This document outlines steps for identifying unhelpful thoughts that occur during emotionally challenging situations. It provides examples of how to note feelings, physical sensations, thoughts, and thinking styles during such a situation. Specifically, it examines a scenario where a woman's husband is 30 minutes late home from work. She experiences worried and anxious feelings at 80% intensity with chest palpitations. Her immediate thought is that he has been in a car crash and not been found, which she believes at 80%. Her thinking style of having a gloomy view of the future is identified. She kept ringing his phone, which went to voicemail. Overall, believing this thought is deemed unhelpful.

1. Situation/ Relationshipor
practical problem when
your mood altered
Alteredemotionsand
physical feelings
What immediate thoughts
are presentat the time?
What unhelpful thinking
stylesoccur?
Impact ofthe immediate
thought (s)
Thinkindetail,where amI,
whatam I doing?consider:
The time
The place
The people
The events
Am I
Low,sad guilty?
Worried,tense,anxious,
panicky?
Angry,irritable?
Ashamed?
A) State the feelings
clearly,if more than
one feeling,
underline the
strongest
B) How powerful isthe
feeling?0-100%
C) Note downany
strongphysical
sensationsyou
notice
What isgoingthrough your
mind?Howdo I see:
 Myself/howothers
see me?
 The current
events/situation
 What mighthappen
inthe future?
 My ownbody,
behaviouror
performance?
 Anymemoriesor
images?
A) State the thoughts
clearlyandbe
precise.If more than
one thoughtoccurs
underline the most
powerful one
B) Rate howstrongly
youbelieve the
thoughtat the time
0-100%
1. Biasagainstmyself
2. Puttinga negative
slanton things
3. Havinga gloomy
viewof the future,
worstconclusion
4. Negative viewabout
howotherssee me
5. Bearingall
responsibility
6. Making extreme
statements/rules(
must,should,ought,
always)
If any of these are present,it
isan extreme thought
What didI do differently?
Consider:
 Reducedoravoided
activity
 Unhelpful behaviour
What was the impacton:
 Myself?
 My viewof others?
 How i felt?
 What i said?
 What i did?
 Overall wasthe
impacthelpful or
unhelpful?
If there is an unhelpful
impactyou have identified
an unhelpfulthought.
Situation
6.30 pm andmy husband is 30
minutes late home from work
My feelings
Worried andanxious
Powerfulness80%
Physical Sensations
palpitations inmy chest
My immediate thoughts
He has beeninvolved ina car
crash andhasn’t been found
Beliefinthe thought 80%
Whichthinkingstylesare
present?
3
What didI do differently?
Ikept ringing his phone andit
went toanswer phone.
Overall is it helpful or
unhelpful forme to believe
in the thought? unhelpful