Recently, I was working with a client, and she said, “Dr. Plummer, my negative self-talk is so bad. It’s filled with statements like, "I should, I could, I must, and I can’t." As we continued to talk, I provided psychoeducation around cognitive distortions, core beliefs, and the establishment of our original thought processes. At the end of the session, she had a plan that included identifying her core beliefs, acknowledging the triggers (emotional, environmental, and behavioral), creating counterstatements that allow for cognitive restructuring, and incorporating grace and gratitude (through journaling) in her daily practice.

Psychiatrist Aaron Beck identified core beliefs as our fundamental beliefs about ourselves (individually), others, and the world (as a whole).........

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