One Page Homework

On a sheet of paper and write on the top line: “I am worthless.” (You might substitute, "I can't do _____ [fill in blank]," or "____[fill in blank] would be awful" or some other appropriate commanding, demanding, irrational belief that works against you.)Then write every reason you can think of to prove it.
Write all these reasons on only one side of that same sheet of paper.
Do them all the same day you begin.
Don’t write past the last line on that side of the paper.
If you are in mid-sentence on the last line, just stop; don’t complete the sentence.
Put the paper away until tomorrow.
Tomorrow take out your sheet to read what you wrote.
Use another sheet of paper dispute any of the items you wrote that prove you are worthless; that is, argue against your statements. (Make the proper substitution here from 1. above if you chose a different statement there.)
Argue against as many of these statements as you can while only using the same one side of paper.
Don’t write on more than one side of the paper.
Do this every day for at least 2 weeks.
At the end of the two weeks, check your work to assure that you have convincingly argued against every one of your self-defeating original statements.
You will know you have succeeded if you no longer believe the original set of irrational statements you wrote on the first day.

If you have not successfully argued against one or more of these statements, discuss those with your therapist.

Links on 24-7 Help:

Inside REBT