Topic 7: Core Beliefs {by 3/16}
[Core Beliefs] – Watch MDD-15: Core Beliefs – Identifying – Downward-Arrow Technique. (1) How was the downward-arrow technique effective in leading to the client’s core belief based on his negative automatic thought and considering his background? (2) Based on the client’s core belief and what you know about his negative automatic thoughts, what modification technique(s) would be the most appropriate?
[Core Beliefs] – Complete the Downward-Arrow Technique on yourself (if you want, you can start with your negative automatic thought from your NATR). Answer the following (you can be brief): (1) Even though you probably already knew what core belief you were working towards (admittedly, this can be an awkward technique to do on yourself), did you have any emotional or cognitive reaction afterwards? (2) Was there any particular question or approach that you found more helpful (or less helpful) than others?
Your original post should be posted by the beginning of class 3/16. Have your two replies posted no later than 3/18. *Please remember to click the “reply” button when posting a reply. This makes it easier for the reader to follow the blog postings.
Dr. Adam M Volungis 
Mar 10, 2023 @ 15:27:26
Challenging and reframing his “I am unlikeable” core belief would be a great way to help Mark modify this belief. The behavioral experiment is a good worksheet to do this. He would be actively choosing a new core belief and applying this new core belief to replace the old. It is more action oriented having him choose thoughts and behaviors associated with the new belief and potential obstacles. He tends to resort back to his old ways when something goes wrong, so this is a good opportunity to have him make the conscious effort and document the changes. Or even the examine the evidence worksheet, it is similar in creating a new core belief but Mark would be looking at the evidence for and against his old core belief while finding a new one and again making an active effort to believe the new one.
Using the downward arrow technique on one specific occasion, this being the same I chose for the NATR, made me think about how often this core belief affects me in different situations in life without even realizing it. This technique was not difficult to complete but was a more difficult technique in the sense that it hits deeper than some of the previous ones we have done. I liked the types of questions this worksheet used. They are meant to be more intense and get right to the point.
Mar 14, 2023 @ 10:13:25
Hi Tiana,
I totally agree that Mark tends to resort back to his old way of thinking after a situation goes wrong, it is important for him to look at the evidence for and against this thought or belief when they arise as this can assist him in working through and decreasing those unwanted negative thoughts. I can say when completing the downward technique on myself I had a little bit of a hard time however I agree that the questions are good and they get right to the point, the questions provided helped me get to the point of the belief faster than I could have on my own.
Mar 14, 2023 @ 14:46:52
Hi Tiana!
I agree that reframing his thoughts away from thinking he is unlikeable is the best way to modify his belief. Actively choosing a new core belief is a great and direct way to challenge his negative core belief. If a more indirect method were used, I think it would be less beneficial as I agree that Mark is a habitual client when dealing with stressful situations. The active looking for evidence is a great technique to use with him!
Mar 18, 2023 @ 09:16:47
Hey, Tiana! Examining the evidence seems the best option to help Mark change his core beliefs. While writing my discussion post, I considered exploring other alternative explanations or shifting attributional biases as possible solutions. Still, in Mark’s case, trying to think of different possible situations that may have happened instead of what triggered the automatic thought may make Mark overthink the event entirely. On the other hand, sticking to evidence that supports and disputes the automatic thought keeps Mark focused on the event without overwhelming himself.
Mar 13, 2023 @ 10:43:45
The downward arrow technique was effective in leading to Mark’s core belief of ‘I’m unlikable’ by moving the thoughts from the specific instance of not being invited to lunch to a more broad and applicable belief that is relevant to all aspects of his relationships. It also helped to bring into play his background of placing value on himself via what others think of him and whether or not they deem him as valuable. I think, based on his core beliefs and negative thoughts, the best approach would be a mixture of evidence examining and utilizing the ‘old core beliefs vs. new core beliefs’ tracker to reinforce a new core belief.
In doing the downward-arrow technique, I already knew the core belief at hand, but doing the process was a bit uncomfortable as I had to sit in that core belief uninterrupted when usually I can get it to pass quickly. I really liked the question of ‘so what if it’s true?’ Because it was a good challenge and almost helped to neutralize the thought.
Mar 13, 2023 @ 10:55:59
Hi Whitney! I agree with your response about the downward arrow technique being used on Mark. I agree it was a good tool to gain more insight into Mark and how he places value on himself and to see what he understands to be valuable, I did not think of it quite this way, it was a good viewpoint. I also agree with your choice on approaches to use. The tracker will help him begin to change his core belief.
I also knew what my core belief was before starting and still felt uncomfortable while completing the technique. It is hard to sit with something so negative and have to try and work through it but it really was a good challenge and I can see how it can be helpful.
Mar 14, 2023 @ 10:17:39
Hi Whitney,
I agree that a very effective way to help Mark move away from his thought of being unlikeable was to help him compare this thought with how views himself within other important relationships in his life. He even listed out people he knew liked him; this gives him valid reasons to not believe his belief of being unlikeable. I agree that when doing the downward arrow technique on myself was uncomfortable as I had to really examine this negative belief of mine, however, the questions really helped me get through the technique.
Mar 18, 2023 @ 23:00:05
Hi Whitney,
I too believe this technique will help him asses his old core beliefs and put evidence towards them allowing him to shift the beliefs in to new and positive one. I think it will also help him realize that his core beliefs aren’t real depictions of how he sees himself and that there is another perspective he can look at. Additionally, I think they mark will eventually be able to apply this technique internally, shifting his negative core beliefs into more realistic and logical ones after reassessing the situation.
Mar 25, 2023 @ 10:42:49
Hey Whitney, I liked how you visualized the purpose of the downward arrow technique by showing how we take broad situations in the client’s life in which these automatic thoughts arise and use this specific line of questionings to funnel that broadness down to a specific core belief. It really does a good job at showing the line of progress on how that automatic thought is derived from that core belief.
Mar 13, 2023 @ 17:47:25
While Mark did express discomfort with the process of “reliving” some of his experiences/thoughts/emotions, and particularly examining his automatic thought, he did start to reveal deeper insight into himself. It appeared difficult for him to answer many of the questions, but eventually he was able to identify evidence for both people liking him and not. Landing at the core belief that “people don’t like me” seemed to resonate with Mark, and after putting the core belief technique “puzzle” together, he appeared to feel distressed still, but understood the logic behind it, almost indicating a sense of relief. I think that examining the evidence and a behavioral experiment would be useful to help modify his automatic thoughts and core beliefs. Examining the evidence can help Mark see that there have been instances in favor of him being likable. Further, a behavioral experiment would allow Mark to obtain new evidence himself, by creating a situation that essentially tests the hypothesis that he is “unlikeable.” This could provide an opportunity for Mark to see that people do like him, as well as help indicate adaptive coping skills if obstacles do arise.
After completing the downward-arrow technique on myself, I felt myself looking for more evidence from my life to support or invalidate the core belief that I landed on. I did not feel significantly emotional in any direction, but rather moreso neutral. I realized that I have far more evidence to invalidate the core belief than I do to validate it, which provided a sense of comfort. While trying this technique, I found myself resorting to “If what you say is true, what does that mean about you?” and “What is so bad about ___?” the most. These questions seemed to really challenge me the most and facilitated insight quickly. I can see how this technique can be difficult for many clients, but I also recognize the value in helping the client answer their own questions to ultimately land on a belief that may have contributed significantly to their current distress.
Mar 14, 2023 @ 09:51:09
Hi Magdalen! I agree with your response about Mark and the downward arrow technique. My response was more looking at the benefits for the therapist but I like how you looked more into what Mark could gain from the outcome of this technique. I also agree with what you chose for modification techniques. I had also chosen the behavioral experiment and feel like he could really benefit from it.
I also agree with how beneficial the downward arrow technique could be for clients and the questions you had chosen I also felt had a large impact. However, my reaction was different than yours when doing it on myself. I am glad you were able to work through the technique easily, invalidate your core belief, and not have any really significant emotions.
Mar 15, 2023 @ 10:48:28
Hi Maggie! It’s great to hear that your negative core belief was not supported when you examined the evidence. I think that by doing these exercises ourself and putting ourselves in the position that our clients will be in, it will be easier for us to connect with them and we will be more aware of what we are asking them to do.
Mar 18, 2023 @ 19:58:06
Hello Magdalen,
When reading your post, I really liked how you empathized that: even though Mark felt distressed during the process, he was still able to understand and examine the evidence against his core beliefs. This factor helps us understand that the whole process of challenging and changing these core beliefs happens gradually, and taking baby steps is a great achievement in these cases.
Great post!
Mar 18, 2023 @ 21:34:25
Hi Maggie, I like the point you make about the sense of relief Mark probably felt after he was able to learn about his cognitions a little deeper. I think this goes hand-in-hand when trying to normalize a client’s distress and make them feel like there isn’t something necessarily “wrong” with them but rather that some beliefs about themselves are inaccurate of who they are. I also agree with you that the downward arrow technique is a great way to examine any evidence that supports or refutes a client’s beliefs and can help indicate certain coping skills. This is super important in helping a client maintain their autonomy and promote long-term growth outside of therapy or when therapy is terminated. Nice work!
Mar 14, 2023 @ 09:59:42
For Mark to modify his core belief he needed to go through the process of what the belief really meant to him. The downward arrow technique was effective in leading to his core belief of being unlikeable by making him think more about this belief and how it is relevant in his life. It was helpful to have him think about other relationships within his life and if he had the same belief regarding those relationships. It seems Mark is very quick to believe in his negative thinking and this technique may help him in the future when dealing with a negative thought by going through the motions himself to identify whether it is really an accurate thought or not. I believe examining the evidence with Mark will help him see a broader view and hopefully decrease his negative thought pattern.
After completing my own downward arrow technique, I can understand how some clients have a hard time with this technique. My core belief is a belief I have been struggling with for some time, when going through the questions I felt like the ones that really helped me move through the boxes were “if it’s true, what does that mean about me” And, “If I believe it is so bad, what’s the worst part of it?” These two questions got me to think deeper about my belief and its relevance.
Mar 14, 2023 @ 13:43:24
Hi Melissa, I also found those questions to be helpful when completing the exercise. Depending on the believability of the core belief, these questions can be either hypothetical or real which makes them a bit more universally applicable. I think this exercise also brings to light some of the things we try to avoid in most situations which is why it can be difficult.
Mar 14, 2023 @ 14:43:49
Hi Melissa!
I agree that Mark was quick in fully believing his negative thoughts rather than being more hesitant that it may not be true. That makes it that much harder to modify his thinking as it’s almost a default for him. I also found those questions to be super helpful in narrowing my thoughts down to the core belief I was struggling with as well. It was a great way to see how often and relevant it pops up for me as well.
Mar 18, 2023 @ 09:37:29
Hey, Melissa! I hear what you’re saying about the downward-arrow technique being difficult. I also used a core belief I have been struggling with for some time, and although facing it was challenging, I took it as a learning experience to empathize with future clients. I’ve found that by completing these worksheets throughout the semester, I can anticipate possible reactions from clients when using techniques with them and develop ideas on how to help manage or modify their emotions.
Mar 14, 2023 @ 13:39:03
The downward arrow technique did a good job of peeling back the layers of Mark’s thoughts. We as students know that one’s thoughts are a result of so many feelings and beliefs, but the people we will be working with may not. This technique allows the clinician and the client to go on that journey together to understand how someone arrives at the thoughts they have. Mark is known to ruminate and be stuck in his head, but he doesn’t question where the thoughts come from in the first place. This process deals less with what happened in the specific event and more with the thoughts that take place. That makes more sense when we understand that the core belief permeates a lot of aspects of Mark’s life. I think it would be the most effective for Mark to examine the evidence as he has shown to either ignore disproving information or minimize it.
After doing this technique on myself, I wasn’t overly surprised by where I ended up. It was a relatively easy process after watching the video, but I do wonder if there would have been a different outcome if I had been doing it with someone else. The question I found the most helpful was “If what you say is true, what does that mean about you?” because it brings the context of someone’s life into the mix. A core belief may have a profound impact on how an individual develops their personality or how they view themselves.
Mar 14, 2023 @ 15:40:39
Hi Mikayla! I resonate with your thought that this exercise may have felt different if it had been conducted with someone else (with ourselves as the clinician OR client). I tried to put myself in a client’s shoes while doing the exercise, imagining that it was my first time being exposed to it and not having preconceived expectations. It will be interesting to try this exercise with friends and family just to get a glimpse into other people’s perceptions of the technique. This technique may be very eye-opening for those who had never considered their deep-rooted beliefs about themselves/the world/others in such a thorough and challenging manner.
Mar 14, 2023 @ 14:17:35
The downward-arrow technique was effective in helping Mark visualize how his core belief sources negative automatic thoughts and the subsequent emotional pain that he feels. He was able to picture a specific event (not getting invited to lunch) and reflect on what beliefs about himself caused him to negatively appraise the situation. It seems that Mark has the intellectual understanding that there is evidence against these thoughts, but he lacks the emotional understanding that may prevent him from having negative emotional reactions. Therefore, I would first have Mark continue to practice examining the evidence for and against the negative automatic thoughts/core belief so that it becomes routine. Second, I would help Mark replace the old core belief with a new, more adaptive belief through behavioral experiments. Mark can “test out” this belief in between sessions, and we can process the emotional/behavioral outcomes of replacing his thoughts.
While completing the downward-arrow technique, I was surprised that my negative automatic thought was connected to a different core belief than I originally thought. This exercise demonstrated that my core beliefs may fall into multiple categories. Similarly to Mark, I noticed a change in emotional affect once getting to the core belief. I used a similar question that Dr. V used in the video: if you had to choose if people generally do or do not like you, what would you choose? Although it wasn’t the same question, the black-and-white thinking actually made it easier to identify the core belief.
Mar 14, 2023 @ 15:59:13
Hi Abby! That’s a very interesting point to note–that core beliefs can fall into multiple categories and/or categories we may not have expected or predicted. We may even have clients whose thoughts we are nearly convinced stem from a particular core belief, but after helping them work through this technique, we may be surprised ourselves to watch the client land on an entirely different conclusion. This points to the theme of being flexible as a therapist and not jumping to conclusions, and avoiding “telling” any client “what their core belief is” as soon as think we have “figured it out”…because this not only defeats the purpose of collaborative empiricism, but we may also be simply incorrect in our assumption.
Mar 18, 2023 @ 20:13:33
Hello Abby,
I enjoyed reading your post and how you described your experience when completing the homework for this week. I felt in the same way regarding my core beliefs origins and my emotional reaction afterwards. It is interesting that even when we are aware of the origins, it takes a lot of effort to always accept and change them. As Dr. V has often discussed the reasons why an individual might develop certain beliefs varies on different reasons, that could be valid or not depending on the individual’s past experiences.
Great work 🙂
Mar 15, 2023 @ 14:17:48
While using the downward arrow technique, it allowed the client to fully think and understand the negative automatic thought he had. Thoughts and emotions can be difficult for some to fully understand. If an event happens, we may not realize why we begin constantly thinking about the event. Having techniques such as the downward arrow, it can help guide individuals to begin and understand the thoughts or emotions one may have. It allows the therapist to challenge the client on their automatic thought. It also allows them to see if there is a possible core belief within the thought. With this particular client, this technique allowed him to examine the evidence of his thought process during the event. Rather than letting it ruminate over the event, he was able to write down what he was thinking and currently still thinking of the event. It also allowed him to examine the thoughts himself to see why he thought what. Examining the evidence would help with the client’s core beliefs and negative automatic thoughts. With this, it allows the client to process his thoughts rather than letting them ruminate in his head. It can also help him shift his current core beliefs into new ones that will benefit his life.
While doing this technique, I did have an emotional reaction afterwards. I do have to agree with Mark that it was initially hard to do. It was hard to get back into the mindspace of the core belief. Though this core belief is in the back of my mind most of the time, for it to come front and center made it both difficult but easy to understand. The question that helped me the most was “if that’s true, so what?” Due to the topic of this core belief, it made me realize more than what the core belief was telling me. This question also reminds me of a “keep moving forward rather than backwards” mindspace which really did help me. Things do happen but all we can do is keep moving forward and learn from the past.
Mar 18, 2023 @ 14:55:26
Hi Ashley,
I appreciate what you said about the core belief question you chose. I think we often forget that emotional change is not straightforward. There are many ways to get the desired result, and it is a learning process. And evaluating core beliefs is not a bad place to begin. Also, completing these techniques allows for the space to have the necessary conversations. While talking about core beliefs can be a little disheartening, it still offers something to work on (to change or keep those core beliefs).
Mar 15, 2023 @ 17:44:02
Though, Dr. V and most of us probably already had a sense that Mark’s core belief was based on feeling unlikeable, doing this technique led to confirming this. The downward arrow technique was effective in leading Mark to his core belief of unlikability as Dr. V asked thoughtful and considerate questions on his negative automatic thought based on “people do not want to be around me”. Through the questioning and challenges Dr. V asked, and Mark’s responses, they were able to collaboratively identify his core belief. The downward arrow technique’s main focus is on dissecting one’s negative automatic thought, through effective questions and challenging the thought. This allows the therapist and client to gain insight and dig deeper into where these thoughts stem from. With that, Mark counteracted numerous times during the video his core belief and negative automatic thought and explicitly stated “examine the evidence” which is why I think continuing to examine his negative automatic thoughts and core belief would be beneficial.
I used my NATR to help me start practicing the downward arrow technique. With that, I had a sense of what my negative core beliefs were, however, this confirmed it. I wasn’t surprised but felt an “oh yeah” moment. Similarly, like Mark, I was already examining the evidence and counteracting this core belief along with my negative automatic thoughts which is something I try to do often when these thoughts pop up. I specifically like the question, “what would be so bad if-”. Sometimes we all get so stuck in our minds that we can’t process the actual evidence against our thoughts. So, asking these questions helps not only pull one out of this mindset but in a way grounds us as well.
Mar 18, 2023 @ 15:13:47
Hi Gitte,
I see what you were saying about being stuck in our thoughts! I think it gets harder to look outside our thoughts and thought patterns, especially when you become well acquainted with them. These Socratic techniques give us the starting point to think beyond our thoughts and to see ourselves in a new light. It might be hard, but identifying and questioning these core beliefs can yield interesting reflections.
Mar 15, 2023 @ 18:53:05
The downward-arrow technique was effective in leading to Mark’s core belief of ‘I am unlikable’ by expanding the scenario and applying it to his whole life and view of himself, rather than just about lunch with a coworker. When Mark said that belief out loud, it seemed like it really resonated with him, as it is incorporated in many aspects of his life. After identifying this core belief, he looked relieved, likely because he now understands one starting point for many of his maladaptive thought patterns. Now knowing this core belief, I would try to help Mark examine the evidence. He talks about having some part of him that feels he is likeable. I think that examining the evidence against his core belief could help strengthen the part of him that feels likeable over time. I also think examining the evidence would provide Mark with a useful tool he could use in the moment to cope and assess the validity of his thoughts.
After using the downward-arrow technique, I came to my core belief quickly, as it comes up frequently in my mind and I am aware of it. I had a difficult time ending with the core belief and wanted to keep diving deeper, although I know that may not be necessary because I already identified the core belief. I found it helpful to ask myself “what’s so bad about that?”. Asking myself this question lead me to think deeper about the consequences of the thought and made me challenge myself to dive deeper.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 12:50:29
Hi Emily! I like how you mention that the downward arrow technique allowed Mark to see how his core belief effects his life in a broader sense and not just how it affected him in that moment. I also love your idea about examining the evidence to modify because he does know deep down that people like him and I agree with you that the technique could help to solidify that belief for him.
Mar 18, 2023 @ 21:42:27
Hi Emily! I appreciate that you mention how these techniques we’re learning about expand beyond what is just done throughout the session(s). In order for CBT to be effective in helping clients live a better-adapted life, the skills they learn must be able to translate to other scenarios and situations where distress arises, not just when prompted to speak or think about them by a therapist. I like that you mention the way you asked yourself about the situation you chose to focus on for your DAT. I also asked myself “what is so bad about that?” and found it helpful in understanding that what may seem “bad” really isn’t at all and helped me acknowledge that ruminating about something being bad does not necessarily mean it is.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 08:00:30
The downward-arrow technique helped Mark understand how his negative automatic thoughts connect to the core belief that he is unlikeable. Moreover, Mark was able to recognize that, although he may feel unlikeable, there is evidence to disprove it, as he identified his girlfriend and friend George as people who like him. Although the downward-arrow technique is uncomfortable to sit with, it helps show the client how their negative train of thought progressively worsens if one does not consciously attempt to shift the direction into a more positive one. Based on Mark’s core belief, evaluating the evidence would be most appropriate for modifying his negative automatic thoughts. In a sense, the downward-arrow technique makes the client think about evidence that supports the negative automatic thought. Still, after completing the technique, the client must assess how invalid the automatic thought is by identifying evidence that does not support it.
Completing the downward-arrow technique on myself was particularly challenging and uncomfortable. When I think negatively about something, my thoughts tend to spiral until they become significantly out of proportion with reality. Completing the technique with a “worst case scenario” mindset helped me visualize and comprehend the internal dialogue. I definitely didn’t feel better afterward, but it was eye-opening.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 12:18:47
Hi Megan! I really like your point that the downward-arrow technique is able to show clients how their thought pattern can worsen if they do not work to change their core belief. After doing the technique on myself, I noticed how the core belief impacts so many of my thought patterns. Because of this, I came to the same conclusion that you made in your point that I would need to change my core belief. I think this point can be helpful for someone because it provides hope they can change if they are able to put their energy into changing their core belief, rather than reinforcing it with the negative thoughts.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 16:59:15
I’m sorry that you didn’t feel better Megan! I’m gathering that this technique can bring up a lot of strong emotions. It sounds like we should be conscientious about doing this with clients and be sure to be supportive.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 09:46:57
The downward arrow technique was effective with identifying M’s core belief from his negative automatic thought in that it helped show him the process on how the automatic thought stemmed from the core belief. Prof. V could have just said “from this pattern of automatic thoughts that you keep bringing up, it seems to show that you have a negative core belief that you are unlikable” and the client would probably agree because that line of reasoning makes sense. However, that does not mean they understand what that means of how that core belief leads to those negative automatic thoughts. Using the downward arrow technique showed the progression of thoughts that lead the client to having that negative automatic thought. M seemed to really understand his progression of thoughts and the concept of core beliefs seemed to be conveyed better because of this exercise. For this client I would think examining the evidence of the core belief and separating himself from the core belief would be the best strategies for modifying it. This is because we have seen these work well for him when examining his negative automatic thoughts, and we even saw him start to challenge the evidence unprompted during the downward arrow technique.
I was surprised how far I could keep asking myself “so what?” to my negative automatic thoughts and still come up with answers until I reached a core belief. I don’t know if that is a positive or a negative with this technique because it did engage me in discussing and examining the thought that I had, but it took me a while to get at what was behind those thoughts. Because it took longer than expected I was a bit frustrated with how many times I was asking myself the same or similar questions in response. I can see how clients who are not ready to explore negative core beliefs would not be susceptible to this line of questioning and how you would need a good rapport with the client to be able to work on this with them.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 17:06:46
I totally understand your struggle with the downward arrow! I also can be very creative in justifying my negative thoughts. It’s also hard to know what beliefs to challenge as unrealistic or unhelpful when we all have our own values and standards.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 10:46:19
The downward-arrow technique was effective because it made Mark really think about people not liking him and putting evidence towards that. This technique also allows the client and clinician to work together to figure out the root of the core belief and associate it with things in his life that have validated these beliefs in his eyes. This technique helped Mark identify his core beliefs and where in his life it started. Based on his core beliefs I think the best way to help modify them would be putting evidence towards his beliefs. Mark seems aware at times but his beliefs seem to quickly take over. I think helping Mark assess his thoughts and figuring out how valid they are will help him modify his thoughts. If the clinician is able to help Mark find evidence on where his beliefs aren’t completely valid this can help him not ruminate on a situation that he sees as negative.
Practicing this technique on myself wasn’t too far off from what I expected because I have been aware of my core belief however, I am curious as to whether I would come up with different evidence on the start of my core belief if I have done it in a more therapeutic setting. The question I asked myself a lot throughout this process is “where is the problem in that” and “does it really matter and if so why” and if i am being honest when I have a negative automatic thought I typically ask myself these questions which help me relax a bit.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 12:21:15
Hi Rena! I agree with your point that I was not too suprised when I practiced the technique on myself. I really like the question you pointed out of “where is the problem in that”. I think this question is simple to conceptualize but has the ability to dig deeper into the person’s core belief.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 12:47:34
Rena:
Hi Rena! I really like how you mention that the downward arrow technique allows the client and the therapist to work together to find out the core belief. While the therapist is facilitating the exercise, the real work is on the client and I think that is a great example of collaboration. I also knew my core belief going into the downward arrow technique. I’m glad it seemed to help you (kinda) even though you do it for yourself often.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 13:06:15
Hey Rena, I felt a similar experience when practicing the technique on myself. Although it wasn’t surprising, as I feel like learning about these concepts helps raise awareness of them in us, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t helpful. It also a really good point of wondering what, if anything, would be different if the technique was practiced in a therapeutic setting. That’s not something I had thought of but it’s a really good point.
Mar 18, 2023 @ 13:16:45
Hi Rena,
I agree with you on what you said about the downward arrow technique. In the video, it helped Mark understand why he was reacting the way he did. It also helped him to look at the evidence of his reactions. I also agree with you that putting evidence towards Mark’s beliefs will help him modify his beliefs. Sometimes we can think something without “truly thinking of it.” Being able to examine the evidence towards certain things such as core beliefs can help us understand ourselves better. This also allows us to strive more in sessions and later on in life.
Mar 18, 2023 @ 16:56:10
Hi Rena,
I agree that exploring the evidence would really help Mark gain a new perspective. It is important that the therapist teaches Mark how to examine the evidence on his own so he doesn’t sink in his own thoughts. It is important to not disregard his feelings but to also challenge his thoughts. I believe everyone is entitled to their own feelings. Hopefully with negative thought modification, Mark will start to feel okay even when things don’t go as planned.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 11:49:56
The downward arrow technique was good at leading Mark to his core belief because it got him thinking about why he thinks that people don’t like him. Not only does he think people don’t like him, but he thinks that he is not valued by them and not wanted around. Breaking this “people don’t like me” down into why he thinks they don’t like him can help to target more specific thoughts like being unvalued because then you can ask Mark what he thinks he would have to have to be valuable. However, this was also a good technique because it helped Mark to realize that he does logically know that people like him, he just feels like people don’t. This distinction can help a little bit so that Mark can remind himself that even though it doesn’t feel like people like him right now, in general he has people in his life who do like and even love him. I think Mark could really benefit from examining the evidence that people don’t like him and then modifying his core belief into a more adaptive new core belief. He could benefit from using a flowchart and then I think most important for Mark would be a Behavioral Experiment worksheet because he tends to need plain evidence in his daily life for things to really stick for him.
I did know what core belief I was working towards, however, looking at my negative automatic thought and then answering these questions was a very helpful way for me to examine my thought and really figure out why I think it and also examine its validity and why I have this thought. I really liked the questions that asked if what I say is really bad, what is the worst part about it and also how would I respond to a loved one if they had the same negative automatic thought. These were particularly helpful for me because it made me examine why I’m concerned with my negative automatic thought and also helped to give myself some compassion and understanding so that going forward when I have that negative automatic thought I may not beat myself up so much for having it.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 13:03:59
Hey Becca, I felt that your response to Mark’s experience was very accurate. Breaking these thoughts and beliefs down seems lie it’s at the core of automatic thought and core belief work, and honestly therapy as a whole, so it’s very helpful to see that being practiced in “real time”. It’s also important to note, as you did, that this breaking down process helped mark to realize the validity and utility of these thought and beliefs, which is another core aspect of this work. Great job!
Mar 18, 2023 @ 22:49:20
Hi Becca,
I agree with your response about mark. I really enjoyed the part where you mentioned how this will help mark identify who in his likes and values him. I think doing this technique more than once will allow him to adapt it in his everyday life and not in a way where he is going through the worksheet but more where he can asses his core belief internally and shift it into a more positive one. This technique is also good as it will allow him to work towards more of an adaptive core belief.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 13:01:42
For Mark, the downward-arrow technique helped to get at his core belief of being unlikeable. It did this by really stopping and being aware of this core belief, which helped to get at the “core” of it. This was done by helping mark to analyze the events in which this belief sprung up, which is the first step to attempting to change them. It also helped Mark to understand the progression of his reactions to certain situations that lead him to the conclusions of feeling unlikeable. Additionally, by doing so it also helped him to examine some of the evidence in favor and against the idea that he in unlikable. That being said, it seems that Mark could greatly benefit from examining the evidence. It was briefly kind of started during the downward arrow technique, but I think that taking it a step further could really be beneficial for Mark. Since this core belief seems to be so deep rooted, a long hard look at the evidence for and against this idea of him being unlikeable could yield some progress towards changing it.
My reactions after practicing the downward arrow technique weren’t anything profound, but they were interesting. I feel that this technique helped me to take a more “objective” stance in terms of analyzing and processing my core belief. It is of course impossible to be truly objective, especially when dealing with yourself, but this technique definitely helped me to feel more objective than I usually am. It actually felt good afterwards, being able to look at the belief from a more objective lens gave me a sense of accomplishment, as I was able to look at myself in a way that I never had before. In terms of the questions, the one that was the trickiest for me was whether or not it warranted modification. For me, this led me on an almost spiral of going back and forth in my head to try and figure this out. I kept analyzing certain experiences in my life in which I felt this core belief and then was trying to figure out if it was worth the effort of attempting to modify. I actually had a similar experience to most of the questions, they led me on this lengthy back and forth inside my head of should it be/ is it and the reverse side. I think that this is actually quite helpful, as future clients could potentially have the same reaction.
Mar 17, 2023 @ 09:33:15
Hi Jack, I agree with your point that Mark should continue to practice examining the evidence between sessions. We can see in the videos that he is already starting to refute his negative automatic thoughts and core beliefs in session, but he lacks the ability to limit the negative emotional/behavioral reactions. I think it would be beneficial if Mark continued to evaluate his belief that he is “unlikeable” in other situations too, rather than just in interactions with friends. If he explores how his family or work colleagues view him, this may help him understand that his thoughts are not “global”.
Mar 18, 2023 @ 13:09:43
Hi Jack,
I agree with what you said about the downward arrow technique helping Mark get down to the “core of his belief. While watching the video and doing the technique myself, it is a great way to process the core belief. Listing a reason or an explanation and reading from it, can help someone understand where all of this might be coming from. I also agree that it helped Mark understand the progression of his reactions to certain situations. The technique is a great tool for those who want to understand why they react to what.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 13:22:33
The downward arrow technique allowed Mark to realize the depth of his automatic thoughts and the relevant core belief attached to them. He realized that deep down, he believes that he is unlikable. Based on what we already know about Mark, I think this was helpful for him to have the chance to share what those innermost thoughts are about himself. He even said in the video that he has never said that out loud in a session before. This technique allowed Mark to let those thoughts in, talk about why he feels strongly about them, and think about what could be done to modify them. The modification technique that would be a good option is examining the evidence. I feel like watching Mark hear someone asking him to show the evidence that supports his thoughts put it into perspective for him. It gave him the moment he needed to step back and reevaluate what could reinforce that belief. By stepping back, it made sense to him cognitively that “hey, there might not be anything that supports this thought”.
While doing the downward arrow technique, I was a bit surprised at the core belief I ended up with. It caught me off guard writing down what came into mind, and it was something I typically try to suppress. On one hand, I wanted to ignore it and pretend it was not there, but I knew writing it down would be acknowledging that it exists. The question that stood out to me was “If what you say is true then what does that mean about you” because it brought me to the core belief. Even though it was sort of jarring to come to that realization, it was a necessary one.
Mar 17, 2023 @ 13:19:14
Hi Esther, I like how you explained the downward arrow technique as realizing the depth of automatic thoughts as that is where our core beliefs lay in. I also agree that this technique was helpful for both Mark and Dr. V to get confirmation on his core belief of feeling unlikable. You brought up how this was helpful for him to share those deep thoughts and even in the video he said that he has never said this out loud. Core beliefs are deeply rooted and are a big reason why negative automatic thoughts pop in. Great post!
Mar 18, 2023 @ 16:41:14
Hi Esther,
I agree that examining the evidence is a great technique. I feel like Mark will get to a point where he will examine the evidence before he ruminates in his thoughts. But, until he gets to that point, going through evidence with him will be helpful for him to look through a more adaptive lens. I also agree that saying something out loud can either make you believe it even more or realize its not a realistic thought. In Mark’s case, he has many negative automatic thoughts and is becoming self aware and insightful. By saying thoughts out loud will likely result in the realization that his negative thoughts do not have evidence to support them.
Mar 19, 2023 @ 15:39:59
Hi Esther!
I agree that it was helpful for Mark to verbalize his innermost thoughts and beliefs about himself. Sometimes saying things out loud help make the concept seem more real and concrete because the individual finally acknowledges their thoughts. This is especially true when verbalizing your thoughts to someone you trust, in this case, Dr. V. From there, I agree that examining the evidence would be a helpful modification technique for Mark. It is clear that Mark and Dr. V have good rapport so Dr. V can push back on Mark’s thoughts to help him gain further insight. Good post, Esther!
Mar 16, 2023 @ 15:11:37
The downward arrow technique was effective in leading to the client’s core belief based on his negative automatic thoughts because it allows the client to analyze their thoughts. The client is at a point where intellectually he has evidence that people do like him. Though, when moments arise where he believes that other’s actions don’t coincide with liking him is when he ruminates in those automatic thoughts. This technique allowed him to talk through his negative automatic thoughts and understand how those thoughts lead to the core belief that he is unlikeable. Luckily, he knows within himself that he is likable but has self-doubt. Since the client is aware that this negative thought is not completely true, he seems to be ready for the modification process of his negative automatic thoughts.
Based on the client’s core belief and what we know about his negative automatic thoughts, modification techniques that would be beneficial are Socratic techniques and behavioral experiments. Both are significant for Mark because he has a significant amount of self-doubt. The Socratic techniques will jump start the modification process and highlight what evidence he has that will show him that he is not unlikable. Though, because this thought is so ingrained in his brain the behavior experiment will help with the transition to developing a new core belief.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 18:44:29
When doing the downward arrow technique with myself, I realized that I did have several negative thoughts. This then led to a negative core belief. Though, after analyzing my thoughts and identifying the core belief, I realized I do not necessarily believe it 100%. Though there are times where I would rate the believability higher than other times. I also feel like all the questions play a role in digging deeper into the core belief.
Mar 17, 2023 @ 09:40:01
Hi Maria, I liked that you pointed out Mark’s degree of insight into his maladaptive automatic thoughts and core beliefs. In session, he consistently says that he understands that there is evidence against these thoughts and believing them is “silly”. Based on his progress, I think that I would move forward with attempting to modify these thoughts through Socratic techniques such as having him replace an old core belief with a new one and examining the differences in emotional and behavioral responses.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 15:24:36
The downward arrow technique allowed for us to understand the origins of Mark’s automatic thoughts, stemming from his core beliefs. Completing the technique allowed for both the client and the clinician to observe the process of how a client arrives at certain thoughts. In Mark’s case, we were able to see him narrow down his thoughts down to his core belief of being “unlikable.” We can see that this core belief is some explanation for why he reacts to situations where he feels that he is being rejected. He attributes those rejections to himself as others do not like him or enjoy being in his presence. Applying previous situations that he experienced, confirmed some of the evidence for this core belief. Thus, examining the evidence may be a beneficial modification technique. With this technique, he would be able to outline evidence for and against him being “unlikable.”
Doing the downward arrow allowed me to confront myself and my core belief. I knew what it was going to be but I tend to avoid and suppress/repress these things. The most impactful question was “If what you say is true then what does that mean about you?” This question solidified the core belief and simultaneously lessened the blow of the realization. It helps to think that there is potential for modification and change.
Mar 17, 2023 @ 13:23:29
Hi Grace, I completely agree with your whole post; core beliefs impact numerous areas of our cognitions and daily life as a whole. With that, I had a similar reaction to the downward arrow technique as you. I had a feeling I knew what it was but like you, I also tend to suppress and repress these things. Doing this technique helped me examine more of my negative automatic thoughts and my core belief. Nice job!
Mar 25, 2023 @ 10:36:21
Hey Grace, I relate to you saying you knew/figured what your core belief was before using the downward arrow technique on yourself but still finding value and new insight in the “how” of how we got there by using the technique. I think this ought to be similar to how we conduct this technique with clients, that is, this skill seems like something that should be used when a client has some understanding of what their core belief is (so as that we are not pushing too far too quickly with them) so that when we reach the core belief they are not surprised by its contents, but find value in their line of thinking in how they get from their core belief to how that affects their automatic thinking.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 16:53:02
1: Mark is a fairly bright client who seems to be able to follow along intellectually with Dr V’s suggestions, even if he still gets stuck emotionally. The downward arrow technique seemed to work very well. The core belief, that he is unlikable, wasn’t too far below the surface of his perception, and Dr V struck upon it after only a few rounds of questioning. This seems like a case where Mark knows something about why he feels the way he does, even though he continues to find the feelings overwhelming.
2: My best guess for a modification technique (and I think that Dr V did this to some extent) would be to use other people in Mark’s life as a reference to make his belief less dichotomous. I might draw attention to the people in Mark’s life who do like him to at least partially balance out his sense of being snubbed. This could be a time to focus on encouraging positive beliefs about his likability, perhaps based on his relationship with George and Mellissa.
1: Maybe it was the automatic thought that I happened to pick, but I discovered a lot of thoughts that were perfectly realistic and not that maladaptive, even though they didn’t make me feel good at the time. Discerning between the adaptive and maladaptive aspects of the belief was tricky, since most of it was at least realistic. On the other hand I tend to identify with the rational part of the belief more, and it was interesting to think about how I must have believed the irrational part in the moment in order to act and feel the way I did.
2: It’s a little tough to isolate a certain “question” when I was just talking to myself. I will say that I found it easy to get sidetracked into related thoughts, and it was tough to remain focused. I found that retracing the path of my thoughts after writing them down helped me to follow the thread without getting too sidetracked.
Mar 18, 2023 @ 17:36:08
Hi Jonas, I agree that attributing Mark’s core beliefs to those around him helps separate him from his negative core belief. Where it would be easy for him to say negative things to himself, these things would be hurtful to say to those he loves. This in conjunction with examining the evidence, he may be able to see that those around him view him as likeable and can help kickstart the process to modifying negative core beliefs and formulating more positive ones.
Mar 19, 2023 @ 15:30:36
Hey Jonas,
I agree that applying the situation to others would be a great modification technique for Mark. It may be helpful to take a step back from the situation and gain a different perspective. Most people are very hard on themselves and hold themselves to a higher standard than others. This may help Mark think less with his emotions to gain clarity. I also agree that it was hard to determine if some thoughts were maladaptive or adaptive. I too had a few thoughts that were somewhat negative but completely valid and justified due to the circumstance. When negative thoughts are valid, it’s important to use one’s coping skills to address them and grow from them. Good post, Jonas!
Mar 16, 2023 @ 17:47:05
I think that the downward arrow technique was beneficial for Mark as it provided him with insight into his thinking patterns. This technique revealed that Mark’s core beliefs cause him to interpret or appraise situations rather negatively which leads him to feel poorly. At this point in the therapeutic process, the client’s negative automatic thoughts should have already been discussed in previous sessions to bring awareness to them. The downward-arrow technique is helpful to go a step further than awareness of the thoughts- it digs deeper and challenges the client’s beliefs to find the core belief that is causing it. I think that examining the evidence may be a helpful modification tool to implement with Mark. It seems that Mark will disregard disproving evidence or information to make his negative automatic thoughts hold more validity. If Mark can take a step back from his negative automatic thought and examine the evidence, he may have a less stressful emotional response.
I found this technique to be very helpful as I was unaware of my core belief. I had never challenged my automatic thought to this degree before so this technique brought me insight and clarity. I found using “if this is true, what does this say about you?” to be the most eye-opening. If someone else had this thought about themselves, I would not think poorly of them. However, when it comes to me thinking this way, I am very hard on myself and not as forgiving or understanding.
Mar 18, 2023 @ 18:29:49
Hi Taylor,
I agree with you that the downward-arrow technique was very helpful to help us better identify our own core beliefs. In my opinion, I feel that we are normally very unaware of our automatic thoughts as well as core beliefs. That’s why some things that we may encounter in our daily lives will cause us anxiety, like in Mark’s situation. That is why it is essential for us to take a step back and ask ourselves questions about the situation and view it in a different light. I also really agree with the point you made about us being more critical of ourselves and our own thoughts rather than others. This is very true for me as well, I feel like I hold myself and my actions to a higher standard than I do others. It’s something important to think about.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 18:34:40
The Downward-Arrow Technique helps guide a client to their core beliefs based on their negative automatic thoughts by asking challenging questions in order to provide the client with a different cognitive perspective. In Mark’s case, for example, Dr. V demonstrates the importance of core beliefs and how they are found through psychoeducation. Challenging Mark’s negative automatic thoughts are the forefront of this technique and are used to help Mark facilitate a deeper understanding of himself. The downward arrow technique worked well with Mark as we notice he begins to open up more about some difficult topics and beliefs about himself (some of which he had never spoken about out loud). This is important for Mark in order to become a better-functioning individual and for the therapeutic process because it gives Mark perspective on a completely different way of thinking about and perceiving who he is as an individual.
Based on what we know about Mark’s negative automatic thoughts and core beliefs, I think examining the evidence to determine if the negative core belief is valid is a useful way to modify his beliefs surrounding being “unlikeable”. As we notice in the video with Mark, he is able to identify that although he feels this way about himself, there is little evidence to support it. Additionally, I think expanding on the fact that even if he were unliked and how important that really is to Mark is super helpful in giving him perspective. When Dr. V asks Mark if he really is unlikeable and follows up with that question by saying “So what? So what if you are?” the negative core belief is being modified to be less significant in Mark’s perception of himself and how people view him.
While working on the downward arrow technique I actually did notice a change in my emotional state especially the more I thought about how true my belief about myself was. It was interesting to see how something I think about often (without realizing it) has affected me. For example, I experience a bit of imposter syndrome in school and/or at work but after challenging those thoughts it was nice to see that there was very little evidence that supported that.
Mar 18, 2023 @ 17:23:27
Hi Aly, I like what you said about examining the evidence as a means of challenging Mark. The question of “so what, if you are unlikeable?” is a direct but purposeful question. Here we can evaluate what that definition means to him and understand some of the layers that have built up his automatic thoughts. With this technique is it also important to include some of the evidence for Mark being unlikable so that we may not completely invalidate his experience but facilitate more understanding in where his negative core belief stems from.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 22:23:45
Watching Mark sessions progress, one of the most concerning core beliefs that he has been experiencing is thinking of himself as unlikable. Considering Mark past experiences this experiment using downward arrow technique was a great tool to help this client challenge his previous thoughts, evaluate the “against” evidence, and start reconstructing his thoughts. For instance, in the video the client is clearly developing some new ways of thinking. Challenging his thoughts Dr.V helped Mark understand his current thoughts deeper, compare his prior reactions/experiences, and lead him to develop positive new beliefs about himself and those around him.
Watching Mark session and trying the core belief experiment this week, it was very helpful to understand in deeper meaning the power that these thoughts have, how they lead to our negative automatic thoughts, and how they get triggered even more when being in distress. For instance, when completing the worksheet this week, it made me realize how sometimes we might use our core beliefs as coping mechanisms that are harming us cognitively and emotionally even more, when being in challenging situations. On the other side, using the downward arrow technique is not only a good start to start challenging these core beliefs, but also to increase the awareness of how/when/& why, we are prone to get stuck with these them. Therefore the contemplation phase of starting to modify our thoughts into new perspectives , it is helpful to improve our mental health wellbeing.
Mar 18, 2023 @ 11:05:51
Hi Olgena,
You make a great point about how important it is for us to understand our thoughts and core beliefs. As you mentioned the downward-arrow technique allowed Mark to develop new thoughts around his belief that he is unlikeable. Using questions that allow Mark to think about the situation as a whole allowed him to realize that there are plenty of other reasons that the situation occurred besides the fact that he is unliked. Dr. V was able to challenge his thought patterns and work with him to realize that our automatic thoughts are not always right. Sometimes you have to go over the situation again with a clear mind. This allows you to develop more positive thought patterns and core beliefs which can greatly influence Mark’s life in a positive way.
Mar 16, 2023 @ 23:34:13
As seen in the video of Mark’s therapy session the downward-arrow technique was used in a very effective way. The downward arrow technique can help guide the client to better understand their emotions and thoughts. This technique was able to dive deeper into Mark’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Using the technique to identify Mark’s thoughts about him being unlikable allowed the clinician to dive into the specific situations that lead to this negative automatic thought. Identifying the situations around the client’s thoughts can also help us identify their core beliefs. The downward arrow technique gives the clinician a better view of how the client developed negative automatic thoughts. As we know Mark is someone who tends to get stuck on one thing that occurred throughout his day/week. These thoughts he has really seem to affect him and cause him a lot of anxiety. That is why it was essential to use modification techniques, such as examining the evidence as it can help Mark step outside of his stressful situation and view it as a whole picture. Once Mark was able to explain his relationship with his colleague to the clinician he was able to identify that the entire situation involving him being unlikeable was taken out of proportion.
When I started to identify my core beliefs I did use my NATR. When using the downward-arrow technique I started using questions that had a much more black-and-white type of thinking, as Dr. V used with Mark. This actually allowed me to identify my core beliefs quicker as it gave me less opportunity to justify and rethink my answers. After identifying my core beliefs I would say that I did have an emotional reaction afterward. While our core beliefs are engraved in us, they are less prominent in our lives unless we actually dive deeper into them. Actually identifying the core beliefs brought them to my attention which makes me want to better understand the beliefs at hand. The question I asked after identifying these core beliefs was “So what?” This question is important because it shows that we can not always control certain situations as they are sometimes out of our control. It does allow us to learn how to control our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This is something that we can learn how to do, but it is often very hard. That is why it is essential to better understand yourself and work toward understanding the core beliefs that we hold.