The CBT Triangle
In the acronym CBT, the "B" stands for Behavioral, the "T" stands for Therapy, and the "C" stands for this word, which refers to how we think.
What is Cognitive?
Assuming you know exactly what someone else is thinking about you without them saying a word is called this psychic-sounding thinking trap.
What is Mind Reading?
A popular three-step CBT slogan for handling an unhelpful thought is: "Catch it, Check it, and ____ it."
What is Change it?
Staying away from people, places, or tasks because they make you anxious feels good in the short term, but makes anxiety stronger over time; this habit is called this.
What is avoidance?
Breaking a giant, overwhelming goal down into tiny, manageable pieces is commonly referred to as taking "baby" these.
What are baby steps?
The CBT triangle shows that these three things are directly connected: your thoughts, your behaviors (actions), and these.
What are your feelings (or emotions)?
Predicting that a situation will definitely turn out badly before it even happens—as if you are looking into a crystal ball—is called this.
What is Fortune Telling?
Like a detective or a lawyer in a courtroom, CBT teaches you to examine the real, factual ____ that supports or disproves a negative thought.
What is evidence (or facts)?
When depression or low mood makes you want to isolate, scheduling small, meaningful, or enjoyable activities to jump-start your mood is called "Behavioral" this.
What is Activation (Behavioral Activation)?
Asking yourself "Will this matter in a year?" or "What would I tell a friend in this situation?" helps you step back and gain this.
What is perspective?
Often called "ANTs" for short, these are the quick, involuntary negative thoughts that pop into your head automatically when something stressful happens.
What are Automatic Negative Thoughts?
Believing that because you feel a certain way, it must be the truth (for example, "I feel stupid, so I must be stupid") is called "Emotional" this.
What is Emotional Reasoning?
Brushing off a compliment or an achievement by saying "It doesn't count" or "They were just being nice" is a trap called "Disqualifying the ____."
What is the Positive?
Doing the exact reverse of what a negative emotion urges you to do—such as reaching out to someone when you feel like isolating—is a skill called "____ Action."
What is Opposite Action?
Focusing entirely on one single negative detail in your day while ignoring everything that went right is a distortion called "Mental" this.
What is Mental Filtering (or Tunnel Vision)?
According to CBT, it isn't the actual situation or event that causes our emotional distress, but rather our ____ about the event.
What are our thoughts (or beliefs / perceptions)?
Using rigid, pressuring words like "must," "ought to," or this common six-letter word starting with "S" often creates unnecessary guilt and frustration.
What is "Should" (Should statements)?
A classic CBT worksheet where you write down the situation, your automatic thought, the emotion you felt, and a healthier alternative thought is called a "Thought ____."
What is a Thought Record (or Thought Log)?
Gradually facing a fear or uncomfortable situation step-by-step until your brain learns it is safe and the anxiety naturally drops is called this.
What is exposure?
In the A-B-C model of CBT, A is the Activating Event, C is the Consequence (how you feel and act), and B stands for this middle step that connects them.
What is Belief (or Beliefs)?
Deeply held, fundamental ideas we have about ourselves, others, and the world—often formed early in life—are known as "Core" these.
What are Core Beliefs?
Blaming yourself for an outside event you couldn't control—or assuming someone else's bad mood is automatically because of you—is called this.
What is Personalization?
Instead of forcing unrealistic "positive thinking," CBT aims for this type of thinking that looks at both the good and the bad fairly and realistically.
What is balanced (or rational / objective) thinking?
When expecting a situation to go poorly causes you to act guarded or negative—which then actually makes the situation go poorly—it is called a "Self-Fulfilling" this.
What is a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy?
Attaching a harsh, global title to yourself or someone else after a single mistake (saying "I'm a failure" instead of "I made a mistake") is a thinking trap called this.
What is Labeling?