Emotional Reasoning: when feelings masquerade as facts
Emotional reasoning is when you assume something must be true just because it feels true. Learning to separate feelings from facts can help you respond with more clarity and balance.
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What does the Emotional Reasoning Mini Course cover?
What emotional reasoning is, how feelings get mistaken for facts, the situations where it shows up most, and CBT methods for separating what you feel from what is actually true.
Who is this Emotional Reasoning Mini Course for?
Helpful if you:
💓 Assume something is true because it feels true
😰 Take anxiety as proof that danger is real
🔎 Want to check feelings against the facts
For therapists:
Assign this course when emotional reasoning features in a client's formulation. Their in-course examples give useful material for cognitive restructuring 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 is emotional reasoning?
Emotional reasoning is a thinking trap where you assume something must be true because it feels true: I feel anxious, so I must be in danger, or I feel like a failure, so I am one. Feelings are real, but they are not evidence about the world, and treating them as facts keeps anxiety and low mood going.
Why is emotional reasoning a problem?
It creates a loop. Anxiety makes a situation feel dangerous, the feeling is taken as proof of danger, and the danger belief increases the anxiety. The same loop drives low mood, guilt and shame. Breaking it means learning to check how you feel against what is actually happening, which is the skill this course teaches.
How do I stop reasoning from my emotions?
Start by naming the feeling and separating it from the conclusion: I feel anxious, and feelings do not predict outcomes. Then look for evidence beyond the feeling. With practice the gap between feeling and fact becomes easier to see. The course walks you through this with your own examples.
Can my therapist assign this course?
Yes. Therapists on Offload can assign this course when emotional reasoning features in your formulation, and your in-course examples give useful material for cognitive restructuring in session. Your responses are available for them to review before your next appointment. Fully HIPAA and GDPR compliant.
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Explore Offload for therapistsReferences
Gangemi, A., et al. (2021). Emotional Reasoning and Psychopathology. - Reviews how affect as information (emotional reasoning) influences judgment and contributes to negative evaluations in psychological disorders. Berle, D., & Others (2013). Emotional Reasoning Processes and Dysphoric Mood. - Defines emotional reasoning as using subjective emotions instead of objective evidence to form conclusions, with implications for mood and cognition. Berle, D. & Others (2016). Does emotional reasoning change during cognitive-behavioural therapy? - Investigates how emotional reasoning biases manifest in anxiety disorders and whether typical CBT alters these tendencies.
