Possible Cues, Emotions, Cognitive Distortions, and Memory Gaps Example Copy

Possible Cues, Emotions, Cognitive Distortions, and Memory Gaps Example Copy Possible Cues, Emotions, Cognitive Distortions, and Memory Gaps Example Copy

On the basis of Brian’s chronic traumatic history gathered in Sessions 4 and 5, the therapist created a preliminary list of possible cues, emotions, cognitive distortions, and memory gaps. Please note that this list was created on the basis of the full session with Brian. The vignettes you just listened to are only excerpts from the session, so the list might slightly differ from the one that you have just created.

Possible Cues:

  • Yelling
  • Arguing
  • Loud Sounds
  • Wine/beer/liquor bottles
  • Name calling/swearing
  • Kitchen/kitchen items
  • Being in the dark

Emotions (Feelings): 

  • Embarrassed
  • Scared/nervous
  • Lonely
  • Worried
  • Guilty
  • Angry
  • Sad

Cognitive Distortions:

  • I deserved it
  • I was responsible
  • I’m a loser, I’m no good
  • Only bad things happen to me
  • Mom doesn’t love me
  • Something might happen to mom, mom can die at any moment
  • Mom was stealing because of me
  • I shouldn’t have been born
  • Mom might leave and never come back
  • I have to live on the edge all the time, something bad might happen at any moment
  • Nobody loves me

It may be difficult to define what’s a true distortion in some instances. In the example above, some of these thoughts may clearly be distortions while others might reflect reality. CCT targets any thoughts, whether real or imaginary, that are triggering to the child.

Memory gaps

  • Can’t recall what was going on or what he was doing when he was staying home alone