Cognitive restructuring

Thinking as a scientific hypothesis

Cognitive restructuring is based on the premise that our cognitions are not immutable reflections of truth, but subjective interpretations of reality.

Often, people accept their automatic thoughts - such as "I will never be able to handle this situation" - as absolute facts, which triggers maladaptive emotional and behavioral responses.

The key intervention is to change the relationship to these mental events by treating them as "assumptions" or "guesses" that require empirical verification.

Instead of merging with the idea, one adopts a researcher's stance, putting the thought to the test.

For example, if someone believes that learning a new technical skill is impossible after a first failed attempt, he or she is invited to consider that this conclusion is based on limited data rather than an inherent inability, transforming a paralyzing "fact" into a practice-modifiable hypothesis.

Questioning and challenging negative patterns

To modify the architecture of dysfunctional thinking, it is necessary to actively identify and challenge negative patterns.

This involves an internal or guided Socratic dialogue where evidence for and against a distressing thought is examined.

If an individual holds the cognition that "everything will go wrong," one must explore what actual evidence supports that catastrophic prediction and what past experiences contradict that view.

This process helps to dismantle the validity of thoughts that generate anxiety or depression, showing that they are often products of a pessimistic mental habit rather than an accurate assessment of the environment.

By questioning the veracity of harsh self-criticism or hopelessness, their emotional impact is weakened.

Generating alternative narratives

The ultimate goal is not simply to eliminate a negative thought, but to replace it with more flexible, realistic, and adaptive interpretations.

Once a thought has been identified as a distortion or unfounded assumption, work is done to construct an alternative explanation that encompasses all the facts.

For example, when faced with perceived social rejection, instead of concluding "they don't like me," the alternative "maybe they are busy or distracted today" can be generated.

This cognitive flexibility allows the individual to regain a sense of competence and confidence, as he or she ceases to be the victim of a single