Examining the Evidence: put your automatic thoughts on trial
Reviewed By
Stephanie Orr - Psychotherapist, MBABCP, 10+ years in the NHS and private practice
I mess everything up. I’m unlovable. My boss will hate me. We all have automatic thoughts that pop into our heads in different situations. Some are helpful, but others can be overly negative or distorted. Cognitive Restructuring helps you take a step back, examine these thoughts, and see if they’re really true or useful.
Free to try · Responses are private & encrypted
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What does the Examining The Evidence Journal cover?
- The automatic thought you want to test
- Evidence that supports the thought
- Evidence that does not fit the thought
- A balanced conclusion based on both
Who is this Examining The Evidence Journal for?
Helpful if you:
😟 Feel anxious or low
🧠 Believe your worst thoughts without question
🔁 Replay the same worries over and over
For therapists:
Assign Examining the Evidence as between-session homework once a client can identify automatic thoughts. Review their evidence for and against before the next session and use it to shape cognitive restructuring work. 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 does it mean to examine the evidence in CBT?
Examining the evidence is a CBT technique where you treat an automatic thought as a hypothesis rather than a fact. You list the evidence that supports the thought and the evidence that does not, then form a more balanced conclusion. It helps you respond to situations based on what is actually true rather than what anxiety or low mood tells you.
How is this different from just thinking positively?
It is not about replacing negative thoughts with positive ones. The goal is accuracy: some worries turn out to be partly true, and the exercise helps you see the full picture either way. Balanced thinking tends to be more believable and more durable than forced positivity, which is why CBT focuses on evidence rather than affirmations.
When should I use this exercise?
Use it when a thought is distressing and keeps returning, such as "I always mess things up" or "they must be angry with me". It works best on specific thoughts rather than vague feelings, so if you are starting from a mood, first note what was going through your mind when the feeling appeared.
Can my therapist see my answers?
If you are working with a therapist on Offload, they can assign this exercise to you and review your responses before your next session, making homework easier to set and follow up. If you are using Offload on your own, your answers stay private to your account.
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.
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