Wellness AppThought Reframe
Spot the thinking trap, then choose the balanced reframe — CBT practice as a game.
How it works
- Read a thought and spot the thinking trap hiding inside it.
- Pick the balanced reframe — realistic, not fake-positive.
A balanced thought isn't a happy thought — it acknowledges what's hard and keeps the full picture in view.
The 10 thinking traps
- All-or-Nothing Thinking: Seeing things in black-and-white categories — if it isn't perfect, it feels like a total failure.
- Overgeneralization: Turning one event into a never-ending pattern — "always", "never", "every time".
- Catastrophizing: Jumping to the worst possible outcome and treating it as certain.
- Mind Reading: Assuming you know what others are thinking — usually something negative about you.
- Emotional Reasoning: Treating feelings as proof of facts — "I feel it, so it must be true".
- Should Statements: Rigid rules about how you or others "should" act, with guilt or frustration when they're broken.
- Labeling: Reducing yourself or others to one negative label instead of describing the specific behavior.
- Personalization: Taking blame for things that aren't fully in your control.
- Discounting the Positive: Dismissing good things as luck or "not counting", so they never register.
- Mental Filter: Zooming in on one negative detail until it colors the whole picture.
Thought 1 of 5
The thought
Which thinking trap is this?
About Thought Reframe
Thought Reframe is a free game built on cognitive-restructuring skills from CBT. Each round presents five realistic thoughts; you spot the thinking trap hiding inside each one, then choose the balanced reframe — realistic, not fake-positive.
It covers ten common thinking traps, including catastrophizing, all-or-nothing thinking, and mind reading. Rounds run entirely in your browser with no signup or account.
Frequently asked questions
- What are thinking traps?
- Common cognitive-distortion patterns — catastrophizing, all-or-nothing thinking, mind reading, and others — that make stressful thoughts feel more true than they are. Naming the trap is the first CBT skill this game trains.
- What is a balanced reframe?
- A thought that acknowledges what's hard and keeps the full picture in view — realistic rather than forced-positive. A balanced thought isn't a happy thought.
- Is this game therapy?
- No. It teaches a self-help technique from CBT for everyday thoughts. It is not a diagnosis, treatment, or a substitute for professional mental health care.