Cognitive restructuring is one of the pillars of cognitive behavioral therapy. I use cognitive restructuring techniques with many clients, whether we are focused on cognitive behavioral therapy or humanistic methods such as narrative therapy or ACT psychotherapy. These methods are effective both virtually and in person. In this post, I provide a cognitive restructuring example that includes how a client used a cognitive restructuring worksheet to get significant results. Please feel free to contact me or schedule a consultation if you have any questions or want to pursue this treatment.
Cognitive Restructuring Overview
Cognitive restructuring techniques target unhelpful or distorted thoughts contributing to negative emotions and behaviors. In brief, this is how cognitive restructuring works:
- Goal: Use cognitive restructuring techniques to identify, challenge, and replace maladaptive thoughts with more balanced and realistic ones.
- Cognitive Restructuring Techniques:
- Recognize automatic negative thoughts (e.g., “I’m a failure,” “No one likes me”).
- Challenge these thoughts by evaluating evidence for and against them.
- Replace the negative thought with a healthier, more balanced one (e.g., “I made a mistake, but that doesn’t mean I’m a failure”).
- Cognitive Restructuring Example:
Situation: You failed an exam.
Thought: “I’m completely useless.”
Revised Thought: “I didn’t do well on this exam, but I can study differently next time and improve.”
Cognitive restructuring techniques help individuals reduce cognitive distortions like catastrophizing, overgeneralization, or all-or-nothing thinking.
Cognitive Restructuring Example List
Each cognitive restructuring example covers a common distortion and highlights how to challenge and replace unhelpful thoughts with balanced alternatives:
1. Cognitive Restructuring Example: All-or-Nothing Thinking
- Negative Thought: “If I can’t do this perfectly, I’m a total failure.”
- Challenged Thought: “It’s okay if I don’t get everything right. Progress is still progress, and I can learn from mistakes.”
2. Catastrophizing
- Negative Thought: “If I mess up this presentation, my boss will fire me, and my career will be over.”
- Challenged Thought: “If the presentation doesn’t go perfectly, I’ll be disappointed, but I can use the feedback to improve. One presentation won’t ruin my career.”
3. Overgeneralization
- Negative Thought: “I failed this exam. I’m going to fail at everything I try in life.”
- Challenged Thought: “I struggled with this exam, but it doesn’t mean I’ll always fail. I can study differently next time and do better.”
4. Labeling
- Negative Thought: “I’m such an idiot for forgetting my friend’s birthday.”
- Challenged Thought: “Forgetting a birthday doesn’t make me an idiot. It was a mistake, and I can make it up by reaching out and apologizing.”
5. Mind Reading
- Negative Thought: “She didn’t reply to my text. She must be mad at me.”
- Challenged Thought: “There could be many reasons she hasn’t replied yet. She might be busy or preoccupied. I shouldn’t assume the worst.”
6. Fortune Telling
- Negative Thought: “I’ll never get this job, so there’s no point in applying.”
- Challenged Thought: “I don’t know what will happen. I have a chance if I apply, and not trying guarantees failure.”
7. Personalization
- Negative Thought: “My friends didn’t laugh at my joke. I must be boring or annoying.”
- Challenged Thought: “Just because they didn’t laugh doesn’t mean they think I’m boring. Maybe they didn’t find it funny, and that’s okay.”
8. Emotional Reasoning
- Negative Thought: “I feel useless, so I must be useless.”
- Challenged Thought: “Just because I feel this way doesn’t mean it’s true. Feelings aren’t facts, and I’ve accomplished things before.”
9. Discounting the Positive
- Negative Thought: “Sure, I did well on the project, but anyone could have done that.”
- Challenged Thought: “I worked hard and succeeded on this project. My effort and skills played a role in that success.”
10. Should Statements
- Negative Thought: “I should always be strong and never ask for help.”
- Challenged Thought: “It’s okay to ask for help when I need it. Everyone has limits, and seeking support shows strength, not weakness.”
General Cognitive Restructuring Steps
- Identify the Thought: Recognize the unhelpful thought causing distress.
- Examine Evidence: Ask, “What proof do I have that this thought is true or false?”
- Challenge the Thought: Look for alternatives that are more balanced or realistic.
- Replace the Thought: Create a healthier, more positive thought.
Cognitive Restructuring Techniques
You can use cognitive restructuring techniques to identify, challenge, and replace unhelpful thoughts:
1. Identify Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs)
Automatic negative thoughts occur instantly in response to situations. The first step is recognizing them.
- Example: “I failed this test. I’m stupid.”
- Action: Write down your thoughts as they arise to catch patterns of negativity.
2. Cognitive Restructuring Worksheet
Thought records, or cognitive restructuring worksheets, help you analyze your thoughts systematically. Break the process into steps:
| Situation | Automatic Thought | Emotions | Evidence For | Evidence Against | New Balanced Thought |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed a test | “I’m a failure.” | Sad, hopeless | I got a low grade | I passed other tests before | “I didn’t do well this time, but I can learn and improve.” |
- Why they work: Cognitive restructuring worksheets help you evaluate thoughts objectively and replace them with more realistic ones.
3. Socratic Questioning
Use open-ended questions to challenge unhelpful thoughts:
- What evidence supports this thought? What evidence contradicts it?
- Am I jumping to conclusions or assuming the worst?
- How would I view this situation if it happened to someone I care about?
- Will this matter a month or a year from now?
- Am I basing this thought on facts or feelings?
Example:
- Thought: “Everyone hates me.”
- Questions: “What evidence do I have for this? Did someone say that? Are there friends who enjoy my company?”
4. Reframing
Reframe negative thoughts into more constructive ones by looking for alternative perspectives.
- Negative Thought: “I’m terrible at public speaking.”
- Reframe: “I have public speaking anxiety, but I can practice and get better with time.”
5. Distinguish Thoughts from Facts
Remember that thoughts are not always facts. Treat them as opinions you can question.
- Example: “I’ll never succeed.”
- Ask yourself: “Is this a fact, or is this just a belief I’ve created based on fear?”
6. Label Cognitive Distortions
Identify and name the cognitive distortion (e.g., all-or-nothing thinking, catastrophizing). Once labeled, it’s easier to challenge.
- Example: “I failed once, so I’m useless.” → Overgeneralization.
- Cognitive restructuring example: “Failing once doesn’t define me. I can try again.”
7. Use a Thought Diary
Keep a journal to log negative thoughts, their triggers, and restructured thoughts, and then transfer them to your cognitive restructuring worksheet.
- Format:
- Trigger/Situation
- Negative Thought
- Emotion (rate intensity: 1–10)
- Balanced Thought
- Outcome (emotion intensity after restructuring)
- Cognitive Restructuring Example Entry:
- Trigger: Got critical feedback at work.
- Negative Thought: “I’m terrible at my job.”
- Emotion: Sadness, 8/10.
- Balanced Thought: “Feedback helps me improve; it doesn’t mean I’m bad at my job.”
- Outcome: Sadness reduced to 4/10.
8. Positive Affirmations
Counteract negative thoughts with intentional, realistic affirmations.
- Negative Thought: “I’m going to fail.”
- Affirmation: “I’m prepared, and I’ll do my best. That’s enough.”
9. Behavioral Experiments
Test whether your negative thoughts are accurate by taking action.
- Example:
- Thought: “If I ask for help, people will think I’m weak.”
- Experiment: Ask a colleague for help on a small task and observe their reaction.
- Result: Most people are willing to help and don’t judge you negatively.
10. Scaling the Problem
Put your problems or thoughts on a scale from 1 to 10 to gain perspective.
- Example: “This is the worst thing ever!”
- Ask: “On a scale of 1–10, how bad is this really? Is it a 10 like a serious illness, or more like a 4 because it’s just temporary?”
11. The Double-Standard Method
Treat yourself with the same kindness you’d give a friend.
- Example:
- Thought: “I’m so dumb for making this mistake.”
- Question: “If my friend made this mistake, would I say that to them? No. I’d remind them that everyone makes mistakes.”
12. Decatastrophizing
Imagine the “worst-case scenario” and how you’d realistically cope with it.
- Thought: “If I fail this interview, my life is ruined.”
- Challenge: “Even if I fail, I can try again. It’s disappointing, but it won’t ruin my life.”
By consistently practicing these cognitive restructuring techniques, you can rewire unhelpful thought patterns and develop a healthier, more balanced mindset.
Cognitive Restructuring Example in Practice
Here is a fictitious cognitive restructuring example to illustrate how it works in practice:
Case Scenario
Client: Sarah, a 23-year-old college student
Issue: Sarah has been feeling anxious and overwhelmed about her academic performance. She recently scored lower than expected on an exam and has started to think she is “a failure” and “not smart enough to succeed.” This thought has led her to procrastinate on studying for her upcoming exams.
Step 1: Identify the Automatic Thought
- Situation: Scoring a low grade on an exam.
- Automatic Thought: “I’m a total failure. I’m not smart enough to be in college.”
- Emotion: Anxiety, sadness, hopelessness.
- Behavior: Avoids studying, procrastinates, isolates herself.
Step 2: Identify the Cognitive Distortion
- Sarah’s thought contains cognitive distortions:
- All-or-Nothing Thinking: “I’m a total failure” (labeling herself entirely based on one event).
- Overgeneralization: “I’m not smart enough to succeed” (generalizing one exam to her overall abilities).
- Fortune Telling: Assuming she will fail future exams without evidence.
Step 3: Challenge the Thought Using Socratic Questions
Sarah works with me to question and challenge the automatic thoughts. I ask her:
- What evidence supports this thought?
- Sarah: “I did poorly on this one exam.”
- What evidence contradicts this thought?
- Sarah: “I’ve done well on previous exams and assignments in other subjects.”
- “I studied less for this exam because I was busy last week.”
- Am I jumping to conclusions or assuming the worst?
- Sarah: “Yes, I’m assuming that one poor grade means I’ll fail everything.”
- If a friend were in my position, what would I say to them?
- Sarah: “I’d tell them that one bad grade doesn’t define them and they can still improve.”
- Is this thought helping or harming me?
- Sarah: “It’s making me feel hopeless and preventing me from studying.”
Step 4: Create a Balanced Thought
Sarah works on replacing the negative thought with a more balanced, realistic thought:
- Old Thought: “I’m a total failure. I’m not smart enough to succeed.”
- New Balanced Thought:
- “I didn’t do well on this exam, but one grade doesn’t define my abilities. I’ve done well before, and I can use this experience to study more effectively next time.”
Step 5: Use a Cognitive Restructuring Worksheet to Observe Change
- Emotion:
- Old thought noted on cognitive restructuring worksheet: Anxiety and hopelessness (intensity: 8/10).
- New Thought: Disappointment but hopefulness (intensity: 4/10).
- Behavior:
- Sarah feels motivated to create a study plan for her next exam instead of procrastinating.
Cognitive Restructuring Example Outcome
In this cognitive restructuring example:
- Sarah recognizes that one poor grade does not reflect her overall intelligence or ability to succeed.
- She feels less anxious and begins studying in a structured way, which helps her feel more in control.
This example highlights how cognitive restructuring techniques can help break the cycle of negative thinking, improve emotional regulation, and encourage positive action.
Cognitive Restructuring Worksheet
The above cognitive restructuring shows how a worksheet can be created and used. In this case, Sarah’s cognitive restructuring worksheet would have looked something like this:
| Step | Details |
|---|---|
| Identify Automatic Thought | “I’m a total failure. I’m not smart enough to succeed.” |
| Identify Cognitive Distortion | All-or-nothing thinking, overgeneralization, fortune telling. |
| Challenge the Thought | Use Socratic questioning to evaluate the evidence. |
| Replace with Balanced Thought | “One bad grade doesn’t define me. I can improve next time.” |
| Observe the Outcome | Reduced anxiety, increased motivation, and productive behavior. |
Many people with milder symptoms can create their own cognitive restructuring worksheet like the one above. However, in many cases, it is often still helpful to meet with a therapist, at least at first, to ensure you follow the most effective path to implementing it.
Summary and My Work
Cognitive restructuring techniques are a large part of my work, particularly when I use cognitive behavioral therapy as a treatment method. Cognitive restructuring techniques also work well with other approaches, particularly behavioral activation, but also narrative therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and schema-based methods. It can be used in couples therapy and family treatment, especially when distortion is shared or an open person’s distortions affect others. This therapy can be effectively delivered virtually.
If you have any questions about cognitive restructuring, how this method could benefit you or a loved one, or if you want a jump-start on creating your cognitive restructuring worksheet, feel free to contact me or schedule a consultation.
