Core Beliefs: uncover the deep ideas that shape how you see everything
Reviewed By
Dr Harriet Mellotte - Clinical Psychologist, CBT & EMDR Therapist, NHS and Private Practice
Core beliefs are the deeply held ideas about yourself, others, and the world that shape how you see everything.
Free to try · Responses are private & encrypted
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What does the Core Beliefs Mini Course cover?
What core beliefs are and how they form, how they filter everyday experience, how to find your own by repeatedly asking what a situation means about you, testing them against the evidence, and building more balanced alternatives.
Who is this Core Beliefs Mini Course for?
Helpful if you:
🔁 Notice the same negative thoughts about yourself coming back
🪞 Hold a harsh view of yourself that feels like fact
🧩 Want to understand what sits underneath your thinking
For therapists:
Assign this course before downward arrow or schema-level work so clients understand the concept first. Their identified belief, counter-evidence and balanced alternative give ready material for belief modification in session. Fully HIPAA and GDPR compliant.
Dr Harriet Mellotte
Clinical Psychologist & CBT Therapist, BABCP
“Offload is a fantastic resource for both clients and therapists. The world of CBT has been lacking an app which enables the sharing of CBT worksheets and homework tasks between clients and therapists, but Offload completely does this, making the service we offer more professional and the benefits to clients greater.”
Frequently asked questions
What are core beliefs?
Core beliefs are the deep, often unspoken ideas you hold about yourself, other people and the world, such as I am not good enough or people cannot be trusted. They usually form in childhood, feel completely true, and act as a filter that decides what every new experience means.
How do I find my core beliefs?
Notice your strongest emotional reactions and keep asking what does this mean about me? A criticised report becomes I did something wrong, then I am incompetent, then I am not good enough. That last statement is the core belief. This course walks you through the technique with your own examples.
Can core beliefs be changed?
Yes, though it takes time because they have been reinforced for years. The approach is to test the belief against evidence, notice how you dismiss anything that contradicts it, and build a more balanced alternative such as I have strengths and weaknesses like everyone. Daily practice gradually makes the new belief feel true.
Can my therapist assign this course?
Yes. Therapists on Offload can assign Core Beliefs before schema-level or downward arrow work, and your identified belief, counter-evidence and balanced alternative give ready material for belief modification in session. Your responses are available for them to review beforehand. Fully HIPAA and GDPR compliant.
Are you a therapist?
Assign this therapy tool and 200+ other interactive tools directly to your clients. Build personalised care plans, customise tools, and review client responses before sessions. HIPAA and GDPR compliant.
Explore Offload for therapistsReferences
Beck, A. T. (1963). Thinking and depression: I. Idiosyncratic content and cognitive distortions. Archives of General Psychiatry, 9(4), 324–333. This is the foundational paper introducing how core beliefs (schemas) influence perception, interpretation, and mood. Young, J. E. (1999). Cognitive therapy for personality disorders: A schema-focused approach (3rd ed.). Sarasota, FL: Professional Resource Press. Young expanded on Beck’s model to describe early maladaptive schemas — essentially rigid core beliefs formed in childhood. Fennell, M. J. V. (1997). Low self-esteem: A cognitive perspective. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 25(1), 1–26. This paper explicitly explores core beliefs, how they form, how they maintain low self-esteem and depression, and how CBT techniques help modify them.
