrong”), while shame tends to focus on identity (“I am wrong/bad”).
True or False:
A setback automatically means you've lost all of your progress.
False.
What's the difference between self-compassion and self-pity?
Self-compassion acknowledges suffering while maintaining perspective and a willingness to respond constructively; self-pity can involve becoming stuck in one's suffering or viewing oneself as uniquely victimized.
This distortion can be summed up by the statement, “If I feel that way, it must be true.”
Emotional Reasoning
“Everyone else is doing better than me.”
“I don't know everything other people are dealing with, and I can focus on my own progress.”
Someone breaks a commitment and says:
“I hate myself for what I did.”
Give them a response that promotes accountability without shame.
“You can acknowledge the impact of what happened, make repairs where appropriate, and work on changing the behavior without attacking your entire identity.”
Someone says:
“I had a bad day, so clearly I'm not getting better.”
What would be a more compassionate way to interpret the situation?
“One difficult day doesn't erase the progress I've made. I can look at what happened and decide what I want to do differently next time.”
Define accountability
Acknowledging mistakes and committing to changing future behavior
Places people or situations in “either/or” categories, with no shades of gray or allowing for the complexity of most people and most situations.
“Black and White” Thinking
“I've messed up so badly that I don't deserve forgiveness.”
“I can take responsibility for what I've done while still allowing myself the possibility of growth and forgiveness.”
What are three things someone can do after making a mistake instead of punishing themselves?
Take responsibility, identify what happened, make amends, learn from it, develop a plan, seek support, or change the behavior.
What is one area of your life where you could replace perfectionism with progress?
Any answer!
Define manipulation
Deliberate behavior aimed at exploiting, controlling, or influencing others to one’s advantage, typically through subtle, deceptive, or underhanded tactics.