Changing the way you respond: the ABC and CAB methods

You can use the ABC and CAB methods to-change your emotional responses to situations. When the situation presents itself, you can think about which belief is associated with the activating event/stressful situation, and then use positive counter-thoughts against it.

Imagine a situation in which you become panicked during a test and lose your concentration. The belief might be, “I am going to fail; I never do well on tests!” A counter-thought like, “I studied hard for this test and understand the material. I know I can do well!” could help you calm down and complete the test. If these sorts of situations occur in your life repeatedly, you can anticipate them and plan your response rather than waiting for panic to set in.