CBT Triangle Worksheet: Your Thoughts, Your Power

Name: _________________________ Date: _________________________

Understanding the CBT Triangle

The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Triangle shows us how our Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors are all connected and constantly influence each other. By understanding these connections, we can gain more control over our responses to situations.

• Thoughts: What you think, believe, and say to yourself.
• Feelings: Your emotional reactions (e.g., happy, sad, angry, anxious).
• Behaviors: What you do (or don't do) in response.

Activity: Analyze the Scenarios

For each scenario below, identify the main Thought, Feeling, and Behavior. Then, briefly explain how they are connected.

Scenario 1: The Group Project

You have a big group project due next week. You notice one group member isn't pulling their weight. You think, "They're going to mess up our grade, and I'll end up doing all the work." You start to feel annoyed and frustrated. You decide to stop responding to their messages and work on their part yourself.

• Thought:
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Feeling:
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Behavior:
  
  
  
  
  
  

How are they connected?

Scenario 2: The Social Gathering

Your friend invites you to a party where you don't know many people. You think, "I'm going to be awkward, and no one will want to talk to me." You feel nervous and a bit sad. When the day comes, you tell your friend you're not feeling well and stay home.

• Thought:
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Feeling:
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Behavior:
  
  
  
  
  
  

How are they connected?

Scenario 3: The Challenging Homework

You're working on a challenging math problem that you can't solve right away. You think, "I'm terrible at math, I'll never get this." You start to feel discouraged and angry. You slam your book shut and decide to play video games instead.

• Thought:
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Feeling:
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Behavior:
  
  
  
  
  
  

How are they connected?

Reflection

1. After completing these scenarios, how does understanding the CBT Triangle change how you view your own reactions to difficult situations?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Can you think of one small way you could try to shift a negative thought or behavior in your own life?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

CBT Triangle Answer Key: Your Thoughts, Your Power

Scenario 1: The Group Project

• Thought: "They´re going to mess up our grade, and I´ll end up doing all the work." (This is an assumption about the future and an interpretation of the group member´s actions).
• Feeling: Annoyed, frustrated, anxious about the grade.
• Behavior: Stops responding to messages, takes over the group member´s part.

How are they connected?
The negative thought (about the group member messing up) leads to feelings of annoyance and frustration. These feelings then drive the behavior of disengaging and taking over, which might reinforce the initial thought if the student feels burdened by the extra work.

Scenario 2: The Social Gathering

• Thought: "I´m going to be awkward, and no one will want to talk to me." (This is a self-deprecating thought and an assumption about how others will perceive them).
• Feeling: Nervous, anxious, a bit sad.
• Behavior: Tells friend they´re not feeling well and stays home (avoidance behavior).

How are they connected?
The negative thought about being awkward causes nervousness and sadness. These uncomfortable feelings lead to the behavior of avoiding the party, which prevents the student from challenging their initial thought and potentially reinforcing the belief that they are awkward or that social situations are unpleasant.

Scenario 3: The Challenging Homework

• Thought: "I´m terrible at math, I´ll never get this." (This is a self-critical thought and a generalization about their ability).
• Feeling: Discouraged, angry, defeated.
• Behavior: Slams the book shut, plays video games instead (giving up, avoidance).

How are they connected?
The discouraging thought about being "terrible at math" leads to feelings of discouragement and anger. These negative emotions then fuel the behavior of giving up and avoiding the task, preventing the student from practicing and potentially improving their math skills, which could reinforce the initial negative thought.

Reflection

1. After completing these scenarios, how does understanding the CBT Triangle change how you view your own reactions to difficult situations?

   • Possible Discussion Points: Students might realize that their feelings and behaviors aren´t random but are often triggered by their thoughts. They may see that they have agency to change the cycle by addressing their thoughts. It can help them feel less overwhelmed by emotions.

2. Can you think of one small way you could try to shift a negative thought or behavior in your own life?

   • Possible Discussion Points: Students might suggest: stopping to question a negative thought ("Is this really true?"), trying a small positive behavior even when feeling down (e.g., taking a short walk), practicing positive self-talk, or seeking help. Emphasize that small changes can make a big difference and that it takes practice.

CBT Triangle Script: Your Thoughts, Your Power

Warm-Up: How Are You Feeling? (5 minutes)

(Display CBT Triangle Slide Deck - Slide 1)

"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today, we're going to explore something really powerful about how our minds work. It's about understanding why we feel what we feel, and why we do what we do.

To start, I want you to quietly think about a recent situation – it could be anything, big or small – where you felt a strong emotion. Maybe you were really happy, or super frustrated, or a little nervous. You don't need to share the details, just keep it in your mind for a moment.

Now, with that situation and feeling in mind, I want you to think: What was one thought that popped into your head right before or during that feeling? And what did you do, or what did you want to do, in response to that feeling?

Take a moment to jot down a few words for yourself, or just think it through.

(Pause for 1-2 minutes for reflection.)

Great. Now, in pairs or small groups, briefly share one thought you had, and one action you took (or wanted to take), related to that feeling. Again, no need for specific details of the situation, just the thought and action. Who wants to start us off?"

(Facilitate a brief share-out, encouraging students to notice the connections.)

Introduction to the CBT Triangle (5 minutes)

(Display CBT Triangle Slide Deck - Slide 2)

"Thank you for sharing! What you just did, even informally, is exactly what we're going to dive into today. We're going to look at a tool called the CBT Triangle.

CBT stands for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and it's a way of understanding ourselves better. The triangle shows us that our Thoughts, our Feelings, and our Behaviors are all connected. They're constantly influencing each other, almost like a loop.

• Thoughts are what we think, our beliefs, and how we interpret things.
• Feelings are our emotional responses – happy, sad, angry, anxious.
• Behaviors are what we do, or even what we choose not to do.

Imagine a time you thought, 'I'm going to fail this test.' How might that make you feel? Probably anxious, right? And what might you do? Maybe you'd procrastinate, or maybe you'd study even harder. You can see how one thing leads to another."

Breaking Down Each Element (10 minutes)

(Display CBT Triangle Slide Deck - Slide 3)

"Let's break each part of this triangle down, starting with Thoughts.

Our thoughts are those internal statements, the things we say to ourselves in our heads. They're our beliefs about ourselves, about other people, and about the world around us. And they're how we interpret events. For example, if someone doesn't say 'hi' to you in the hall, one thought might be, 'They're ignoring me, they don't like me.' Another thought could be, 'They probably didn't see me, or they're having a bad day.' See how different interpretations lead to different outcomes?

(Display CBT Triangle Slide Deck - Slide 4)

Next, we have Feelings.

Our feelings are our emotional responses. They're those sensations we experience, like joy, anger, sadness, fear, or excitement. Sometimes we even feel them physically in our bodies – maybe your heart races when you're nervous, or your stomach gets butterflies when you're excited.

(Display CBT Triangle Slide Deck - Slide 5)

Finally, we have Behaviors.

Behaviors are our actions, what we actually do. This includes our reactions to things, and even inaction – choosing not to do something is still a behavior. Avoiding a difficult conversation, studying for an exam, helping a friend – these are all behaviors.

(Display CBT Triangle Slide Deck - Slide 6)

So, why is it a triangle? Because these three parts are constantly influencing each other. For example: A Thought like 'I'm worthless' can lead to a Feeling of sadness. That sadness might lead to a Behavior of isolating oneself. And that isolation might then reinforce the initial Thought that 'No one cares about me.' It's a cycle.

But here's the powerful part: If you change one part of the triangle, can it change the others? What do you think?"

(Allow for brief student responses. Emphasize that yes, changing one can impact the others.)

"Exactly! And that's where we gain power over our own responses.

Now, I'm going to hand out a CBT Triangle Worksheet that will help us practice identifying these connections."

(Distribute CBT Triangle Worksheet.)

CBT Triangle in Action Activity (7 minutes)

(Display CBT Triangle Slide Deck - Slide 7)

"Alright, on your worksheet, you'll find three different scenarios. Your task, either individually or with a partner, is to identify the main Thought, Feeling, and Behavior for each scenario. Then, in the space provided, briefly explain how they are connected.

I'll be walking around to answer any questions. Remember, the goal isn't to find the 'right' answer, but to practice identifying the different parts of the triangle and seeing how they interact.

You have about 5-7 minutes for this activity. Let's get started."

(Circulate, assist students, and monitor time. After 5-7 minutes, bring the group back together.)

"Okay, let's briefly share one or two examples. Who would like to share their analysis of one of the scenarios, focusing on how the thought, feeling, and behavior connected?"

(Facilitate a quick discussion, referring to the CBT Triangle Answer Key as needed to guide conversation without just giving answers.)

Cool-Down: One Takeaway (3 minutes)

(Display CBT Triangle Slide Deck - Slide 8)

"Excellent work today, everyone. You've done a great job exploring some complex ideas.

To wrap up, I want each of you to think about one key takeaway from today's lesson. What is one important thing you learned about how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are connected? You can jot it down on the back of your worksheet, or just reflect on it.

(Pause for reflection.)

Remember, understanding the CBT Triangle is a skill that takes practice. Just being aware of these connections gives you more power over your own reactions and choices. It's a step towards building stronger mental wellness.

If you'd like, you can turn in your worksheets. Have a great rest of your day!"