Cognitive biases
Separating Feelings from Facts Log (Emotional Reasoning)
The client uses their emotional state as the primary evidence for the reality of a situation.
For the client who consistently mistakes the intensity of a feeling for the validity of a conclusion, progress can stall. Their emotional state serves as the primary evidence for their reality, “I feel anxious, so there must be a threat,” or “I feel incompetent, so I must be”, creating a feedback loop that is difficult to interrupt in session.
This directive introduces a repeatable practice for distinguishing an emotional response from the observable facts of an event. The client develops the capacity to notice a feeling without immediately accepting its conclusion as truth. They return to the next session with a clearer understanding of how their internal state colors their perception of external reality.
Separating Feelings from Facts Log (Emotional Reasoning)
For the next seven days, use this log to record instances where a strong feeling shaped your interpretation of an event.
Describe the situation that triggered the feeling. Name the primary feeling and rate its intensity from 0 (none) to 10 (most intense). Write the conclusion you drew based on that feeling, what the feeling told you was true. Finally, list only the objective, observable facts of the situation, excluding your emotional interpretation.
Do not analyze the entries as you write them. The goal is to record the information as it happens.
| Situation | Feeling & Intensity (0-10) | Conclusion from Feeling | Observable Facts |
|---|---|---|---|
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