Dr. Judy Ho — Live Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Session
Clinical and forensic psychologist Dr. Judy Ho walks MedCircle host Kyle Kittleson through a real CBT session — demonstrating the laddering technique to uncover a core belief. You will see how automatic thoughts lead to deeper fears, and how CBT helps you challenge the thoughts that drive your emotions and behaviors.
Learning That Sticks — The Science of How the Brain Changes Itself
CBT is the science of learning that sticks. You learn to identify automatic thoughts. You learn to challenge them. You learn to replace them with healthier ones. The brain changes through deliberate practice — the same mechanism that the Learning That Sticks trilogy describes: connection, reflection, action, evaluation.
Dr. Ho shows us the how. The Fuller Road module gives us the why — the science of purpose rooted in lived experience. Together, they are the practice and the purpose of cognitive change. The 7-day sprint below connects each day to a chapter of the Fuller Road 8-week module.
Why This Session Matters at Voice Up
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the most researched, evidence-based therapy in the world. It works by changing the thoughts that drive your emotions and behaviors. But most people never get to see what a CBT session actually looks like.
Dr. Ho does not lecture. She does it. You will see the laddering technique in real time — an automatic thought ("I might never find somebody who loves me") ladder down to a core belief ("I'm worthless"). You will see that a core belief is not what you actually believe — it is your biggest fear. And you will see the beginning of cognitive restructuring: the work of challenging that fear.
That is the Voice Up story of learning that sticks — the science of how the brain can change itself, one thought at a time.
Key Themes — Thoughts, Beliefs, and the Brain
Automatic Thoughts — The Tip of the Iceberg
Automatic thoughts are the thoughts that pop into your head throughout the day. They are conscious — but you have to attune your awareness to notice them. They are the tip of the iceberg. The real story is underneath.
The Laddering Technique
Dr. Ho demonstrates laddering: take any negative automatic thought and ask, "If that thought was true, what would it mean about you?" Keep asking. Each answer reveals a deeper layer — until you reach the core belief.
Core Beliefs — Your Biggest Fear, Not Your Truth
A core belief is not necessarily what you actually believe about yourself. It is your biggest fear — what would be devastating if it was true. "I'm worthless." "I'm unlovable." "I'm incapable." Naming the fear is the first step to challenging it.
Conditional Rules and Assumptions
When you hold a core belief, you develop rules to prevent it from coming true. "If I am lovable, then I must always be perfect." "If I am capable, then I must never fail." CBT helps you see the rules — and test whether they are true.
Related Stories — CBT & Mental Health
Dr. Ho's session is part of a wider evidence base for CBT. These articles and resources are woven into the 7-day sprint below — each day connects the session to a wider story about how thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors shape mental health.
Dr. Judy Ho — Cognitive Behavioral Therapy · 7-Day Mini Sprint
Take the 7-day sprint built from this session — automatic thoughts, the laddering technique, core beliefs, conditional rules, cognitive restructuring, behavioral experiments, and integration. Each day connects Dr. Ho's CBT techniques to the Fuller Road 8-week module and recent articles on mental health. Complete all 7 days + watch the full session to enter the $50 gift card raffle.
Watch the Session + Finish the Sprint — Enter to Win $50
Any registered user who watches the full CBT session on this page AND completes the 7-Day Judy Ho CBT Mini Sprint is entered into a $50 gift card raffle. Do the real work. Reflect. Enter to win.
📋 Requirements to Enter
Complete all 3 requirements above to unlock your raffle entry.
○ Session · ○ 7-Day Sprint · ○ Registered