Who is to say that your beliefs are irrational in the first place?

They may be unhelpful but there are plenty of unhelpful thoughts that are not irrational...

Also... Does challenging help change them?

That is something that is open to question...

In fact...

Those are the things that I'm meaning to question.

Sometimes people find that challenging the thoughts does lessen their hold.

And in those cases I want to say TERRIFIC!!!!! If it works for you then embrace it.

(Though I still don't like calling the beliefs 'irrational')

But when it doesn't work...

Well...

Too many therapists conclude that that is because the client 'isn't doing it right' and that they therefore cannot help them...