Emotion,
Cognition and
Behavior: The
Interplay
Mentoring
CPD & Supervision
Cognition, emotion &
Behaviour
• Cognition (Thoughts) – is a
higher cognitive function
which allows human to
model the world and deal
with it accordingly – it
allows us to consider how
to behave
• Emotion (Feelings) –
conscious, subjective
experience of emotion
• Behaviour – is action or
reaction to environment
and can be conscious,
unconscious overt, covert,
voluntary or involuntary
CBT Cycle
CBT & ABC
• Form of psychological therapy
directly focusing on modifying
both cognitive processes and
behaviours to reduce or
eliminate problematic behaviour.
We do this through
understanding
• Activating event
• Behaviour
• Consequence
Exercise One
Working in pairs, use a past or
recent experience you are happy
to discuss and identify the ABCs
Identify any cognitive distortions
or irrational thinking involved
Use this information to complete
a vicious flower, if you wish
A - Activating Event
B - Beliefs
C - Consequences
Write down the event or
situation that triggered your
thoughts and feelings.
Write down the thoughts Actions
that went through your
How did you act then?
head when the activating
event occurred (or after it) Emotions
What did you feel then?
Exercise Two
• D&E
– Dispute
– Examples
• Dispute cognitive distortions
identified in previous exercise.
– You may like to use the alternatives
provided in the handout.
• Identify new rational beliefs
– Find examples from real life to
support the new rational beliefs.
• Example
– IRRATIONAL BELIEF: I’m a
WORTHLESS PERSON when I act
weakly.
– DISPUTE: Where is it written that I
am a WORTHLESS PERSON?
– REPLACE: I am a PERSON WHO acted
in a weak manner, I am not a WEAK
PERSON. I behaved in a weak way but
that does not equate to me being
worthless. My worth is not tied to my
behaviour. I will strive to not act that
way again. I will be more assertive in
future in the way I was when I…..
Application
• How can this be used in a
mentoring relationship?
• What situations might you
use this with?
• What mentee
characteristics might you
need to think about?
– What characteristics would
help?
– What characteristic would
impede the use of this tool?
• What environment would I
implement this tool in?