The ABC Model — Thought Diary
It's not the situation that determines how you feel — it's what you believe about it. Use this worksheet to trace that path and start to change it.
How to use this worksheet
When you experience a strong or distressing emotion, it's rarely caused directly by what happened. It's caused by what you believed about what happened. The ABC Model breaks that process down — from the triggering event (A) to your beliefs about it (B) to the emotional and behavioural consequences (C) — and then guides you to challenge those beliefs (D) and replace them with more balanced ones (E).
Use it when a difficult emotion is still reasonably fresh. Be as honest and specific as you can — even thoughts that feel embarrassing or irrational are worth writing down. Recognising the thought is the first step to changing it.
A
Activating
Event
Event
→
B
Beliefs &
Thoughts
Thoughts
→
C
Conse-
quences
quences
→
D
Disputing
Beliefs
Beliefs
→
E
Effective
New Beliefs
New Beliefs
"It is not what happens to us, but our beliefs about what happens, that determine how we feel."
— CBT principle
A
Activating Event — What Happened?
Describe the situation as objectively as possible — just the facts, as a video camera would record them. Do not include your interpretations, judgements, or who you think was to blame. What happened? Where, when, and with whom?
B
Beliefs — What Were You Thinking?
List all the thoughts, images, interpretations, and meanings that went through your mind in response to the event. Include everything — even thoughts that feel irrational or exaggerated. Then identify your 'hot thought': the single thought most strongly linked to your emotional response.
Hot thought
50%
0% — Don't believe it50% — Moderate100% — Absolutely certain
C
Consequences — How Did You Feel and React?
Consequences include both emotional and behavioural responses. What feelings did this belief produce? What did you do as a result — or feel the urge to do?
50
0 — Barely noticeable50 — Moderate100 — Extreme
D
Disputing — Challenging the Beliefs
Now examine your hot thought as if you were a fair-minded judge — looking at evidence on both sides. Ask yourself whether you're seeing the full picture, or only the part that confirms your fear.
Thought discovery questions — dig a little deeper
- "What is bad about that — and that is bad because…?"
- "What does this situation say about me?"
- "What am I concluding about myself or others here?"
- "What is the realistic worst that could happen — and could I cope with it?"
- "What would I say to a friend who thought this about themselves?"
E
Effective New Beliefs — A More Balanced View
Write a new belief to replace your hot thought — one that's more balanced and accurate. It doesn't need to feel positive, just fairer. Then notice how your emotional response shifts when you hold this new belief instead.
Belief in hot thought — before and after disputing
Belief strength (Section B)
50%
Belief strength (after this section)
—
50%
0% — No longer believe it50% — Partially100% — Still fully believe it
Send to your inbox
Enter your email address and we'll send you a PDF copy of your completed worksheet to keep.