Step One: Identify Automatic Thoughts

Everyday situations in our lives trigger automatic thoughts, feelings, behaviors and physical reactions in the body. Automatic thoughts can be positive or negative and reflect our perceptions of events. It is important to remember that our perceptions or thoughts are not facts. Identifying automatic thoughts can help people change how they feel and act. Think of situations in the past month where you have had strong emotional reactions and then describe the situations, feelings, and automatic thoughts and beliefs. Awareness is the first step in changing or modifying distorted or self-defeating thoughts and beliefs.

Example — Situation: Got stuck in traffic for 2 hours on a hot summer day. Moods/Feelings: Frustrated, Irritated, Stressed, Annoyed. Automatic Thoughts: Why me? It's not fair. It's awful. Can't stand it.