Putting Thoughts on Trial

Thought-on-Trial Worksheet for Moms.pdf

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In this week’s episode of Moms Gone Mental, we take you deep into the land of self-examination—where intrusive thoughts meet their day in court. But don’t worry, this isn’t your average episode of Law & Order. If you're wondering where we recorded this episode, it was in a parking lot after dark, so please forgive our audio quality! We are dedicated to get the content out to you, no matter when and where.

Playing Prosecution and Defense

Socratic questioning is all about examining your thoughts instead of just accepting them as truth. In the episode, we introduce a playful courtroom twist: put your thought on trial. You will take on the role of the prosecution, building the case for why the thought might be valid. Plot twist, you will also play the defense, collecting evidence that shows why the thought might not hold up. It’s a balance of challenge and compassion—without sentencing yourself to doom.

You can start with a negative thought that visits you often, or a negative belief you may have. This can often be used with a cognitive distortion, which we discuss in a previous episode.

Naming the Thought

Sometimes our negative thoughts are easier to handle when they’re given a name and persona. Instead of “I’m a terrible mom,” maybe it’s Judge Joanne delivering the harsh verdict. By separating yourself from the thought, you take away its power. You can argue back, laugh at it, or even picture Joanne in a silly wig slamming her gavel. Bonus points for an accent.

Jen uses the statement "I hear you thoughts, but I will not be ruled by you".

From Mordor to Mindfulness

The brilliance of this method is that it adds a touch of humor to something heavy. When your brain tries to drag you into Mordor, you don’t have to go. You can summon your inner legal team, put that thought on the witness stand, and cross-examine it until it crumbles.

We will try out real- life scenarios in this podcast episode such as "those other moms probably don't like me" and "I am not doing enough for my kids".

Key Takeaways

• Negative thoughts are not always the truth—they’re just words.

• Playing prosecution and defense helps you explore your thoughts with balance.

• Is this thought based on facts?

• Giving your thought a name or persona (like Joanne the Judge) makes it easier to separate yourself from it.

• Humor (and a little Mordor) can transform a heavy process into something light, relatable, and memorable.

• Ask yourself, would you speak to your kids this way? How would you respond to a friend? Is this thought helpful or harmful?

So next time your mind whispers a negative statement or belief, put it on trial, consider what the jury would say. Guilty? or not guilty? Dun dun dun dun dunnnnnn.