How to Challenge an Unhelpful Thought

1) Consider whether your thoughts are contributing to your distressing feelings

2) Identify the specific thought you just had before this emotional shift

3) Evaluate how accurate (or helpful) this thought is

a) “where is the evidence for this belief?”

b) “where is this thought getting me?”

c) “are there alternative explanations?”

4) Look for unhelpful thinking traps:

a) Demands (“must,” “should,” “ought to be this way”)

b) Catastrophizing (“it’s awful,” “it’s terrible”)

c) All-or-Nothing Thinking

d) Overgeneralizing

e) Focusing exclusively on the negative, minimizing the positive

5) Respond back to this thought with:

a) reasons the thought is inaccurate AND

b) a different and better way to think about the situation

6) If you’re still struggling to find a new helpful way of looking at the situation, consider a BALANCED thought. For example “I may have failed that test, but that doesn’t mean I’m a failure.”

7) Check in with yourself now to see how you feel

a) Do you feel different or better? If not, be patient, it may take time and practice until you start to believe the thoughts