(NOTE: this is an archive post – click An Intro to CBT Journalling extract to open the latest Intro to CBT journalling PDF)
A CBT guide to track and dispute the ‘vicious circle’ of bad thinking habits:
Consider the following models that show how our self-talk (perception) about a situation or event causes or influences our feelings (physical and emotional) and our choice of behaviour in response to it.
Practice journalling to build awareness and regulation of dramatic unhelpful negative automatic thoughts and beliefs:
Tips: consider the overdramatic statement – and reframe it, by asking yourself the following:
- Am I using one of my Bad Thinking Habits?
- Is that rational or irrational? Healthy or unhealthy?
- Am I using emotional reasoning (oh my feelings!) – feelings are not facts.
- What is the evidence for this thought or belief?
- Is there any evidence against it?
- Am I getting things out of proportion?
- Is that a bit dramatic and unhelpful?
- How does accepting these thoughts and beliefs make me feel and behave?
- Has thinking this way been helpful in life so far, or a nuisance?
- What would I advise my best friend if they were thinking this way?
- What is the rational calm alternative view of this situation?
- What is it more true to say? <—- REFRAME
Do you see how examining your self-talk and cleaning it up with alternative moderated self-talk can literally change your life?
In training, we know that people remember 80% of what they discover themselves – so cognitive behavioural training is a psycho-educational model, designed to teach you skills, to teach you how to understand and examine your own ‘attributional style’ (how you explain the world to yourself), and how to recognise distortions, and how to undistort your thinking. Quite literally in an unconditionally accepting fashion. It’s not right or wrong or good or bad, it’s science. We suffer from human species-ness, and for some of us the dial is set too high, and the lens is slightly shifted.
‘Learning by discovery’ through journaling: exploring where your bad thinking habits are, and what your thinking and behavioural patterns are, literally installs the mental task skills into your head – allowing you to build awareness and self regulation to reframe your self-talk in an instant when you notice you are using one of your bad thinking habits, (in the beginning it doesn’t matter whether you notice before, during, or after – do it, over and over, rewire).
Taking the time to document your thoughts and experiences can have a profound impact on your learning and self-discovery journey. Research has shown that the act of writing helps the brain process information more effectively, leading to a deeper understanding and retention of knowledge. By consistently journaling your habits and patterns of situational anxiety, you equip yourself with valuable tools that can be applied across various situations. This practice allows you to continuously elevate your skills and self-awareness, paving the way for personal growth and life changing skills that last forever. Don’t just settle for ‘theory’; actively engage in practical application – and rewire your brain…
To download the ABC-D blank form as a printable PDF click HERE
For more CBT resources click HERE
Veronica Walsh's CBT Blog Dublin, Ireland 
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A very practical method of getting clients to shift their thinking
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