Psychological · 12 min
Automatic Thought Record
Catch today's most painful automatic thought and break it into facts and alternative interpretations.
Goal
Convert a dominant negative thought into a more accurate, realistic interpretation, lowering the linked emotional intensity.
Steps
  1. Write the situation in one purely factual sentence (when, where, who, what).
  2. Identify the emotions you felt and rate each from 0 to 100 in intensity.
  3. Write the automatic thought that flashed in your mind verbatim, even if harsh.
  4. List evidence supporting the thought (facts only, no guesses).
  5. List counter-evidence that weakens the thought.
  6. Write a balanced alternative interpretation in one sentence.
  7. Re-rate the emotions from 0 to 100. Notice the change.
What changed in your relationship with this thought after seeing it written down?
زينها براكتس · pra.zayenha.com psy-cbt-001