ABSTRACT
The downward arrow procedure is uncovering a core belief. While using the downward arrow we noted it was very important for the therapist to accept each thought revealed as temporarily true, otherwise challenging each one as it seems will prevent the therapist from uncovering the core belief. However, once the core belief revealed, the therapist can now help the client to challenge each thought to change it. For example, the client is very worried about her husband's sudden willingness to stay late at work: THOUGHT: He might be having an affair. ADAPTIVE RESPONSE: He might be but, however, he might be working late for perfectly legitimate reasons. The client established that her husband's reasons for working late work-related, not because an affair with a colleague, and her worries disappeared. However, she found that doing this exercise provided her with a coping strategy if her husband did leave at some future date and helped to strengthen her adaptive belief about herself.
