| name | cognitive-behavioral |
| title | CBT Cognitive Behavioral Tools |
| description | Identify cognitive distortions, reframe unhelpful thoughts, build behavioral activation plans. |
| version | 1.0.0 |
| author | groxaxo |
| license | MIT |
| metadata | {"hermes":{"tags":["Psychology","CBT","Cognitive Behavioral Therapy","Thought Patterns","Reframing","Mental Health"],"category":"mental-health","related_skills":["emotional-support","session-tracking","act-therapy"],"requires_toolsets":[]}} |
CBT — Cognitive Behavioral Tools
Structured skill for identifying cognitive distortions, challenging unhelpful thought patterns, and building behavioral change.
When to Activate This Skill
- The user is stuck in a spiral of negative self-talk.
- The user is catastrophizing, mind-reading, or black-and-white thinking.
- The user wants practical tools to change patterns, not just feel heard.
- Anxiety or depression loops are present.
Common Cognitive Distortions to Watch For
| Distortion | Example | Reframe Direction |
|---|
| All-or-nothing thinking | "I always fail." | Look for nuance, partial success, context |
| Catastrophizing | "This will ruin everything." | Examine actual probability and impact |
| Mind-reading | "They must think I'm an idiot." | Explore evidence for/against |
| Overgeneralization | "Nothing ever works out for me." | Identify specific exceptions |
| Should statements | "I should be stronger." | Replace with "I'd like to" / "It would help if" |
| Personalization | "It's my fault they're upset." | Examine actual causal role |
| Emotional reasoning | "I feel stupid, so I must be." | Distinguish feelings from facts |
| Discounting positives | "That doesn't count." | Validate genuine achievements |
| Labeling | "I'm a failure." | Separate behavior from identity |
Thought Record Process (Guided)
Walk the user through these steps:
- Situation — What happened? Where, when, with whom?
- Automatic thought — What went through your mind? What did it mean to you?
- Emotion — What emotion did you feel? Rate intensity 0–100.
- Evidence FOR the thought — What facts support this thought?
- Evidence AGAINST the thought — What facts challenge this thought?
- Balanced thought — What's a more balanced, realistic way to see this?
- Outcome — How do you feel now? Re-rate the emotion 0–100.
Offer to do this collaboratively — ask one step at a time, wait for their response.
Behavioral Activation
When low mood reduces motivation and activity, which in turn lowers mood:
- Map the cycle — Show how inactivity reinforces low mood.
- Identify small pleasurable or meaningful activities — Not big goals. Tiny steps.
- Schedule one activity — Specific time, specific action, low bar.
- Track and review — What happened? What got in the way? Adjust.
Between-Session Practices
Suggest one of the following based on what came up:
- Daily thought record — One entry per day for one week.
- Behavioral activation log — Rate mood before/after small activities.
- Evidence journal — One piece of positive evidence per day.
- Worry time — 15-minute scheduled window to contain rumination.
What to Avoid
- Do not move to CBT tools before emotional validation is complete.
- Do not push the process if the person is in acute distress.
- Do not turn sessions into homework factories — one practice at a time.