Fortune telling is when you predict a negative outcome and treat it as if it’s certain. Learning to question these predictions can help you respond to situations with more flexibility and balance.
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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.”
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Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders. — Foundational CBT text describing fortune-telling as a core cognitive distortion where people assume negative outcomes without evidence. Hofmann, S. G., et al. (2012). The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review of Meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36(5), 427–440. — Comprehensive review showing CBT’s effectiveness in reducing patterns like negative prediction (fortune-telling) across anxiety and mood disorders. Watkins, E. R. (2008). Constructive and unconstructive repetitive thought. Psychological Bulletin, 134(2), 163–206. — Analyses maladaptive thought patterns such as negative future prediction (akin to fortune-telling), linking them to emotional distress.
