Despite our thoughts often seeming very believable, our thoughts may be true, untrue, or somewhere in the middle! Learn about automatic thoughts from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and tips to notice and modify unhelpful automatic thoughts.

What we think can influence how we feel and behave. Sometimes this cycle of “thoughts-emotions-behaviors” can get caught in an unhelpful loop. We consider three potentially problematic ways that our behavior could be impacted: avoidance, reassurance seeking, and isolation. Could these behaviors, at times, be standing in the way of a more fulfilling life?

Our thoughts can have us believing that everything they say are true. But that is not true. We consider three “cognitive distortions,” or ways that our thoughts can be unhelpful, which can contribute to difficult emotions and unwanted behavior. We review examples that may help you catch these types of unhelpful thoughts.