Which CBT step asks you to articulate thoughts about the triggering event?

• A. Identify trigger
• B. What goes through your head
• C. How do you feel
• D. What do you do

Answer: (B)

In CBT, you address the automatic thoughts that accompany a triggering event. This step focuses on what runs through your mind right at the moment you encounter the trigger—the immediate interpretations, beliefs, and hypotheses about what’s happening. These internal thoughts shape how you feel and how you respond, so articulating them is the key to changing them.

The option that asks you to state “What goes through your head” directly targets those cognitive processes, which is why it’s the best fit. Identifying the trigger looks at the event itself, not the mental processing. Asking how you feel targets emotions, and asking what you do targets behavior. All are parts of CBT, but the cognitive piece—articulating the thoughts—is the core step for re framing and challenging distortions.