Cognitive restructuring is the main skill practised here, with the page guiding the user through a classic CBT thought record format. It begins with the situation or trigger, including prompts for what happened, where the person was and who they were with, before moving into the thoughts that went through their mind.
The worksheet then asks the person to name the emotions they felt and rate the intensity from 0 to 100 percent. This makes it useful for people who benefit from a concrete way to track anxiety, anger, sadness, shame or other strong feelings before and after challenging a thought.
A central evidence section encourages the user to look at what supports the thought and what does not, helping to reduce all-or-nothing thinking, catastrophising or jumping to conclusions. The following alternative thought box asks for a more balanced or helpful thought, making the exercise practical rather than purely reflective.
The final outcome column invites the person to rate how they feel afterwards, again using a 0 to 100 percent scale. A notes and reflections area at the bottom can be used for learning points, next steps, patterns noticed over time or points to bring back to a therapy, counselling, social work or pastoral support session.
Most suited to teenagers, adults and older children who can describe their inner thoughts, the printable format may be used by CBT therapists, counsellors, mental health practitioners, school staff and social workers. It can also work as a between-session homework sheet for clients learning to challenge unhelpful thoughts in everyday situations.
