List of Inquiries for Examining Our Cognitive Distortions

Our CBT Certificate Course at the SWEET Institute introduced the 12 most common inquiries for Cognitive Restructuring. We explained that while several of them can help examine the same types and numbers of cognitive errors, a handful of them are just as powerful and apropos regardless of the cognitive error.

The current article introduces four of the most common inquires for Cognitive Restructuring. Among them are the three key methods for Cognitive Restructuring, which can be tailored to all clinically relevant cognitive errors discussed in our previous articles and classes. They can be best used to help cease the suffering that often comes along with our automatic thoughts. We do not feel things, instead, we feel our thinking.

I.               What’s the Evidence?

Below is a list of examples that are there for illustration purposes and it is far from an exhaustive list. The question can be reworded so that other words than “evidence” can be used.  Feel free to substitute phrases like, “tell me what makes you say/think that…”  Tell me what proof you for ….”:

What’s the evidence that it is really about me? (Use for Personalizing)

• What’s the evidence that it is really how I am saying that it is? (Use for Jumping to conclusions)

• What’s the evidence that my feelings are correct? (Use for Emotional Reasoning)

• What’s the evidence that my assumptions are correct? (Use for Mind Reading/Jumping to Conclusions)

• What’s the evidence that it is going to be as bad as I am predicting it? (Use for Fortune Telling)

• What’s the evidence that I really know what’s going on? (Use for Mind Reading/Jumping to Conclusions)

• What’s the evidence that I really know why she did what she did? (Use for Mind Reading/Jumping to Conclusions)

• What’s the evidence that I really know why she has not responded to my messages and calls? (Use for Mind Reading/Jumping to Conclusions)

• What’s the evidence that I really know why she left me? (Use for Mind Reading/Jumping to Conclusions)

• What’s the evidence that because I failed one thing, it means I am going to fall everything? (Use for Overgeneralization/Fortune Telling)

• What’s the evidence that because I failed once, it means I am going to always fail? (Use for Overgeneralization/Polarized Thinking)

• What’s the evidence that because he said he does not love me, it means no one else loves me? (Use for Overgeneralization/Polarized Thinking)

• What’s the evidence that because I feel no one loves me, it means that no one really loves me? (Use for Emotional Reasoning/Overgeneralization/Polarized Thinking/Jumping to Conclusions)

• What’s the evidence that it is as bad as I am making it? ( Use for Jumping to Conclusions/Magnifying/Catastrophizing)

II.              What Would I tell A Friend?

Below is a list of examples that are there for illustration purposes and far from an exhaustive list. The question can be reworded:

• What would I tell a friend if she felt too tired each time it was time for her to go to the gym? (Use for Emotional Reasoning)

• What would I tell a friend if she decided to eat each time she felt hungry? (Use for Emotional Reasoning)

• What would I tell a friend if she stopped trying each time she felt she could not make it? (Use for Emotional Reasoning)

• What would I tell a friend if he stopped trying each time he felt it was too hard? (Use for Emotional Reasoning)

• What would I tell a friend if she felt something each time she thought it had to be real? (Use for Emotional Reasoning)

• What would I tell a friend if she felt everything everyone did was because of her? (Use for Emotional Reasoning/Personalizing)

• What would I tell a friend if she always thought of the worst-case scenario? (Use for Catastrophizing/Fortune Telling/Jumping to Conclusions)

• What would I tell a friend if all she paid attention to was the negative side of everything that is said? (Use for Filtering/Polarized Thinking)

• What would I tell a friend if she never accepted any compliment from others? (Use for Discounting the Positive/Minimizing/Filtering )

III.            How Can I Test This?

 Below is a list of examples that are there for illustration purposes and far from an exhaustive list:

How can I test my persisting thought that this is really all about me? (Use for Personalizing)

• How can I test my persisting thought that I am really stupid just because I did not do this task as well as I wanted? (Use for Overgeneralizing/Polarized Thinking/Emotional Reasoning)

• How can I test my persisting thought that I am unloved just because I had a breakup? (Use for Overgeneralizing/Polarized Thinking/Emotional Reasoning)

• How can I test my persisting thought that I am not good at relationships just because I got a divorce? (Use for Overgeneralizing/Polarized Thinking/Emotional Reasoning)

• How can I test my persisting thought that I am not a good parent just because my children say so? (Use for Overgeneralizing/Polarized Thinking/Emotional Reasoning)

• How can I test my persisting thought that I will never be in a relationship again just because I just ended one? (use for Overgeneralizing/Polarized Thinking/Emotional Reasoning/Fortune Telling/Jumping to Conclusions)

• How can I test my persisting thought that this is really as big as I think it is? (Use for Magnifying/Catastrophizing/Emotional Reasoning)

• How can I test my persisting thought that this is really as bad as I think it is? (Use for Magnifying/Catastrophizing/Emotional Reasoning)

• How can I test my persisting thought that this will be as bad as I think it is? (Use for Catastrophizing/Fortune Telling/Emotional Reasoning)

• How can I test my persisting thought that there is no middle ground? (Use for Polarized Thinking/Overgeneralization/Emotional Reasoning)

• How can I test my persisting thought that I am going to get fired? (Use for Fortune Telling/Jumping to Conclusions/Emotional Reasoning)

• How can I test my persisting thought that I will not find another job if I get fired? (Use for Fortune Telling/Jumping to Conclusions/Emotional Reasoning)

• How can I test my persisting thought that I will not be able to take care of myself if I stop working? (Use for Fortune Telling/Jumping to Conclusions/Emotional Reasoning)

• How can I test my persisting thought that I will not be able to take care of myself if he leaves me? (Use for Fortune Telling/Jumping to Conclusions/Emotional Reasoning)

• How can I test my persisting thought that I am always right? (Use for Polarized Thinking/Emotional Reasoning)

• How can I test my persisting thought that it should have been done the way I say so? (Use for Should Statements)

• How can I test my persisting thought this is exactly how it must be done? (Use for Must Statements)

What’s the Alternative?

This common inquiry, while may be used less than “What the evidence?” can be used in the presence of almost all, if not all of the clinically relevant cognitive errors. Below is a list of examples that are there for illustration purposes and far from an exhaustive list:

• What’s the alternative to taking the blame for this? (Personalizing)

• What’s the alternative to thinking that must be all about you? (Personalizing)

• What’s the alternative to making this look/sound so huge? (Magnifying)

• What’s the alternative to blowing this out of proportion? (Magnifying)

• What’s the alternative to seeing this in terms of either/or? (Polarized Thinking)

• What’s the alternative to looking at this in terms of black and white? (Polarized thinking)

• What’s the alternative to imagining the worst-case scenario from this? (Catastrophizing

• What’s the alternative to seeing the worst from this? (Catastrophizing)

• What’s the alternative to looking at just the unhelpful side of this? (Filtering)

• What’s the alternative to taking away the helpful side from this? (Discounting the Positive)

• What’s the alternative to removing the helpful side from this? (Discounting the Positive)

• What’s the alternative to downplaying the positive side of this? (Minimizing)

• What’s the alternative to name-calling in this situation? (Labeling)

• What’s the alternative to giving this a name? (Labeling)

• What’s the alternative to calling this? (Labeling)

• What’s the alternative to trying to predict the future? (Fortune Telling)

• What’s the alternative to making rash judgments? (Jumping to Conclusions)

• What’s the alternative to assuming? (Mind Reading)

• What’s the alternative to taking your emotions as final? (Emotional Reasoning)

• What’s the alternative to trusting your emotions without first testing them? (Emotional Reasoning)

There are two more classes before the end of our CBT Certificate Course for this period. On 11/11/20202, 7-9pmEST, we will be focusing on the 4th Step of Cognitive Restructuring: Rebuttal.

Will you join us to learn how to master this help?

We look forward to seeing you then
Karen and Mardoche