DOWNLOADABLE SELF MONITORING RESOURCES
The entire guide and information offered in this website is invaluable to help your healing process. However, the resources on this page will serve as your main tool for self-monitoring of your symptoms and progress.
Below
you will find an extensive compilation of worksheets, information
pages, and guides to help you target, tackle, and address just about
every single issue that is affecting you and preventing you from
functioning because of PTSD symptoms. All forms are divided in "problem" sections, and each of
the downloadable PDFs has a detailed description on how to use them. If
you are unsure of which form to download for a specific need, and I'll help you figure it out.
You
can go as fast or as slow as you want, it all depends on your knowledge
of PTSD and your specific "trouble" areas. If you are not sure how much
you know, I strongly recommend going in parts and in order. If you have
a monthly or yearly membership, you can always for help and guidance, should you need help understanding a topic or concept, or disemboweling your disorder.
Anger Management
Anger Decision Worksheet
Uncontrolled feelings of anger can be accompanied by impulsive, aggressive, irrational, or otherwise unhelpful responses. The Anger Decision Sheet is an anger management training tool that first helps to identify personal triggers for anger. Once these have been identified, you are encouraged to pre-plan helpful 'letting go' or 'assertive' responses. There are worksheets to help you build those too.
Anger Diary Worksheet
The Anger Diary Worksheet serves to record the causes and consequences of episodes of anger. You are encouraged to record triggers, emotions, body sensations, thoughts, behaviors, and consequences.
Fight or Flight Response Worksheet
The Fight or Flight Response information sheet describes the physical changes most commonly associated with the 'fight or flight' response. 'Fight or flight was first described by Walter Bradford Cannon in 1929 and identifies automatic bodily responses to perceived threat. These responses are evolutionary adaptations to stay safe in threatening situations. It is helpful to have an understanding of causes for your symptoms.
Forgiveness Is Worksheet
People with PTSD often struggle with the concept of forgiveness because of unhelpful misconceptions regarding its true nature. Forgiveness Is... is an educational worksheet with a clear description of what forgiveness is and is not.
Forgiveness Methods Worksheet
Forgiveness is an effective treatment for anger, with a rich methodology and academic literature. Forgiveness Methods is an information sheet which explores ways of forgiving. It includes some discussion of common misconceptions which often present as blocks to forgiveness.
Forgiveness Quotes Worksheet
This information sheet of Forgiveness Quotes includes helpful word for aiding an understanding of what forgiveness is truly about.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) Worksheet
Physical relaxation is a foundational skill that can greatly help you manage pain and anxiety. Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique for promoting relaxation and activating the parasympathetic nervous system. This worksheet includes simple step-by-step instructions for relaxing each muscle group in turn to promote a strong feeling of physiological relaxation. You can also find steps on the website.
Worry Decision Tree Guide Worksheet
Relaxed breathing is an information sheet with clear instructions for carrying out diaphragmatic (relaxed) breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation, and is an excellent first-line soothing or grounding technique. Although instructions are given for breathing to a counted rhythm it can be helpful to guide you not to become too focused on breathing in the 'right' way – as long as breathing becomes slower and deeper it tends to be helpful.
Relaxed Breathing Worksheet
Relaxed breathing is an information sheet with clear instructions for carrying out diaphragmatic (relaxed) breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation, and is an excellent first-line soothing or grounding technique. Although instructions are given for breathing to a counted rhythm it can be helpful to guide you not to become too focused on breathing in the 'right' way – as long as breathing becomes slower and deeper it tends to be helpful.
Anxiety Management
Behavioral Experiment Worksheet
Behavioral experiments are a particularly powerful technique and are very commonly used in CBT. There are many different types of behavioral experiments which serve different purposes. In essence, as long as a belief is clearly specified the evidence supporting it can be explored experimentally. Tests (experiments) are designed to provide you with new information. This information may serve to confirm or disprove beliefs or offer support in favor of one hypothesis over another.
Classical Conditioning Worksheet
Classical conditioning is a critical factor in both human and animal psychology. In cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) classical conditioning can be viewed as a mechanism (maintenance factor) that results in your conditioned responses. Once formulated in this way it can be seen that many difficulties may respond to a process whereby they are extinguished. This worksheet includes a simple one-page description of classical conditioning and why it is important in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Examples of common difficulties to which this might apply include phobias or other anxieties, which respond to exposure-based (i.e. extinction) treatments.
Cognitive Distortions Guide Worksheet
Cognitive distortions are characteristic thinking styles associated with emotional disturbance. Biased thinking and biased information processing affects what you perceive. This leads to biased decision-making, biased emotion, and biased action. This Unhelpful Thinking Styles information sheet gives details of 10 common cognitive distortions.
Cognitive Model of PTSD Worksheet
This worksheet presents a cognitive model of PTSD, an incredibly flexible model which identifies three maintenance mechanisms which serve to prolong distress in PTSD: Memories having 'unprocessed' properties which mean they are more likely to be experienced as involuntarily, intrusive, vivid and experienced as if they were happening in the present; Beliefs regarding the trauma, the self, others, and the future which can lead to intense emotional reactions; and Coping strategies (e.g. avoidance) which may have maladaptive consequences.
Decatastrophizing Worksheet
Catastrophic thinking (magnification) is characteristic of many anxiety problems. This CBT worksheet for decatastrophizing is a tool for cognitive restructuring and promotes the elaboration of balanced responses. Decatastrophizing is a cognitive restructuring technique to reduce or challenge catastrophic thinking. The term ‘decatastrophizing’ was coined by Albert Ellis who developed REBT, but as a technique it is equally at home within a CBT model.
Exposure & Response Prevention Worksheet
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is one of the recommended treatments for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). In simple terms ERP involves exposing yourself to a trigger for your obsessions and refraining from performing your usual compulsions. This often involves tolerating anxiety, and you are encouraged to record the pattern of this over time as you complete ERP.
Exposure Practice Worksheet
Classical conditioning is a critical factor in both human and animal psychology. In cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) classical conditioning can be viewed as a mechanism (maintenance factor) that results in your conditioned responses. Once formulated in this way it can be seen that many difficulties may respond to a process whereby they are extinguished. This worksheet includes a simple one-page description of classical conditioning and why it is important in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Examples of common difficulties to which this might apply include phobias or other anxieties, which respond to exposure-based (i.e. extinction) treatments.
Interoceptive Exposure Worksheet
Unhelpful beliefs about body sensations are critical maintaining factors in a range of disorders such as panic, health anxiety, or chronic subjective dizziness. Biased beliefs lead to biased behavior – typically avoidance. While attempted avoidance of certain situations or events can sometimes be successful, attempted avoidance of normal bodily sensations is rarely so adaptive and can be particularly restrictive. Exposure to bodily sensations (interoceptive exposure) is an important component of treatment – especially for panic, but for any problem where normal body sensations are experienced as threatening. Interoceptive exposure is a three-page guide that gives information about the rationale for ithis technique, safety information regarding its use, and a series of interoceptive exposure exercises. Take a graded approach to it.
Fear of Bodily Sensations Worksheet
The fear of bodily sensations is a core component of conditions such as panic disorder, heath anxiety, or chronic subjective dizziness. This CBT formulation diagram illustrates possible maintaining factors leading-to- and consequences stemming-from- a fear of bodily sensations.
Fear Situation Worksheet
This worksheet will help you develop a hierarchy of feared situations ranging from most-feared at the top to least-feared at the bottom. You are encouraged to give anticipated fear, anxiety, or distress ratings for each item – according to how distressing they feel it would be to encounter that situation. The order of items can be changed to reflect these anticipated fear ratings until a final hierarchy has been constructed. Once completed the avoidance hierarchy can be used to guide a process of graded exposure. Use the guide to start exposing yourself to the least-feared items, building up as more confidence is gained.
Fight or Flight Response Worksheet
The Fight or Flight Response information sheet describes the physical changes most commonly associated with the 'fight or flight' response. 'Fight or flight was first described by Walter Bradford Cannon in 1929 and identifies automatic bodily responses to perceived threat. These responses are evolutionary adaptations to stay safe in threatening situations. It is helpful to have an understanding of causes for your symptoms.
Health Anxiety Guide Worksheet
A number of cognitive models of health anxiety have been published. A mechanism common to all of them is the (mis)appraisal of a bodily symptom as one of (potentially serious) illness. Other mechanisms include selective attention and symptoms resulting from increased physiological arousal (e.g. fight or flight). Cognitive Model of Health Anxiety presents adaptations of three conceptualizations of health anxiety.
Health Anxiety Thought Record
Worksheet
The health anxiety thought record worksheet targets the key concerns you may have with health anxiety (hypochondriasis). The thought record includes space to record triggers, emotions, and negative/intrusive thoughts. You are then encouraged to challenge your negative thinking with rational responses.
How Breathing Affects Feelings Worksheet
Anxious people are often unaware of the profound physiological effects related to breathing. How breathing affects feelings is an information sheet which gives a clear description of the causes and consequences of hyperventilation. It outlines what happens to blood oxygenation levels when we breathe normally, when we exercise, and when we breathe in an anxious way. Finally, it also includes a calm diaphragmatic breathing exercise designed to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system and to promote relaxation and soothing. Use this information sheet if you are anxious, or if you could benefit from learning a soothing and grounding skill and understanding why breathing calmly is so important.
Identifying Meaning of Body Sensations Worksheet
Some forms of anxiety, such as panic disorder and health anxiety, are particularly concerned with body sensations and symptoms. According to the cognitive-behavioral conceptualizations of these conditions it is not the symptoms themselves that cause distress, but it is the sense (or meaning) we make of them. Individuals with high levels of anxiety sensitivity are particularly prone to making anxious or catastrophic predictions, which further exacerbate anxiety. The Identifying The Meaning Of Body Sensations worksheet helps you capture some of your anxious thoughts and predictions.
Nightmare Exposure & Rescripting Worksheet
Exposure to- and rescripting of- nightmares is a helpful technique for taking control of bad dreams. There is evidence that imagery rescripting for nightmares can be used as a stand-alone intervention. Nightmare exposure and rescripting contains instructions and worksheets for conducting this technique.
Operant Conditioning Information Worksheet
Operant conditioning is a simple description of operant conditioning / instrumental learning and why it is important in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). People's difficulties are sometimes the result of positively or negatively reinforced responses, and may respond to a process whereby different reinforcement schedules are used to shape them. Some forms of therapy are more explicit in their deliberate shaping of damaging behaviors.
Panic Guide Worksheet
This worksheet presents a cognitive model of panic disorder that identifies the critical mechanisms of panic which include: catastrophic misinterpretation of bodily sensations (which lead to a feeling of anxiety and exacerbation of bodily symptoms) and safety-seeking behaviors (which prevent disconfirmation of threat beliefs).
Panic Attack Record Worksheet
The Panic Attack Record Worksheet is an essential part of treatment for panic. Use this worksheet to record details of panic attacks - ideally as close to the time of the panic attack as possible. You are guided to record the most important information including where & when the panic attack happened, physiological symptoms you experienced, thoughts you had during the panic attack, and things you did to cope with how you felt. The information gathered from (a series of) these forms can be used to guide the course of an individual's treatment for panic.
Panic Attack Progress Record Worksheet
The Panic Attack Progress Record is from the book Psychology Tools For Panic. The Panic Attack Progress Record is a way to monitor how often you experience panic attacks, and how much anxiety and worry you have about your panic. Good CBT for panic involves recording your progress - to help you find out what is and isn't working - and many people find it motivating to monitor the effectiveness of their treatment.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) Worksheet
Physical relaxation is a foundational skill that can greatly help you manage pain and anxiety. Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique for promoting relaxation and activating the parasympathetic nervous system. This worksheet includes simple step-by-step instructions for relaxing each muscle group in turn to promote a strong feeling of physiological relaxation. You can also find steps on the website.
Relaxed Breathing Worksheet
Relaxed breathing is an information sheet with clear instructions for carrying out diaphragmatic (relaxed) breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation, and is an excellent first-line soothing or grounding technique. Although instructions are given for breathing to a counted rhythm it can be helpful to guide you not to become too focused on breathing in the 'right' way – as long as breathing becomes slower and deeper it tends to be helpful.
Relaxed Breathing Record Form
Some people find that relaxed breathing exercises can be a helpful part of treatment for anxiety. The Relaxed Breathing Record Form encourages you to monitor your relaxed breathing practice, and to record its effects upon how you feel.
Safety Behaviors Guide
Safety-seeking behaviors are a response to a feared catastrophe. In situations that are perceived as dangerous people naturally act to keep themselves safe (and even have automatic evolved responses to promote safety - think 'fight or flight'). Unfortunately, while safety behaviors can lead to a feeling of relief in the short term (and are thus reinforced), they have the effects of reinforcing beliefs about threat, lead to beliefs going unchallenged, or lead to other unintended consequences. The Safety Behaviors Worksheet is a CBT worksheet providing a clear and comprehensive explanation of safety behaviors. It is essential for your to have a strong understanding of the causes and consequences of safety behaviors if they are to be experimented with and relinquished.
Social Anxiety Worksheet
Social Anxiety worksheet helps you understand key mechanisms which operate to maintain social anxiety including: self-focused attention, and safety-seeking behaviors.
Thought Record Worksheet
The thought record is a fundamental tool in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The underlying principle can be summarized as "what do you believe, and why do you believe it?". This seven-column thought record can be used to: identify negative automatic thoughts (NATs); help clients understand the links between thoughts and emotions; examine the evidence for and against a selected NAT; challenge an NAT; generate more realistic alternatives to a NAT.
Worry Thought Record Worksheet
Worry is a particular form of thinking. Worry about the future often involves an implicit assumption, or prediction, about how the future will turn out. Anxiety stems from negative predictions about the future (and also from assumptions that one will not be able to cope with the magnitude of the threat). The Worry Thought Record Worksheet is a thought challenging record for worry. It encourages you to record worries, predictions associated with worries, and then evidence for and against the prediction. This thought record helps you to make future-oriented predictions explicit, which can be followed by reality-testing.
"What If...?" Worksheets
"What if...?" questions are a powerful way in which anxious people generate or maintain anxious states. Asking oneself a "what if...?" questions invites you to worry about low-probability / high-consequence possibilities - to catastrophize. What If...? is a worksheet for identifying and challenging "what if ... ?" thoughts.
Assertiveness Management
Assertive Communication Guide
Being able to communicate assertively is an essential skill for developing and maintaining healthy relationships and positive self-esteem. This Assertive Communication information sheet describes the qualities of assertive communication and explores its differences from passive and aggressive communication. Some key assertive communication strategies are described.
Assertive Responses Worksheet
Being able to communicate assertively is an essential skill for developing and maintaining healthy relationships and positive self-esteem. A key skill is to be able to respond to the style of an aggressor's message, not its content. This Assertive Responses Worksheet guides you through the practice of responding assertively to aggressive statement.
Relaxed Breathing Worksheet
Relaxed breathing is an information sheet with clear instructions for carrying out diaphragmatic (relaxed) breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation, and is an excellent first-line soothing or grounding technique. Although instructions are given for breathing to a counted rhythm it can be helpful to guide you not to become too focused on breathing in the 'right' way – as long as breathing becomes slower and deeper it tends to be helpful.
Values Worksheets
Work around values is being used increasingly across multiple domains of psychology. Identification of values (and acting in ways consistent with our values) are core aspects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) which argues that true fulfilment comes from a life lived in accordance with one's values. Similarly, newer variants of behavioral activation recommend that identification of values is helpful prior to activity scheduling (meaningful activity is values-driven). This information sheet explores the key domains of Values: Family, relationships, parenting, friendships, employment, education, recreation, spirituality, community, and physical well-being.
Panic Attack Progress Record Worksheet
The Panic Attack Progress Record is from the book Psychology Tools For Panic. The Panic Attack Progress Record is a way to monitor how often you experience panic attacks, and how much anxiety and worry you have about your panic. Good CBT for panic involves recording your progress - to help you find out what is and isn't working - and many people find it motivating to monitor the effectiveness of their treatment.
Chronic Fatigue Management
Behavioral Experiment Worksheet
Behavioral experiments are a particularly powerful technique and are very commonly used in CBT. There are many different types of behavioral experiments which serve different purposes. In essence, as long as a belief is clearly specified the evidence supporting it can be explored experimentally. Tests (experiments) are designed to provide you with new information. This information may serve to confirm or disprove beliefs or offer support in favor of one hypothesis over another.
Cognitive Distortions Guide
Cognitive distortions are characteristic thinking styles associated with emotional disturbance. Biased thinking and biased information processing affects what you perceive. This leads to biased decision-making, biased emotion, and biased action. This Unhelpful Thinking Styles information sheet gives details of 10 common cognitive distortions.
Daily Activity Diary
Activity diaries are a crucial information-gathering tool. They can be used for activity monitoring, symptom monitoring, or activity planning as part of regaining control. This basic Daily Activity Diary includes spaces to record activity for 1 hour time slots throughout the day.
Health Anxiety Thought Record
The health anxiety thought record worksheet targets the key concerns you may have with health anxiety (hypochondriasis). The thought record includes space to record triggers, emotions, and negative/intrusive thoughts. You are then encouraged to challenge your negative thinking with rational responses.
Pacing for Pain & Fatigue Guide
Work around values is being used increasingly across multiple domains of psychology. Identification of values (and acting in ways consistent with our values) are core aspects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) which argues that true fulfilment comes from a life lived in accordance with one's values. Similarly, newer variants of behavioral activation recommend that identification of values is helpful prior to activity scheduling (meaningful activity is values-driven). This information sheet explores the key domains of Values: Family, relationships, parenting, friendships, employment, education, recreation, spirituality, community, and physical well-being.
Safety Behaviors Guide
Safety-seeking behaviors are a response to a feared catastrophe. In situations that are perceived as dangerous people naturally act to keep themselves safe (and even have automatic evolved responses to promote safety - think 'fight or flight'). Unfortunately, while safety behaviors can lead to a feeling of relief in the short term (and are thus reinforced), they have the effects of reinforcing beliefs about threat, lead to beliefs going unchallenged, or lead to other unintended consequences. The Safety Behaviors Worksheet is a CBT worksheet providing a clear and comprehensive explanation of safety behaviors. It is essential for your to have a strong understanding of the causes and consequences of safety behaviors if they are to be experimented with and relinquished.
Task Planning & Achievement Record
Use the Task Planning and Achievement Record to plan daily tasks and record goal attainment. This worksheet can be helpful a to encourage consistent behavior. It is most suited for encouraging frequent or repeated activites such as exercise or self-care. It can also be very useful for people suffering with pain or fatigue where helpful behaviors may have become sporadic.
Depression Management
Activity Planning Worksheet
Activity Planning Worksheet is a CBT worksheet which can be used as part of a behavioral activation program. Research suggests that activity is more likely to be completed if it is planned and scheduled in advance, particularly in people who are suffering from depression.
Activity Selection Worksheet
Activity Selection Worksheet is a CBT worksheet. A common difficulty in depression is the client's withdrawal from activities which were previously rewarding. Behavioral activation is an effective treatment for depression and low mood. Activity Selection is a helpful method of identifying a hierarchy of achievable (or attemptable) activities.
Behavioral Experiment Worksheet
Behavioral experiments are a particularly powerful technique and are very commonly used in CBT. There are many different types of behavioral experiments which serve different purposes. In essence, as long as a belief is clearly specified the evidence supporting it can be explored experimentally. Tests (experiments) are designed to provide you with new information. This information may serve to confirm or disprove beliefs or offer support in favor of one hypothesis over another.
Belief Driven Formulation Worksheets
The Belief-Driven Formulation is a core-belief-driven cross-sectional cognitive behavioral case conceptualization. Formulations of this type help to illustrate the critical role of underlying beliefs in your interpretation of a particular situation. They can inform how your beliefs can bias/prejudice your perception of situations.
Cognitive Distortions Guide
Cognitive distortions are characteristic thinking styles associated with emotional disturbance. Biased thinking and biased information processing affects what you perceive. This leads to biased decision-making, biased emotion, and biased action. This Unhelpful Thinking Styles information sheet gives details of 10 common cognitive distortions.
Daily Activity Diary
Activity diaries are a crucial information-gathering tool. They can be used for activity monitoring, symptom monitoring, or activity planning as part of regaining control. This basic Daily Activity Diary includes spaces to record activity for 1 hour time slots throughout the day.
Daily Monitoring Form
Low levels of rewarding activity are characteristic of depression. Monitoring activity is an essential component of cognitive behavioral treatments for depression such as behavioral activation. This worksheet is similar to the weekly activity diary, including space for enjoyment and mastery ratings, but uses a daily format. This monitoring form focuses on rating the enjoyment and importance of activities but with a focus on a single day which allows for fine-grained analysis.
Daily Record of Dysfunctional Thoughts
You are going to observe and record your cognitions, which are described as "either a thought or a visual image that you may not be aware of unless you focus on it". Once cognitions can be reliably "caught," you can learn to engage in a reality-testing process to "encourage an accurate description and analysis of the way things are."
Gratitude Journal
Gratitude is "the appreciation of what is valuable and meaningful to oneself and represents a general state of thankfulness and/or appreciation." Gratitude has been viewed as an emotion which occurs after receiving assistance, or as a dispositional "orientation towards noticing the positive in the world." This dispositional or trait gratitude is positively associated with a number of measures of well-being and there is evidence that it is possible to increase gratitude through practice – with associated increases in well-being. The Gratitude Journal is a positive psychology worksheet. It describes the concept of gratitude, briefly reports research findings supporting its beneficial associations, and provides recommendations to aid in the completion of a gratitude journal / gratitude list.
Rumination Diary
Rumination (habits of repetitive thought) serves to maintain or prolong a wide variety of clinical conditions including depression and generalized anxiety. The Rumination Diary is a CBT diary for recording ruminative thoughts and images. You are encouraged to record the triggers for the rumination as well as accompanying, emotions, ruminative content, and consequences of rumination. This worksheet can be a helpful part of the development of a functional analysis of rumination.
Simple Thought Record Worksheet
The Simple Thought Record Worksheet is a straightforward worksheet to introduce the concept of identification of automatic thoughts and linking these to emotional states. Spending some practicing the identification of automatic thoughts and images when you are first getting started is often time very well spent.
Task Planning & Achievement Record
Use the Task Planning and Achievement Record to plan daily tasks and record goal attainment. This worksheet can be helpful a to encourage consistent behavior. It is most suited for encouraging frequent or repeated activites such as exercise or self-care. It can also be very useful for people suffering with pain or fatigue where helpful behaviors may have become sporadic.
Thought Record Worksheet
The thought record is a fundamental tool in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The underlying principle can be summarized as "what do you believe, and why do you believe it?". This seven-column thought record can be used to: identify negative automatic thoughts (NATs); help clients understand the links between thoughts and emotions; examine the evidence for and against a selected NAT; challenge an NAT; generate more realistic alternatives to a NAT.
Values Worksheets
Work around values is being used increasingly across multiple domains of psychology. Identification of values (and acting in ways consistent with our values) are core aspects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) which argues that true fulfilment comes from a life lived in accordance with one's values. Similarly, newer variants of behavioral activation recommend that identification of values is helpful prior to activity scheduling (meaningful activity is values-driven). This information sheet explores the key domains of Values: Family, relationships, parenting, friendships, employment, education, recreation, spirituality, community, and physical well-being.
What is Mindfulness Info Sheet
What Is Mindfulness? is an information sheet describing the key principles of the practice of mindfulness meditation practice ('mindfulness'). Mindfulness meditation is a practice that psychologists have borrowed from the Buddhist tradition. Mindfulness exercises can help people to experience themselves differently, and to experience a different relationship to their thoughts. Mindfulness has been demonstrated to help a wide variety of conditions including feeling-states such as anxiety and depression, and physical conditions such as chronic pain or illness. This information sheet contains a simple introduction to mindfulness further illustrated by a number of helpful quotations.
What is Rumination Info Sheet
Repetitive thought or rumination is a process which underpins a wide range of psychological difficulties. What Is Rumination? is a CBT information sheet providing a simple explanation of rumination. It explores the consequences of different thinking styles, detailing helpful (process-mode) and unhelpful (evaluative-mode) forms of thinking. It can be used to encourage your to practice thinking in more productive ways.
Pain Management
Cognitive Distortions Guide
Cognitive distortions are characteristic thinking styles associated with emotional disturbance. Biased thinking and biased information processing affects what you perceive. This leads to biased decision-making, biased emotion, and biased action. This Unhelpful Thinking Styles information sheet gives details of 10 common cognitive distortions.
Decatastrophizing Worksheet
This worksheet presents a cognitive model of PTSD, an incredibly flexible model which identifies three maintenance mechanisms which serve to prolong distress in PTSD: Memories having 'unprocessed' properties which mean they are more likely to be experienced as involuntarily, intrusive, vivid and experienced as if they were happening in the present; Beliefs regarding the trauma, the self, others, and the future which can lead to intense emotional reactions; and Coping strategies (e.g. avoidance) which may have maladaptive consequences.
Pacing for Pain & Fatigue Guide
Some forms of chronic pain and fatigue are thought to be maintained by 'boom and bust' patterns of activity – the individual will be active when they are feeling well but will often 'overdo' it, leading once again to high levels of pain or fatigue. Pacing is a technique whereby activity is increased from a low baseline in a controlled manner – the idea is to make activity more consistent and less dependent upon how the individual is feeling. Pacing for pain and fatigue is an information guide and worksheet which presents information about the technique separately for chronic pain and fatigue.
Pain Diary
DOWNLOAD WORKSHEET
CBT encourages you to record your symptoms and to explore factors
which interact with them. Pain Diary is a symptom recording measure for
recording pain intensity. You can use the diary to look for any patterns
in how the pain changes over the course of the day, and week.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Physical relaxation is a foundational skill that can greatly help you manage pain and anxiety. Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique for promoting relaxation and activating the parasympathetic nervous system. This worksheet includes simple step-by-step instructions for relaxing each muscle group in turn to promote a strong feeling of physiological relaxation. You can also find steps on the website.
Relaxed Breathing
Relaxed breathing is an information sheet with clear instructions for carrying out diaphragmatic (relaxed) breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation, and is an excellent first-line soothing or grounding technique. Although instructions are given for breathing to a counted rhythm it can be helpful to guide you not to become too focused on breathing in the 'right' way – as long as breathing becomes slower and deeper it tends to be helpful.
Values Worksheet
Work around values is being used increasingly across multiple domains of psychology. Identification of values (and acting in ways consistent with our values) are core aspects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) which argues that true fulfilment comes from a life lived in accordance with one's values. Similarly, newer variants of behavioral activation recommend that identification of values is helpful prior to activity scheduling (meaningful activity is values-driven). This information sheet explores the key domains of Values: Family, relationships, parenting, friendships, employment, education, recreation, spirituality, community, and physical well-being.
PTSD/Trauma Management
Barriers Abusers Overcome in Order to Abuse Info Sheet
Survivors of childhood sexual abuse often feel inappropriately responsible for their abuse. A psychology model explains the stages an abuser must go through in order to abuse. It has four stages: 1. Sexual motivation (wanting to abuse); 2. Overcoming internal inhibitions against acting on that motivation; 3. Overcoming external impediments to committing sexual abuse; 4. Undermining or overcoming the child's natural resistance to the sexual abuse. Barriers Abusers Overcome In Order To Abuse is an information sheet and checklist detailing the stages abusers go through. It can be useful as a source of information, or for starting discussions on this topic.
Before I Blame Myself & Feel Guilty Worksheet
Survivors of trauma often feel inappropriate guilt or shame about things they did or did not do. Survivors of trauma often distort their roles in their trauma in characteristic ways, with the result that they feel inappropriate guilt. They identify four kinds of distortion: 1. Exaggerating the degree to which they were responsible for causing trauma-related outcomes; 2. Believing that their actions were less justified than an unbiased observer would believe to be the case; 3. Concluding that they were guilty of wrongdoing even if their actions were consistent with their values; 4. Concluding that they 'knew' an event would happen before it was possible to 'know.' Before I Blame Myself And Feel Guilty Worksheet is a checklist detailing the cognitive distortions which result in post-traumatic guilt. It can be used to identify troublesome held by you, or to guide a conversation around post-traumatic guilt.
Coercive Methods For Enforcing Compliance Sheet
Abusers use a variety of techniques in order to coerce others into behaving the way they want. In 1956 the psychologist Albert Biderman developed a framework for understanding the methods foreign armies used to extract false confessions from prisoners of war. Psychologists now believe that abusers in many different situations use the same methods to achieve control over their victims. For example, victims of domestic violence or childhood abuse often report having experienced similar treatment. These methods include: Isolation, Monopolization of perception, Induced exhaustion / debilitation, Threats, Occasional indulgences, Demonstrating 'omnipotence' and 'omniscience,' Enforcing trivial demands.
Cognitive Model of PTSD Worksheets
This worksheet presents a cognitive model of PTSD, an incredibly flexible model which identifies three maintenance mechanisms which serve to prolong distress in PTSD: Memories having 'unprocessed' properties which mean they are more likely to be experienced as involuntarily, intrusive, vivid and experienced as if they were happening in the present; Beliefs regarding the trauma, the self, others, and the future which can lead to intense emotional reactions; and Coping strategies (e.g. avoidance) which may have maladaptive consequences.
EMDR Cognitions Worksheet
The EMDR Cognitions worksheet is a list of negative and positive cognitions for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). A negative cognition is paired with a target image as a 'start point' for EMDR processing. You are also asked for a desired positive cognition, whether or not you believe in its validity. By this method you are helping yourself to process information in your trauma memory network (of which the negative cognition is a part), and to integrate it with more adaptive information (of which the positive cognition is a part). Cognitions as EMDR targets fall into four categories: self-defectiveness, responsibility, safety / vulnerability, control / choice.
EMDR Protocol Guide
The EMDR Protocol Guide (With Guidance) is an information-gathering and prompt sheet for the standard EMDR protocol. Treatment according to the EMDR model is three-pronged (addressing past, present, and future), and involves 8 phases. This prompt sheet addresses the assessment, desensitization, installation, body scan and closure phases (phases 3-7). The second page of the worksheet describes strategies for dealing with blocked processing, and the use of cognitive interweaves.
Fight or Flight Response
The Fight or Flight Response information sheet describes the physical changes most commonly associated with the 'fight or flight' response. 'Fight or flight was first described by Walter Bradford Cannon in 1929 and identifies automatic bodily responses to perceived threat. These responses are evolutionary adaptations to stay safe in threatening situations. It is helpful to have an understanding of causes for your symptoms.
Grounding Techniques Short Guide
Grounding techniques are a essential tool for individuals struggling with PTSD or dissociation. Intrusive memories (flashbacks) can make us temporarily lose touch with reality. Other dissociative experiences can mentally take us away from our experience of the present moment. This can be extremely distressing - some people feel like they are losing their minds because of these involuntary experiences. Grounding is a term used to describe any techniques which are used to bring a person back in contact with the present moment. Forms of sensory stimulation (e.g. smells, textures) are commonly used, and grounding statements are also helpful. The site has a more expanded explanation.
Hotspot Record Sheet
Hotspot identification and updating is core component of the 'enhanced reliving' technique - cognitive restructuring within reliving for PTSD. In a typical course of therapy including enhanced reliving traumatic appriasals are identified during reliving, and updates are elaborated off-line (outside of reliving). Updated beliefs can then be inserted into the memory during another session of reliving by pausing to ask the critical question "and what do you know now?" This Hotspot Record is formatted to facilitate this off-line process. It includes spaces to record the event/hotspot, associated emotion, appraisal or belief in that moment, and the updated belief or current knowledge.
Intrusion Diary Worksheet
The intrusion diary is a helpful tool for recording the frequency and content of intrusive memories in PTSD. Intrusions can be defined as any unwanted cognitive (or bodily) experience - but are most easily understood as memories.
Intrusion Record Sheet
The Intrusion Record Sheet is a form for capturing the content and meaning of intrusive thoughts and images. A key concept when working with cognitive intrusions is that it is often not the intrusion itself which is bothersome, but the meaning that the individual ascribes to the intrusion. The intrusion record sheet was designed for working with OCD-type intrusions (thoughts, images, urges, or obsessions), but may be equally appropriate for working with intrusions in PTSD where peri-traumatic or post-traumatic meanings may be attached to an image.
Nightmare Exposure & Rescripting Worksheets
Exposure to- and rescripting of- nightmares is a helpful technique for taking control of bad dreams. There is evidence that imagery rescripting for nightmares can be used as a stand-alone intervention. Nightmare exposure and rescripting contains instructions and worksheets for conducting this technique.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Physical relaxation is a foundational skill that can greatly help you manage pain and anxiety. Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique for promoting relaxation and activating the parasympathetic nervous system. This worksheet includes simple step-by-step instructions for relaxing each muscle group in turn to promote a strong feeling of physiological relaxation. You can also find steps on the website.
PTSD & Memory Info Sheet
PTSD and memory is a simple one-page guide to brain regions implicated in PTSD. PTSD has been associated with alteration in functioning of a number of brain regions including the amygdala, hippocampus, and pre-frontal cortex. The amygdala is a central part of our automatic threat-detection system and many studies have demonstrated amygdala hyperactivity in PTSD. The hippocampus is known to be essential for memory formation, but the hippocampal function is known to be impaired by extreme stress. Most people with PTSD find it extremely helpful to understand more about the function of these brain regions since it forms a key part of a rationale for memory processing therapy for PTSD.
PTSD Self-Assessment Test Form
DOWNLOAD WORKSHEET
Use this two-part PTSD test to help determine if you are experiencing
PTSD symptoms and whether it is time for you to seek the help of a
mental health professional for proper diagnosis. Complete Part 1 of the
test by clicking the “true” or “false” box next to each question.
Complete Part 2 of the test by marking the box next to each symptom
you’re experiencing.
Reactions to Trauma Info Sheet
Traumas are by their nature distressing, and post-traumatic reactions of shock and distress are normal. Most people recover naturally, helped by adequate social support. Reactions to Trauma Info Sheet is an information handout designed for survivors of traumatic events. It includes essential information about trauma and lists common post-traumatic reactions. It also includes advice on helping a friend or loved one who has been through a trauma.
Relaxed Breathing
Relaxed breathing is an information sheet with clear instructions for carrying out diaphragmatic (relaxed) breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation, and is an excellent first-line soothing or grounding technique. Although instructions are given for breathing to a counted rhythm it can be helpful to guide you not to become too focused on breathing in the 'right' way – as long as breathing becomes slower and deeper it tends to be helpful.
Understanding PTSD Info Sheet
Understanding PTSD Info Sheet is a simple explanation of the causes and maintaining factors in PTSD. It is adapted from the Ehler's & Clark (2000) cognitive model of PTSD, but uses language you can understand easier. People with PTSD often find this simplified formulation helpful for understanding critical mechanisms which operate in PTSD. These include: 'unprocessed' memories which lead to re-experiencing; negative beliefs, assumptions, and attributions which increase the sense of threat, and avoidance which results in memories remaining unprocessed and that beliefs remaining unchallenged. Knowledge is power.
What is EMDR Info Sheet
Understanding PTSD Info Sheet is a simple explanation of the causes and maintaining factors in PTSD. It is adapted from the Ehler's & Clark (2000) cognitive model of PTSD, but uses language you can understand easier. People with PTSD often find this simplified formulation helpful for understanding critical mechanisms which operate in PTSD. These include: 'unprocessed' memories which lead to re-experiencing; negative beliefs, assumptions, and attributions which increase the sense of threat, and avoidance which results in memories remaining unprocessed and that beliefs remaining unchallenged. Knowledge is power.
What Is Exposure Therapy
Exposure as a therapy procedure is one of the most effective treatments for anxiety. What Is Exposure Therapy? is an information sheet describing the purpose and mechanism of exposure therapy.
Self-Esteem Management
Assertive Communication Guide
Being able to communicate assertively is an essential skill for developing and maintaining healthy relationships and positive self-esteem. This Assertive Communication information sheet describes the qualities of assertive communication and explores its differences from passive and aggressive communication. Some key assertive communication strategies are described.
Assertive Responses Worksheet
Being able to communicate assertively is an essential skill for developing and maintaining healthy relationships and positive self-esteem. A key skill is to be able to respond to the style of an aggressor's message, not its content. This Assertive Responses Worksheet guides you through the practice of responding assertively to aggressive statement.
Positive Belief Record Sheet
Positive belief records, sometimes called a 'positive data log' are an effective schema change technique. When working to reduce the impact of negative core beliefs it is helpful to elicit and strengthen positive core beliefs. Positive belief records are a way of collecting information to reinforce a new helpful belief. This worksheet guides the client to identify an unhelpful core belief and a more positive alternative, and then space to record specific examples which are consistent with the new belief. Please keep in mind that schema change work is not necessarily quick, but consistent attention towards new beliefs can yield positive results.
Safety Behaviors Guide
Safety-seeking behaviors are a response to a feared catastrophe. In situations that are perceived as dangerous people naturally act to keep themselves safe (and even have automatic evolved responses to promote safety - think 'fight or flight'). Unfortunately, while safety behaviors can lead to a feeling of relief in the short term (and are thus reinforced), they have the effects of reinforcing beliefs about threat, lead to beliefs going unchallenged, or lead to other unintended consequences. The Safety Behaviors Worksheet is a CBT worksheet providing a clear and comprehensive explanation of safety behaviors. It is essential for your to have a strong understanding of the causes and consequences of safety behaviors if they are to be experimented with and relinquished.
Schema Activation Formulation Worksheet
Cognitive therapy addresses three levels of cognition: automatic thoughts, conditional assumptions, and core beliefs (schemas). Our schemas develop as a result of early or critical experiences, and they act to shape the way we perceive ourselves and the world around us. The Schema Formulation worksheet is a cross-sectional case-conceptualization diagram with acknowledgement of schemas which are influencing thoughts & feelings in the present moment. The worksheet is accompanied by a one-page explanation of schemas.
Thought Record Worksheet
The thought record is a fundamental tool in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The underlying principle can be summarized as "what do you believe, and why do you believe it?". This seven-column thought record can be used to: identify negative automatic thoughts (NATs); help clients understand the links between thoughts and emotions; examine the evidence for and against a selected NAT; challenge an NAT; generate more realistic alternatives to a NAT.
Shame & Self-Criticism Management
Compassion Formulation Worksheet
Compassion focused therapy (CFT) is a helpful approach to deal with shame, self-attack and self-blame. The Compassion Formulation worksheet is a formulation diagram detailing some of the processes important in CFT. It follows a 'problem > coping strategy > unintended consequences' format, but encourages a focus on compassionate processes.
Emotional Regulation Systems Info Sheet
This model argues that people can be in states of 'threat' (focused on dangers), 'drive' (with a mindset attuned towards achievement or competition), or 'soothing' (which promotes safeness and feelings of interpersonal connectedness). Each of the states are associated with distinct feeling-states, motivations, purposes, and neurochemistry. A healthy response would be the adaptive use of all three of these systems in appropriate measures. Dysfunction comes about because of limited flexibility, or over-use of one system to the detriment of others. A less functional soothing system can be a product of fewer opportunities to learn soothing from important caregivers.
What is Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)?
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) is a relatively new psychotherapy approach which was originally developed to work with shame and self-loathing (self-criticism). CFT is embedded within contemporary neurobiological understandings of the human mind. What Is CFT? is an information sheet describing the key principles of compassion focused therapy (CFT). For information, Compassionate Mind Training (CMT) is the skills-training application of CFT.
Sleep Management
Checklist for Better Sleep
This worksheet includes a tick-box approach for you to assess how well they are setting the conditions for sleep. It can be used as a self-assessment tool for your personal use, or as a discussion point in therapy. This worksheet covers essential points of good sleep tips including diet, exercise, and sleep habits.
Guidelines for Better Sleep
Guidelines for better sleep is an information sheet with guidelines for good sleep habits. It also includes tips for managing sleep disruption such as nightmares. It was originally developed with PTSD patients in mind, but anyone with sleep disturbance should find this helpful.
Nightmare & Exposure Rescripting Worksheets
Exposure to- and rescripting of- nightmares is a helpful technique for taking control of bad dreams. There is evidence that imagery rescripting for nightmares can be used as a stand-alone intervention. Nightmare exposure and rescripting contains instructions and worksheets for conducting this technique.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
Physical relaxation is a foundational skill that can greatly help you manage pain and anxiety. Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique for promoting relaxation and activating the parasympathetic nervous system. This worksheet includes simple step-by-step instructions for relaxing each muscle group in turn to promote a strong feeling of physiological relaxation. You can also find steps on the website.
Relaxed Breathing.
Relaxed breathing is an information sheet with clear instructions for carrying out diaphragmatic (relaxed) breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation, and is an excellent first-line soothing or grounding technique. Although instructions are given for breathing to a counted rhythm it can be helpful to guide you not to become too focused on breathing in the 'right' way – as long as breathing becomes slower and deeper it tends to be helpful.
Sleep Diary Worksheet Worksheet
A cognitive behavioral approach to the treatment of sleep problems involves good monitoring of sleep quality. This Sleep Diary Worksheet includes two versions, with sections to be completed morning and evening. Use the sleep diary to record the amount of sleep you get each night, along with a record of other factors which are known to affect sleep. This worksheet is extremely helpful in recognizing and addressing problems that cause insomnia.