Dear ,
I'm writing to share a new blog post on Treating Core Beliefs in CBT, which draws on recent research and practical techniques for working with these foundational cognitive structures. (5-minute read),
Core beliefs remain one of the most challenging yet rewarding areas of CBT practice. Recent studies by Kube et al. (2021) and Novacek et al. (2023) have illuminated how clients with depression systematically discount positive feedback that contradicts negative self-views—a phenomenon termed "cognitive immunization." This research reinforces what many of us observe clinically: belief change requires more than intellectual insight; it demands repeated experiential learning.
The blog explores several evidence-based techniques including:
- The downward arrow technique for belief identification
- Lifeline mapping for gentle exploration of belief origins
- Imagery rescripting for trauma-related beliefs
- Padesky's Continuum Method for shifting from binary to dimensional thinking
- Behavioural experiments for testing beliefs in real-world contexts.
Professor Christine Padesky's work continues to be foundational in this area, particularly her continuum method and emphasis on collaborative empiricism. Her approach reminds us that belief modification is a process, not a light switch. Read all about it on the blog. What do you think? Give me your feedback.
Patrick
Practical CBT
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