ABSTRACT
Identifying and examining underlying assumptions and rules (see Point 3) occurs when clients have gained some skill and confidence in applying the cognitive model to their problems by answering their situationspecific NATS and completing some homework assignments (working on NATS ‘chips away’ at underlying beliefs). To tackle these beliefs before this stage has been reached may result in clients feeling overwhelmed, threatened, distressed or resistant and lead to premature termination of therapy.
