Trust Stuck Points
The core theme of CPT that deals with the belief that people are inherently dangerous or malicious.
What is Trust?
The belief that "I cannot trust my own judgment" is a stuck point related to this specific type of trust.
What is Self-Trust?
The belief that "No one can be trusted" is an example of this trauma-induced cognitive shift.
What is Overaccommodation?
This fundamental CPT worksheet is used to identify activating events, beliefs about trust, and their consequences.
What is the A-B-C Worksheet?
The ultimate goal of CPT regarding trust is not blind or absolute trust, but this.
What is informed (or balanced) trust?
A statement like "If I let my guard down, I will be betrayed" is an example of this.
What is a Trust Stuck Point (or Overaccommodation)?
Trauma survivors often blame themselves for the event, severely damaging their trust in this person.
Who is themselves?
Instead of believing "all people are untrustworthy," CPT encourages finding this middle ground.
What is "some people are trustworthy and some are not"?
This worksheet helps you rigorously examine the evidence for and against your specific trust stuck point.
What is the Challenging Beliefs Worksheet (CBW)?
Rebuilding trust is not a one-time event, but rather this kind of continuous action.
What is a process?
Trust stuck points often develop after a trauma to create a false sense of this.
What is Safety or Control?
A technique used in CPT to help clients realize they made the best choices they could with the information they had at the time.
What is examining the context (or evaluating the facts)?
Trusting others exists on this, rather than being an absolute, all-or-nothing switch.
What is a spectrum (or continuum)?
You write this at the beginning and end of CPT to see how your views on trust (and other themes) have changed.
What is the Impact Statement?
A balanced belief about trust recognizes that while betrayal is possible, this positive outcome is also possible.
What is genuine connection (or loyalty)?
Believing "I must always be on guard because people are out to get me" represents this type of thinking error.
What is all-or-nothing thinking (or overgeneralization)?
Rebuilding self-trust requires shifting away from self-blame toward this concept.
What is realistic responsibility (or self-compassion)?
A healthy approach to trusting others involves evaluating this before giving complete trust.
What is evidence of their trustworthiness?
Tools like asking "Am I confusing a high probability with a low probability?" belong to this CPT practice.
What are the Challenging Questions?
Practicing this means allowing yourself to slowly test the waters of trusting someone in measured, safe steps.
What is gradual exposure (or building trust over time)?
In CPT, this is the first step to modifying a trust-related stuck point.
What is identifying it on the Stuck Point Log?
The stuck point "My intuition is always wrong" can be challenged by looking for evidence of this.
What are times when your intuition was right?
This CPT concept explains how trauma survivors might ignore red flags to maintain an old belief that a toxic person is safe.
What is Assimilation?
This concept involves identifying the cognitive habits—like mind reading or emotional reasoning—that keep trust stuck points going.
What are Patterns of Problematic Thinking?
This is the empowering realization that even if someone breaks your trust in the future, you have the ability to do this.
What is cope, survive, or protect yourself?