Change Your Life with CBT

Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life

How CBT Helps Break Negative Cycles

 

Have You Ever Felt Stuck Before?

Have you ever found yourself being overly reactive toward your partner or children? Acting in a way that doesn’t reflect who you really are—simply because you’ve got a lot going on?

What if I told you that the cause of these behaviors isn’t primarily your circumstances, but the way you interpret them?

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How CBT Shifts the Way You Think, Feel, and Act

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a powerful, practical tool that helps shape the way you think and, in turn, the way you feel and act. When something happens in life, our minds create automatic interpretations of the event. We usually trust those interpretations without question.

You will even recognize this idea from the phrase “trust your gut.” But the truth is, our “gut” reactions—our automatic thoughts—are biased, especially when we’re stressed. They tend to skew negative, and they don’t always reflect reality.

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It’s Not Just the Situation—It’s the Interpretation

Let’s look at a common example:

Imagine you’re a construction worker. You’ve had a rough week and you’re feeling stretched thin. It’s finally lunchtime. Your coworkers are sitting on the curb, showing off what their partners packed for lunch. You remember you left yours in the truck and go grab it. As you sit down with your sandwich and chips, everyone suddenly bursts into laughter.

Here’s one possible interpretation:

“Even though nobody was looking at me, I bet they’re laughing at my lunch. They always laugh at me. They probably talk about me behind my back. I can’t stand these guys.”

So, you sit in silence, eat your food quickly, and then head into the house your crew is remodeling. You bitterly listen as the rest of the crew jokes and laughs together. You feel judged, left out, and frustrated.

Now, let’s rewind and imagine a different interpretation:

“Something funny must’ve happened while I was gone. Maybe they’re joking about something I did. I should ask them what’s funny.”

You speak up. They tell you a coworker tripped over the curb while you were gone. Everyone laughs, including you. You enjoy the rest of your break feeling connected and lighter—despite how much is going on in your life.

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Building Better Thought Habits with CBT

The difference between a good day and a bad day in this situation came down to one thing: interpretation. A negative thought led to a negative feeling, which led to a negative behavior—and ultimately, a negative outcome.

We all do this. As humans, we have a natural negative thought bias. It shows up in everyday moments—like conversations with your spouse, interactions with your kids, a short comment from your boss, or even a stranger cutting you off in traffic.

Think back: can you remember a time when you misread a situation negatively, and it led to a reaction you later regretted?

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More Realistic Thinking, Not Just “Positivity”

One goal of CBT is to help clients become more aware of their automatic thought patterns—and to learn how to create more balanced, realistic interpretations of what’s happening around them.

This doesn’t mean just pretending everything is fine or forcing yourself to think positively. It means using self-awareness to slow down, question your first reaction, and respond in a way that’s more in line with reality—and with who you want to be.

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Take the First Step Toward Change

Life is undeniably difficult. It may seem like there is always another difficult circumstance around the corner, but if you’re struggling to manage everything on your plate, or if you’ve noticed yourself stuck in reactive, unhelpful patterns, you don’t have to stay there.

Working with a therapist trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help you break negative cycles and build mental habits that actually support the life you’re trying to lead. You can’t always control your circumstances, but you can take back control of how you respond. 

When you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Reach out today to schedule a consultation and begin your journey toward healthier thinking, emotional balance, and a more positive approach to life’s challenges. Reach out to us to book your intake session.

It’s time to break the cycle—let’s get started.

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About the Author

Hunter Thomas, LCMHCA, is a licensed therapist with experience working with children, adolescents, and adults in various settings, including school environments, inpatient psychiatric care, and now outpatient therapy. Hunter specializes in helping individuals break free from negative thought patterns and develop healthier ways of thinking and coping. His compassionate and client-centered approach empowers people to take control of their lives, manage their emotions, and build more fulfilling relationships.