Definitions
Irrational thoughts that influences our beliefs and perceptions about ourselves and the world around us; an exaggerated view of reality.
What are Cognitive Distortions?
Interpreting the meaning of a situation with little or no evidence.
What is Jumping to Conclusions?
A tool/log for recording experiences, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors associated with cd's.
What are Thought Records?
Writing down your negative thoughts.
What is Journaling?
"I will never be happy"
"I may be unhappy now but that will pass." OR "I have been happy before and I will be happy again."
Skills and techniques to help you tolerate, minimize, and deal with stressful situations in life.
What are coping skills?
Seeing only the worst possible outcomes of a situation.
What is Catastrophizing?
Looking for negative emotions, identifying triggers to negative thoughts, and identifying cd's when they show up.
What is Increasing Awareness of Thoughts?
Short, written statements that give your self-esteem a positive boost.
What are Positive Affirmations?
He didn't say "hi" to me this morning, so he must be mad at me for something I did.
"There are many reasons why he did not say Hi to me. It's probably not personal." OR "I will check in with him later and make sure everything is ok"
The process of understanding cd's and how they influence one's mood and perception.
What is Psychoeducation?
Thinking in absolutes, such as "always", "never", or "every".
When you play defense attorney, prosecutor, and judge with your negative thoughts to assess the facts and the verdict should come in the form of a rational thought.
What is Putting Your Thoughts on Trial.
Reaching out to friends/family/other support when we are struggling.
What is Asking for Support?
"I should always be perfect at my job and never make a mistake"
"I will always make sure to do my best and ask for help or clarification if I don't understand something" OR "Making mistakes is natural, everyone makes mistakes sometimes"
The therapeutic process of identifying and challenging negative and irrational thoughts and beliefs.
What is Cognitive Restructuring?
The expectation that a situation will turn out badly without adequate evidence.
What is Fortune Telling?
The process of asking yourself "What's the worst that could happen?".
What is Decatastrophizing?
A mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.
What is Mindfulness?
"They told me they liked my project and the idea behind it, but said that it has room for improvement. I'm so bad at this, I should just never do it again"
"They liked my ideas and project and telling me that it can be even better makes me feel competent and confident in my skills" OR "There's room for improvement in everything, I shouldn't take it personally, they just want this project to be the best it can be"
This therapeutic treatment model teaches you to link thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to better understand and combat cd's.
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
What are Magnification and Minimization?
The act of questioning your cd's and negative thoughts to explore them and uncover the assumptions behind them.
What is Socratic Questioning?
Things around us that divert our attention from negative thoughts to something more enjoyable and/or healthy.
What are Positive Distractions (aka Emotion Focused or Action Focused coping skills)?
"I felt so awkward talking to those people. Why am I always so awkward, they probably think I'm weird"
"It's okay to feel uncomfortable in new situations when I don't know someone very well yet" OR "They probably think that's how I act all the time since they don't know me, maybe next time I see them I'll feel more comfortable and act more like myself"