Thought challenging — identifying and evaluating the automatic negative thoughts driving cognitive reappraisal — is the core skill of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Identifying Automatic Negative Thoughts in Cognitive Reappraisal
Automatic negative thoughts (ANTs) in cognitive reappraisal are fast, involuntary, and often taken as facts. They drive cognitive reappraisal while remaining unexamined.
Common ANT patterns in cognitive reappraisal: catastrophizing, all-or-nothing thinking, mind-reading, personalization.
The Thought Challenging Process for Cognitive Reappraisal
- Notice the thought: 'I just had the thought that...'
- Identify the distortion: What type of thinking error is this?
- Examine the evidence: What actually supports this thought? What contradicts it?
- Generate alternatives: What's a more accurate and helpful perspective?
- Rate the change: How do you feel now compared to before?
Building the Skill Over Time for Cognitive Reappraisal
Initially, thought challenging requires deliberate effort. With practice, the mind automatically generates balanced perspectives when cognitive reappraisal-related thoughts arise.