Why CBT Looks Different From What I Expected

hello@ghafoorsblog.com (AG Sayyed) — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

I write software for a living, so when I opened the first week of a cognitive behavioural therapy course I reached for the nearest mental model I had: a rule engine. Symptoms in, prescribed response out. The course spends its first week explaining why that model is wrong, and it took me most of the session to understand why it matters.

The Model I Brought With Me

CBT describes a cycle. Something happens, an automatic thought arises, an emotion follows, and the whole thing loops until a belief changes. Sketched out, it looks like this:

First Impressions on Ghafoor's Personal Blog

Why CBT Looks Different From What I Expected

The Model I Brought With Me