Core Beliefs

We all have unique experiences that shape who we are. Cognitive behavioral therapists suggest that from these life experiences, we develop core beliefs.

Core beliefs are the thoughts a person has that determine how they interpret their experiences. For example, if someone has the core belief that “The world is a bad place”, they will believe that people who are kind have an ulterior motive (someone being kind without reason just doesn’t line up with their world view).

Challenging negative thoughts can be an extremely effective therapeutic technique to discover, identify, and challenge our core beliefs. We often carry negative or false unconscious or semiconscious beliefs, never stopping to recognize the values and norms that we buy into on a daily basis.

It can be difficult to identify the first core belief, especially if you have several very deeply held negative beliefs that you have never even considered challenging before. However, once you get the ball rolling with the first belief, it should get easier as you go.