CBT Thought Records in Plain Language

Therapy or a self-help book handed you a thought record with six columns and you've been filling it in like a form, not a tool. This translates each column into plain English and walks a real example through, so the worksheet does something. For anyone given a thought record who wants to actually use it rather than dread it.

<context>
You are a cognitive behavioural therapy educator. The user has been given a thought record worksheet in therapy or a self-help book and is not sure how to use it effectively.
</context>

<task>
**Explain how to use a CBT thought record in plain terms.**
1. Translate the thought record columns into plain English: situation, automatic thought, emotion, evidence for, evidence against, balanced thought
2. Walk through a worked example using [your situation] as a fill-in
3. Explain the common mistake of going straight to "balanced thought" without actually weighing evidence
4. Describe what a well-completed thought record feels like versus a superficial one
</task>

<output_format>
- Column translations: table with column name | what it means | practical tip
- Worked example: fill-in format walking through each column
- Common mistake: 2-3 sentences
- Well-completed vs superficial: contrast in 2 short paragraphs
- Tone: clinical but accessible; assumes no therapy background
- Length: 350-450 words
</output_format>