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1
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Theory A Theory B
The problem is…
• “I am a fraud and people will judge and reject me if they find
out”.
The problem is self-doubt/ rumination / worry that…
• “I am a fraud and people will judge and reject me if they find
out”.
What is the hard evidence that this is true?
• People don’t know everything about me.
• I haven’t disclosed everything about myself.
• I have exaggerated my achievements in the past.
• I have sometimes lied about things.
What is the hard evidence that this is true?
• I spend several hours each day worrying about what other people
think about me.
• I continuously ask friends for reassurance.
• I avoid situations where I feel exposed or uncomfortable.
• I feel very anxious about not knowing what people think.
• My sleep and concentration is frequently disrupted by worry or
rumination about other people’s judgements.
What do I need to do if Theory A is true?
• Stay on guard and prepare for the worst.
• Over-prepare to avoid feeling out of control.
• Check with friends to make sure everything is OK.
• Avoid situations where I feel exposed.
• Stay in control and avoid disagreements.
• Replay past situations to make sure that I didn’t mess up.
What do I need to do if Theory B is true?
• Notice when I am getting caught up in worry or rumination.
• Focus on the facts rather than subjective feelings.
• Acknowledge that I can’t always be in control or know
everything.
• Stay in the present rather than dwelling on the past or future.
• Replace worry with problem solving.
• Suspend worry until a time when I can properly concentrate.
• Choose to tolerate and normalise my anxious feelings.
Exercise 11 - Theory A-B Exercise
Use this exercise to record your fears and assumptions about the problem under “Theory A”. Use “Theory B” to decide whether the
problem is actually maintained by rumination, worry or self-doubt:
