One of the most powerful CPT tools you can continue using after treatment is the Catch, Challenge, Change via ABC process.

Catch it: Notice when a distressing thought shows up, especially ones familiar to you that are tied to Safety, Trust, Power/Control, Esteem, or Intimacy. More than likely, you will be able to recognize what the thought is after you recognize and acknowledge the intensity of the emotional reaction you are having. If it spikes emotion fast, it’s worth catching.

Challenge it: Bust out an ABC Worksheet to assess the situation (yes, put pen/pencil to paper). This is not only to slow your system down in the moment, but it is also to help identify the deeper meaning surrounding your activation. Remember to turn inwards and identify ‘what is coming up for you’. Ask yourself a few grounding questions: Is this 100% true? What’s the evidence for and against it? What would I say to one of my peers in this moment?

Change it: Reframe the stuck point or thought with a more balanced, realistic statement.
REMEMBER: Trying to force a shift in beliefs without fully understanding what the deeper meaning behind the activation is, will only create further dysregulation within your system. Gain the fuller picture, not just surrounding what the initial activation is saying is the issue, what the deeper messaging states to you. Change your perception, change your reality.

This skill helps you slow reactions, reduce emotional intensity, and respond from choice rather than your default reaction. The more consistently you practice it, the easier it becomes to regain clarity, steadiness, and direction in daily life.

Context: How Does This Apply to You?

In CPT, intense reactions around safety, trust, power/control, esteem, and intimacy are often driven by rigid beliefs, but now over-activate in everyday life, turning living into survival. A common example shows up during vacations or gatherings with family and friends. These situations often increase stress and uncertainty, which can trigger specific stuck points such as “If I don’t stay on guard, something bad will happen,” or “I’m responsible for preventing problems.” When these beliefs take over, emotions escalate and reactions become more rigid, even when no real threat is present. I would ask you to ponder what the actual goals of this trip or event are, and does the need to ensure those goals are met in a very specific manner interfere with my ability to be present?

When you can separate values (connection, rest, enjoyment, meaning) from trauma-driven “what-ifs,” you create space for more balanced thinking. Aligning with your values, rather than reacting from fear, often leads to a noticeable shift in emotional intensity, behavior, and overall experience.

THIS IS CPT AT WORK: Identifying the belief, examining its accuracy in the present moment, and choosing responses that support the life you are building now, not the trauma you survived back then.