CBT: Cognitive Restructuring
Cognitive Restructuring
Schemas
Renay Gartner, Psy.D
• First, an example:
Cognitive Restructuring
• Thinking errors or cognitive distortions were identified early on (Beck 1976, Beck et al 1979,
Beck et al 1985b) from clinical observations
• Biases lead people to selectively focus attention on the negative and/or not attend/discount contrary information – in line with their dysfunctional schema – Schema = core organizing beliefs or personal meaning structures; out of awareness yet influential
• Distortions play a major role in the maintenance of emotional disorders (see Beck, J., 1995, p.119 for list) Information Processing Biases
• Leahy (2003) talks about the following:
– Limited search - aka confirmation bias
– Ignoring the base rates: focusing on info that is recent; salient and personally relevant…
– Examining the logic - internal contradictions; reduction ad absurdum; recursive self-criticism
– Linking unrelated events…or coincidences that turn into “fate or karma”
Some other logical errors
• Mindreading – EX: “He things I’m a loser.”
• Fortune Telling – EX: I’ll fail that exam.”
• Catastrophizing – EX: “It would be so terrible if I failed.”
• Labeling – EX: “I’m undesirable.” “He’s rotten.” • Discounting Positives – EX: Those successes were easy, so they don’t matter.”
• Negative Filter – EX: “Look at all the people who don’t like me.”
• Overgeneralizing – EX: “This generally happens to me. I seem to fail at a lot of things.” Cognitive Distortions
• Dichotomous Thinking – EX: “I get rejected by everyone.”
• “Shoulds” – EX: “I should do well. If I don’t, I’m a failure.”
• Personalizing – EX: “My marriage ended because I failed.”
• Blaming – EX: “She’s to blame for the way I feel now.”
• Unfair Comparisons – EX: “She’s more successful than I am.”
• Regret Orientation – EX: I shouldn’t have said that.”
Cognitive Distortions cont…
• What if? – EX: “Yeah, but what if I get
Schemas
Renay Gartner, Psy.D
• First, an example:
Cognitive Restructuring
• Thinking errors or cognitive distortions were identified early on (Beck 1976, Beck et al 1979,
Beck et al 1985b) from clinical observations
• Biases lead people to selectively focus attention on the negative and/or not attend/discount contrary information – in line with their dysfunctional schema – Schema = core organizing beliefs or personal meaning structures; out of awareness yet influential
• Distortions play a major role in the maintenance of emotional disorders (see Beck, J., 1995, p.119 for list) Information Processing Biases
• Leahy (2003) talks about the following:
– Limited search - aka confirmation bias
– Ignoring the base rates: focusing on info that is recent; salient and personally relevant…
– Examining the logic - internal contradictions; reduction ad absurdum; recursive self-criticism
– Linking unrelated events…or coincidences that turn into “fate or karma”
Some other logical errors
• Mindreading – EX: “He things I’m a loser.”
• Fortune Telling – EX: I’ll fail that exam.”
• Catastrophizing – EX: “It would be so terrible if I failed.”
• Labeling – EX: “I’m undesirable.” “He’s rotten.” • Discounting Positives – EX: Those successes were easy, so they don’t matter.”
• Negative Filter – EX: “Look at all the people who don’t like me.”
• Overgeneralizing – EX: “This generally happens to me. I seem to fail at a lot of things.” Cognitive Distortions
• Dichotomous Thinking – EX: “I get rejected by everyone.”
• “Shoulds” – EX: “I should do well. If I don’t, I’m a failure.”
• Personalizing – EX: “My marriage ended because I failed.”
• Blaming – EX: “She’s to blame for the way I feel now.”
• Unfair Comparisons – EX: “She’s more successful than I am.”
• Regret Orientation – EX: I shouldn’t have said that.”
Cognitive Distortions cont…
• What if? – EX: “Yeah, but what if I get