ABSTRACT
Core irrational beliefs are those which account for a significant proportion of your clients' disturbance and which explain why clients disturb themselves in a variety of different settings. They tend to be general rather than specific and can best be identified after the therapist has worked on identifying their specific irrational beliefs. Avoidant behaviour can also give a clue to the existence of core irrational beliefs. Core irrational beliefs explain why your clients disturb themselves in a variety of settings, and why they limit themselves and opt for short-term comfort rather than long-term gain. In working with your clients at the level of core irrational beliefs, help them also to construct alternative core rational beliefs and to see how life could be different were they to believe and act on these more healthy core beliefs. As therapy proceeds, therapists must remind clients to look for core irrational beliefs as well as their specific irrational beliefs in specific situations.
