The first step in Beck's cognitive therapy is to help the client:A)create a baseline record of the frequency of the problem behavior.B)learn how to free associate and interpret dreams.C)learn how to dispute and challenge irrational beliefs in a wide variety of situations.D)recognize and monitor automatic thoughts, especially those that reflect negative cognitive biases

In psychology, cognitive therapy focuses in changing patterns of thought that are unhealthy or biased in order to change behaviors that take place as a result of these thoughts.

Beck proposed a guideline to do cognitive therapy according to which the process has different steps:

First, the patient identifies the automatic thoughts he has and which are negative or dysfunctional.
Then, he identifies the ideas that result as a consequence of these thoughts.
Along with the therapist, he discusses how true or untrue these distortions are.
He starts to create more rational thoughts that will help him change the behavior.

Therefore, in the first step of Beck's cognitive therapy, the client recognizes and monitor automatic thoughts that reflect cognitive biases and therefore the correct answer is D.