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CBT thought record

Work through a thought record one step at a time and see how strong the feeling is afterwards.

When a feeling hits hard, slow it down: what happened, what you felt, what went through your mind, and what the evidence says. One step at a time.

A thought record is a self-help exercise from cognitive behavioral therapy. It isn't therapy, and it works well alongside it.

If you're struggling or thinking about suicide, you can talk to someone now, free and in confidence. In the US, call or text 988. In the UK and Ireland, call Samaritans on 116 123. Elsewhere, findahelpline.com lists helplines in over 175 countries. If you're in danger right now, call your local emergency number.

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How it works

A thought record is one of the core worksheets of cognitive behavioral therapy. This one follows the seven columns of the thought record in Mind Over Mood by Greenberger and Padesky, which grew out of Aaron Beck's daily record of thoughts from 1979: what happened, what you felt, the automatic thoughts, the evidence for and against the one that hits hardest, a more balanced thought, and how strong the feelings are now.

Ratings run from 0 to 100 and are all optional. The last screen puts the before and after side by side. Sometimes the feeling drops a lot, sometimes not at all; as the NHS puts it, there are no right or wrong answers.

What the evidence says: in a pooled analysis of 13 trials, self-guided online CBT for depression helped modestly more than control conditions, and programs with a therapist's support did a little better right after treatment. A single thought record helped beliefs and anxiety in one study but made no difference to mood in another, under stress. The NHS describes CBT as usually done with a therapist.

Your records stay in this browser and never go into a link. Copy one as text if you want to share it.

Questions people ask

What is a thought record?
A CBT worksheet for slowing down an upsetting moment: you write the situation, your feelings and how strong they are, the automatic thoughts, the evidence for and against the most upsetting one, and a more balanced thought, then rate the feelings again. It grew out of the Daily Record of Dysfunctional Thoughts in Beck and colleagues' Cognitive Therapy of Depression (1979); Greenberger and Padesky's Mind Over Mood added the two evidence columns, making seven.
What is a hot thought?
The automatic thought most tied to the strongest feeling: the one you test against the evidence. Mind Over Mood asks you to circle it, and Psychology Tools suggests writing it as a statement ("I am useless") rather than a question ("Why am I so useless?") so it can be checked.
What counts as evidence?
Facts someone else could check, not interpretations. Mind Over Mood's example: "Peter stared at me" is a fact; "Peter stared at me and thought I was crazy" isn't, unless Peter said so.
What if the balanced thought doesn't feel true?
That's common: Psychology Tools calls "I know it but I don't feel it" a refrain therapists often hear. The NHS says there are no right or wrong answers, and that changing the thought isn't the only way the exercise helps. Rate how much you believe it, and it's fine if the feeling barely moves.
Can I do CBT on my own?
You can practise parts of it: the NHS says "CBT is usually done with a therapist, but you can practise many of the same ideas on your own." In studies, self-guided online CBT for depression helped modestly on average, and a single thought record doesn't always change how people feel. If you're struggling, talk to a doctor or therapist, and if you're in crisis, the lines at the bottom of this page are free and confidential.

Sources

  1. Greenberger and Padesky: Mind Over Mood, 2nd ed., Worksheet 9.2, Thought Record (Guilford)
  2. Greenberger and Padesky: Mind Over Mood, Worksheet 8.2, facts and interpretations (Guilford)
  3. Psychology Tools: what to try when CBT thought records don't work (history of the format)
  4. Psychology Tools: how to use CBT thought records
  5. NHS: cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
  6. NHS Every Mind Matters: self-help CBT techniques
  7. NHS Every Mind Matters: reframing unhelpful thoughts
  8. NICE NG222: depression in adults, recommendations
  9. Karyotaki et al. 2017: self-guided internet CBT for depression (JAMA Psychiatry)
  10. Karyotaki et al. 2021: guided and unguided internet CBT for depression (JAMA Psychiatry)
  11. McManus, Van Doorn and Yiend 2012: thought records and behavioral experiments
  12. Scientific American (Observations): a thought record, how and when to use it
  13. Rozek, Smith and Simons 2018: thought records under stress
  14. SUNY Oswego: definitions of cognitive distortions (from Burns, Feeling Good, 1980)
  15. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
  16. Samaritans: contact us (116 123)
  17. NHS: where to get urgent help for mental health
  18. Find A Helpline