Module 1: Past Scary Assumptions
Module 1 will introduce you to the three levels of thinking in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: absolute beliefs, intermediate beliefs, and automatic thoughts. Additionally, you will learn about a specific type of automatic thought related to anxiety called scary assumptions.
In this module, you will be taught how to identify scary assumptions, the particular automatic thoughts that arise when experiencing anxiety.
Key Therapy Concepts
The Three Levels of Cognition in CBT
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Background: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on understanding mental health issues, such as chronic anxiety, from three levels of cognition. These three levels of cognition are as follows.
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Absolute Core Beliefs
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Intermediate Beliefs
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Automatic Thoughts
Absolute Core Beliefs
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Background: Absolute and concise beliefs about everything we have encountered in our lives.
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Nature of thought: Core beliefs are typically subconscious and can be identified by tracking our automatic thoughts.
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Example of thought: Feeling anxious is bad.
Automatic Thoughts
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Background: Conscious, automatic, or intrusive thoughts we have that originate from our core beliefs and intermediate beliefs. When we experience anxiety, our automatic thoughts turn into thoughts called scary assumptions.
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Nature of thought: Automatic thoughts are typically conscious and can be identified as we are thinking them.
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Example of thought: I am losing control.
Scary Assumptions
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Background: A form of automatic thoughts when anxious. Scary assumptions are catastrophic by nature and assume that, because anxiety is present, something bad will happen.
Module 1: Key Module Concepts
Past Anxious Situation Tracking
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Background: Past anxious situation tracking is an advanced CBT technique that involves identifying previous anxious situations directly related to the anxiety disorder or issue you are seeking help for. The goal of this process is to recognize what your scary assumptions looked like during those past anxious moments.
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How this helps with treatment: By identifying past scary assumptions, you and Dr. Nabors can gain insight into the underlying beliefs that contribute to your anxiety. These insights will later be used to uncover the subconscious core beliefs that drive the anxious behaviors maintaining your chronic anxiety.
Module 1: Homework Packet