CBT Basics
What does CBT stand for?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
What is a cognitive distortion?
A negative or inaccurate thinking pattern that can affect how we feel and act.
(Everyone has them — they often happen automatically.)
What’s one physical coping skill you can use during anxiety?
Answer: Deep breathing.
(Helps calm the body’s stress response and slow racing thoughts.)
Thought: ‘I always mess everything up.
Possible Reframes:
“Everyone makes mistakes sometimes — it doesn’t mean I mess everything up.”
“I’ve succeeded at many things before; I can learn from this one.”
“This didn’t go as planned, but I can try again or do it differently next time.”
CBT focuses on the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
✅ Fact
True or False: CBT focuses on changing the past.
False - CBT focuses on the present and learning new skills for how we think and act now.
What distortion is this: “If I’m not perfect, I’m a total failure”?
Answer: All-or-Nothing Thinking.
(Seeing things in black-and-white, with no middle ground.)
What coping skill focuses on paying attention to the present moment without judgment?
Answer: Mindfulness.
(Helps reduce stress by bringing awareness to what’s happening now instead of the past or future.)
Thought: No one cares about me.
Possible Reframes:
“It feels like that right now, but there are people who care — they just might not show it the way I expect.”
“I can reach out to someone instead of assuming they don’t care.”
“Feeling lonely doesn’t mean I’m unlovable.”
Reframing means pretending everything is positive.
❌ False — it means finding a balanced, realistic view.
What are the three parts of the CBT triangle?
Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors.
(Each part affects the others — changing one can help change the rest.)
What distortion is this: “I failed this test, so I’ll fail everything”?
✅Answer: Overgeneralization.
(Making a broad conclusion based on one event.)
What’s a grounding technique you can use when feeling overwhelmed?
Answer: The 5-4-3-2-1 method (name 5 things you see, 4 touch, 3 hear, 2 smell, 1 taste).
(Brings focus to the present moment.)
“I can’t handle this.”
Possible Reframes:
“This is hard, but I’ve handled difficult things before.”
“I may not have all the answers yet, but I can take it one step at a time.”
“It’s okay to ask for help — that’s part of handling it.”
Avoiding a stressful situation always reduces anxiety long-term.
❌ Myth — avoidance often increases anxiety over time.
What’s the goal of CBT?
To recognize and change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors.
(CBT helps people replace negative thinking with more balanced, helpful thoughts.)
What distortion is this: “I just know something bad is going to happen”?
Answer: Fortune Telling.
(Predicting a negative outcome without evidence.)
What coping skill involves writing down your thoughts to challenge them?
Answer: Thought journaling or thought records.
(Helps identify patterns and practice reframing.)
“If I feel anxious, it means I’m weak.”
Possible Reframes:
“Feeling anxious means my body is reacting to stress — not that I’m weak.”
“Anxiety is a normal emotion that everyone feels sometimes.”
“Courage isn’t the absence of anxiety — it’s taking action despite it.”
Coping skills only work if you feel motivated to use them.
❌ Myth — sometimes using them creates motivation.
Why is it important to write down your thoughts in CBT?
Writing helps make thoughts clearer, easier to challenge, and less overwhelming.
(Seeing thoughts on paper helps separate them from facts and emotions.)
What distortion is this: “My friend looked upset — it must be because of me”?
Answer: Personalization.
(Taking responsibility for things outside your control or assuming others’ emotions are about you.)
What coping skill helps shift focus from what’s wrong to what’s going well by noticing positives in your day?
Practicing gratitude.
(Improves mood and perspective by training your brain to notice good things.)
“I failed, so I’m a failure.”
Possible Reframes:
“Failing at something doesn’t make me a failure — it makes me human.”
“This is one experience, not my whole story.”
“Failure is how I learn what doesn’t work.”
A behavior can affect your mood even if your thoughts don’t change.
✅ Fact (behavioral activation)