Triangle
Unhelpful thinking patterns
Unhelpful thinking patterns
How to challenge unhelpful thoughts
100

What is the first part of the triangle?

Thoughts

100

He thought it was his fault because he forgot to give his friend a birthday present

Blaming yourself or others

100

Assuming something bad is going to happen in the future or thinking someone is angry at you because they didn't speak to you

Jumping to conclusions (mind reading or fortune telling)

100

Imagining a stop sign or stop light and the thought goes away

Thought stopping

200

What part of the triangle includes sadness, happiness, anger etc?

Feelings/Emotions

200

Only focusing on the negatives of what has happened 

Disqualifying the positive

200

If we feel this way then it must be true 

Emotional reasoning

200

I am enough

I get better every single day

Today I can be a leader

My mistakes help me learn and grow

I have people that love and respect me 

Mantras and Positive self talk

300

The correct order of the triangle is:

Thoughts, Feelings, Behaviors

300

Thinking of what you would change or do differently about something that happened in the past


Should, Must or Ought Thoughts

300
Making a mistake she focuses on what a loser she is rather than trying to fix it

Bad mouth yourself or others

300

Looking at what has actually happened, the facts of the situation

Examining the evidence

400

What prompts the triangle to begin?

A situation

400

Calling yourself or others names

Labeling 

400

Black and white thinking; All A's or I fail 

All or nothing thinking 

400

Questioning the thought with a percentage

Believability Pie

500

When we respond to our thoughts and feelings, what is that called?

Actions/Behaviors

500

"Making a mountain out of a mole hill" Blowing things out of proportion 

Magnification

500

Someone stole something from you and you act like you don't care. 

Not a big deal (minimization)

500

What would the people who care about me say? 

If my friend has this thought what would I tell them?

Is there another way to look at it?

Questions to challenge thoughts

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