Challenging Beliefs Worksheet

A. Situation B. Thoughts D. Challenging Thoughts E. Problematic Patterns F. Alternative Thought

Describe the event,
thought or belief leading
to the unpleasant
emotion(s).
Write thought(s) related to
Column A.
Rate belief in each thought
below from 0-100%
(How much do you believe
this thought?)
Use Challenging Questions to
examine your automatic thoughts
from Column B.
Is the thought balanced and
factual or extreme?
Use the Patterns of
Problematic Thinking
Worksheet to decide if this is
one of your problematic patterns
of thinking.
What else can I say instead
of Column B?
How else can I interpret the
event instead of Column B?
Rate belief in alternative
thought(s) from 0-100%

Your supervisor at work is
firm about how he wants
you to do the job his way.
However, you believe
there is a better way to do
it.
“I can’t let things be done
the wrong way.”
“My way is better.”
“It’s the only way to be
sure things don’t go bad.”
100%
C. Emotion(s)
Specify sad, angry, etc.,
and rate how strongly you
feel each emotion from 0-
100%
Anxious 100%
Angry 80%
Evidence? For: I do a good job. My
way makes more sense. Against:
My boss is in charge. Not my
company. They have been
successful.
Habit or fact?
My belief that things need to be
done my way is a habit. Worrying
about things going bad is also a
habit.
Interpretations not accurate? Yes.
Out of proportion.
All or none? Yes. My way isn’t the
only way.
Extreme or exaggerated? Yes, I
used the words “can’t” and “only.”
Out of context? Yes, I only focused
on my preferences.
Source unreliable? Maybe.
Low versus high probability? Yes. It’s
unlikely that my way is the only
effective way of getting the job
done.
Based on feelings or facts? Feelings.
Not being in control makes me
anxious and seek out control.
Irrelevant factors? Sort of. I am
focused on my own control and
not that I am working for a bigger
company that has their own way of
doing things. And that they likely
won’t appreciate me interfering
with that.
Jumping to conclusions: I am My way is only one way of
assuming my way is the only
effective way to get the job
doing things and my
done. And get it done safely. supervisor’s way may also
work. I can only control
Exaggerating or minimizing: I am myself and not other people.
exaggerating my need for
control and the level of threat if Others are entitled to make
I’m not in control. poor choices and mistakes
even if I don’t agree with it.
Disregarding important aspects:
I’m ignoring that they have
been a successful company
since before I was here. So G. Re-rate Old Thoughts
their way of doing things has
clearly worked.
Re-rate how much you now
Oversimplifying: Yes. I can NOT believe the thought in
have complete control and still Column B from 0-100%
be a good employee and still
be safe. 45%
Over-generalizing: Yes. Just
because things go wrong on
the job sometimes doesn’t H. Emotion(s)
mean things will be bad
overall.
Now what do you feel? 0-
Mind reading: N/A 100%
Emotional reasoning: Yes. I am Anxious 50%
allowing my feelings of anxiety Angry 30%
about control guide how I am
looking at this and my
behavior.
Challenging Beliefs Worksheet