Core Beliefs, Rules, and Attitudes

Once you’ve gained experience identifying and replacing negative thoughts in daily situations, CBT can also help you explore and challenge the beliefs that lead to negative thoughts in daily life. Over time, life experiences lead to specific thoughts about yourself known as core beliefs. Negative core beliefs are followed by rules and attitudes that help you cope with these beliefs. An individual who has the core belief “I’m not smart enough,” for example, might develop the rule, “If I am not prepared I'll look foolish, but if I anticipate and prepare for everything, I will be ok.” This rule might then be followed by dysfunctional coping strategies such as self-criticism, perfectionism, or avoidance of help-seeking.