www.CBTandFeelingGood.com - Changing your thinking: a ‘thought replacement’ worksheet

Catchthenegativethought:Keepajournal,takingnotesoftheactualthoughtsyouarethinkingwhenyou’reinasituationthatupsetsyouandendsinself‐limitingandself‐sabotagingbehaviour.Example:‘It’sgoingtobeawful,I’mgoingtoembarrassmyself…’‐(andthenavoidinganevent). ThoughtStopping:Asyounoticeyourselfsayingthesenegativeautomaticthoughts,youcanstopthemmid‐streambysayingtoyourself“STOP”.Sayingitaloud,orsilentlyinyourheadifyouarewithpeople.Youmightalsoweararubberbandaroundyourwrist,givingitalittletwangeachtimeyounoticeyouareallowingnegativethinkingtotakeoveryourheadinanever‐endingloop.Itwillmakeyoumoreawareofhowoften,andinwhatsituation,youarehavingthenegativethoughts. Challengethenegativethought:Challengethethoughts,examinethemtoseeifthey’revalid.‘Where’stheevidenceforthis?Isthereanotherwaytolookatit?’.Example:‘Actually,that’sfortunetelling,Idon’tactuallyknowwhat’sgoingtohappen,allIcandoismybest,maybeI’llbeabitanxious,Icancopewiththatifithappens,anditmightnothappen,IwasokaylastweekatthatothereventeventhoughItorturedmyselfbeforeitwiththiskindofthinking….’Summary:reframeandreplace:Notethenegativethought–stopitinitstracks–examineitforevidence–andifyoudecideitisirrationalandunhelpful,replaceitwithalternativehealthythinking.Hereisanexample:NegativeAutomaticThoughts ReframeRationalThoughtReplacement

Nobodylikesme That’snotatruestatement.Myfamilylikeme,andIhavemyfriendfromworkandmyfriendfromcollege.AndIgotonwellwithmanyotherpeoplenowthatIthinkofit.Also,noteverybodywilladoreandadmiremeinthislife.Iacceptthat.It’sthesameforeverybody.Also,ifsomebodydoesthinklittleofyou,youdon’thavetoagreewithit.I’mokay,it’sokay.

It’sgoingtobeawful,I’mgoingtoembarrassmyself…

Actually,that’sfortunetelling,Idon’tknowwhat’sgoingtohappen,allIcandoismybest,maybeI’llbeabitanxious,Icancopewiththatifithappens,anditmightnothappen,Iwasokaylastweekatthatother…

Ican’tcope! That’sabitsilly.IfI‘couldn’tcope’I’ddropdowndeadorburstintoflames,yethereIam.It’smoretruetosaythatIhaveproblemscoping,andIwishIdidn’thavetocope,andthatI’mdoingmybest.AcceptingthatIcan’tcopeastrueonlymaximisesmydiscomfort,andifIbelieveitI’llavoidthings…

Tryitforyourself!NegativeAutomaticThoughts Reframerationalthoughtreplacement______________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________