High-risk situations, both external (e.g., people, places, and things) and internal (e.g., problematic mood states).

External High-Risk Situations: Being at a bar with friends who are all drinking (Example: "Social gatherings are too tempting, I can't resist the pressure to drink"). Explore coping mechanisms for social settings, like having a non-alcoholic drink in hand or practicing refusal skills.

Internal High-Risk Situations: Feeling stressed and overwhelmed (Example: "When I'm feeling anxious, I crave a beer to take the edge off"). Develop healthy stress management techniques like relaxation exercises or journaling.

Dysfunctional Beliefs: Believing they lack the willpower to stay sober (Example: "I'm weak, I'll never be able to control my drinking"). Challenge these beliefs with evidence of past successes and identify personal strengths.

Automatic Thoughts: The thought "One drink won't hurt" pops into their head after a stressful day (Example: "Negative thoughts make me crave alcohol as a way to cope"). Develop cognitive restructuring skills to identify and challenge these automatic thoughts with more realistic and helpful ones.

Permission-Giving Beliefs: Justifying a relapse by thinking "I deserve a drink after all this hard work" (Example: "Finding excuses to drink makes it easier to give in to cravings"). Address these justifications and explore alternative ways to reward oneself for achievements.

Rituals and Behaviors: Having a drink after work every day (Example: "Daily routines associated with drinking make it harder to resist"). Identify these triggers and develop alternative behaviors for managing cravings.

Adverse Psychological Reactions: Feeling ashamed and hopeless after a slip-up (Example: "One mistake means I've failed, why even try?". Help clients develop relapse prevention plans and practice self-compassion after setbacks.