ABSTRACT
Behavioural experiments serve a cognitive purpose: to test the validity of the client's thoughts and beliefs through action assignments. The information gathered from experiments helps clients to develop new helpful beliefs and weaken/undermine existing unhelpful ones. Using reason to explore and expose the self-defeating nature of the person's troublesome thoughts is often intellectually persuasive in making the case for change, but they remain convinced at a deeper, emotional level that these thoughts are actually true. The coach should discuss with their coachee the different ways behavioural experiments can be used rather than assume they want to be creative rather than revisionist. When carrying out experiments, it's vitally important for the coachee to remember that he needs to be interested in learning from whatever the outcome is, not fixated on success or failure.
