Free CBT Thought Records & Self-Help Worksheets

Use the first three pages to note what you would like help with, one recent difficult moment, wider patterns, health, support and goals. The final page is a concise prompt sheet for a therapist to use during an appointment.

How to use it

1. Choose the fillable PDF to type in a PDF reader, or print the blank version. Brief notes are enough; use another sheet if needed.
2. Leave anything you would rather discuss in person. You do not need to complete the form before asking for support.
3. Keep the completed copy private and agree any sharing with your therapist. Typing in the PDF does not submit information to this website.

The form supports an assessment conversation. It is not a diagnostic questionnaire, a complete clinical assessment or a safety score. If you need urgent help, contact appropriate urgent or emergency services rather than wait for the form to be read.

Guidance: NHS: cognitive behavioural therapy; NICE: shared decision making; NICE: self-harm assessment and care.

A five-part CBT map separates a situation from thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations and actions. The four personal responses can influence one another in both directions. This original map draws on the interacting cognitive model described by Padesky and Mooney (1990). It is a starting point for exploring one example together, not a complete explanation of a person’s difficulties.

How to use it

1. Choose one recent moment. Describe what happened in the situation box.
2. Add thoughts or images, emotions, body sensations and actions in whichever order is easiest.
3. Follow the two-way arrows. How did one response affect another? The lines cross in the middle; this is not an extra box or step.
4. Notice which link may help explain what kept the difficulty going. Discuss a useful change with your therapist or use the separate behavioural experiment sheet.

A fictional worked example

Leena receives an email asking for a meeting. Situation: a brief message with no agenda. Thought: 'I must have made a serious mistake.' Emotion: anxiety, 75/100. Body: tight shoulders and a churning stomach. Action: rereads old emails and delays her lunch. Checking gives a few seconds of relief, then she finds another detail to question. Her tiredness makes the meeting feel more threatening. A possible change is to ask once what she needs to prepare, eat lunch and return to her planned task. She has not proved the meeting will go well; she has noticed a pattern she can explore.

Keep in mind

Choose an everyday example first. You do not need to describe a traumatic event or disclose private details. Real danger and practical problems need appropriate action. If mapping becomes distressing or confusing, pause and work through it with a therapist.

Worksheet prompts

• Situation: What happened, where and with whom?
• Thoughts and images: What went through my mind?
• Body sensations: What did I notice in my body?
• Emotions: What did I feel?
• Actions: What did I do, avoid or seek?

Reflect

Which connection helps explain the pattern, and what small change could I explore?

Sources: Padesky, C. A., & Mooney, K. A. (1990). Presenting the cognitive model to clients. International Cognitive Therapy Newsletter, 6, 13-14., Roth, A. D., & Pilling, S. (2007). The competences required to deliver effective CBT for people with depression and anxiety disorders. UCL competence framework., NHS. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

A thought can feel convincing without giving the whole picture. This record helps you examine one interpretation with fairness and curiosity. The aim is a more complete, believable view, not an argument against your feelings. Sometimes the evidence confirms that a problem needs attention. In that case, a balanced response may include setting a boundary or asking for help. Complete one thoughtful review rather than repeatedly checking until you feel certain.

How to use it

1. Describe the event and one specific thought; rate belief and emotion from 0-100 if helpful.
2. List observations supporting the thought, separating them from guesses.
3. Look for missing information, exceptions or observations pointing to another explanation.
4. Write a balanced response that includes uncertainty and compassion.
5. Choose an action consistent with that response. Review belief or emotion once, without requiring it to fall.

A fictional worked example

Omar forgets one point in a presentation and thinks, 'I have shown everyone I am useless', believing it 85/100. He feels ashamed. Supporting evidence: he lost his place and needed a pause. Other evidence: he completed the presentation, answered two questions and was asked to send his slides. Balanced response: 'One pause felt uncomfortable, but it does not describe my whole performance. I can practise that transition next time.' He sends the slides rather than avoiding his colleagues. His belief falls to 50/100; some embarrassment remains. The useful change is that he can act without treating the harsh conclusion as a fact.

Keep in mind

Repeatedly debating an OCD thought or seeking health certainty can maintain the problem. Use the relevant disorder-specific toolkit instead. Do not use this sheet to dismiss abuse, discrimination, physical symptoms or genuine safety concerns. Bring difficult or persistent beliefs to therapy.

Worksheet prompts

• Situation: what happened?
• Thought or image / belief 0-100%
• Feeling / intensity 0-100
• Evidence for the thought
• Evidence against or another view
• A balanced thought
• My next useful action
• Belief and feeling afterwards

Reflect

What changed when I considered the whole picture?

Sources: NHS Every Mind Matters. Thought record: self-help CBT technique., Roth, A. D., & Pilling, S. (2007). The competences required to deliver effective CBT for people with depression and anxiety disorders. UCL competence framework.

An experiment is an opportunity to learn from experience. It differs from simply enduring a difficult situation: you name a prediction and choose an action that can give you useful information about it. The result can support, weaken or complicate your prediction. That is still learning. Plan a small, ordinary action and decide what you will observe before starting, so the review does not become a search for certainty afterwards.

How to use it

1. State a testable prediction and an alternative possibility. Rate belief if useful.
2. Plan one action, when and where, and the observation that would help you learn.
3. Identify one unnecessary safety habit to vary, keeping real safety measures.
4. Agree practical support and limits; seek therapist guidance for demanding or symptom-focused tasks.
5. Record observations, compare them with both predictions and plan any useful next test.

A fictional worked example

Maya predicts, 'If I ask a question in the meeting, people will tell me I should already know', with 80/100 belief. An alternative is that the question will be answered normally. She plans to ask one relevant question, without apologising repeatedly first, and notice the actual reply. Her manager answers and another colleague asks for clarification too. No one criticises her. Maya still feels flushed, but that was not the outcome she was testing. She learns that asking once can be useful and plans a similar experiment in a different meeting. One result does not guarantee every future response.

Keep in mind

Do not use experiments to test actual hazards, stop prescribed treatment or provoke physical symptoms without appropriate assessment. ERP, trauma work and fainting-related practice need individual planning. Choose support and adaptations collaboratively; the goal is learning, not proving bravery.

Worksheet prompts

• Prediction / belief 0-100% / another possibility
• My task / where / what I will look for
• Safety habit to vary; real precautions and support to keep
• What actually happened
• Learning / prediction now / next step

Reflect

Did the experiment answer my question, or does the plan need refining?

Sources: Bennett-Levy, J., et al. (Eds.). (2004). Oxford guide to behavioural experiments in cognitive therapy. Oxford University Press., Roth, A. D., & Pilling, S. (2007). The competences required to deliver effective CBT for people with depression and anxiety disorders. UCL competence framework.

'Feel better' is an understandable hope, but it can be hard to know where to begin. A useful goal describes something you would like to have more room for in life. You can then choose a small action that is within your influence. Feelings may change gradually. A goal can therefore focus on taking part, connection or routine, without making complete confidence a condition for trying. Your circumstances and resources matter when deciding what is realistic.

How to use it

1. Name a part of life that matters to you and what difficulties are getting in the way.
2. Describe an observable change you would value, in your own words.
3. Choose a first step small enough for your current energy and circumstances.
4. Decide when, where and what support or adjustment could help.
5. Set a review date. Use what happened to adapt the goal, rather than grade yourself.

A fictional worked example

Ellis wants 'to stop being anxious'. Exploring what this would allow reveals a wish to spend time with friends again. A useful goal is to join one short, familiar social activity during the next fortnight. The first step is to message a trusted friend about a 20-minute walk on Saturday. Ellis plans a route suited to their mobility and agrees a time. If the friend is unavailable, the alternative is to suggest another day rather than conclude the goal has failed. At review, Ellis will consider whether they took part and what they learned, not whether they felt calm throughout.

Keep in mind

Goals should be yours, not a demand from someone else. Do not make a target depend on enduring unsafe situations, ignoring disability or exceeding medical advice. A therapist can help adapt goals when low mood, trauma or other difficulties make planning hard.

Worksheet prompts

• What I want more room for in my life
• My everyday goal
• How I will recognise progress
• My smallest useful first step
• When, where and the support I need
• A smaller option if the step is too much
• Review date / what happened / next step

Reflect

Is this goal still useful to me, or has my priority changed?

Sources: Roth, A. D., & Pilling, S. (2007). The competences required to deliver effective CBT for people with depression and anxiety disorders. UCL competence framework., NHS. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

Between-session practice connects a therapy conversation with everyday life. It works best when you know why you are trying something and what to notice. This sheet records an agreed task, a realistic opportunity and what happened. An unfinished attempt can reveal an unclear instruction, an obstacle or a step that was too large. You can bring that information back to therapy. Practice is collaborative learning, not a test of commitment or a requirement to get everything right.

How to use it

1. Write the purpose of the task in one sentence with your therapist.
2. Describe exactly what you will try and what you will record.
3. Choose a realistic opportunity and a smaller option if circumstances change.
4. Note what happened soon afterwards, without needing a detailed diary.
5. Bring successes, surprises and difficulties to the next review; agree an adjustment.

A fictional worked example

During a session, Priya agrees to notice when she asks her partner to check an ordinary email. The purpose is to understand the reassurance pattern before changing it. She plans a brief note after one email on three days. On the first day she remembers; on the second she is too busy; on the third she notices the urge only afterwards. This gives useful information about when checking happens and how easy the task is to remember. At the next session they simplify it to one entry after work and discuss the fear behind asking. Missing a day becomes part of the review.

Keep in mind

Follow the plan agreed for your own circumstances. Do not increase intensity or add new exposure tasks simply to fill the record. If an exercise feels unsafe or significantly destabilising, pause and discuss it with your therapist or appropriate support.

Worksheet prompts

• The task and what I hope to learn
• What, when, where and any support
• A smaller version if needed
• What I tried and what I noticed
• What helped / what got in the way
• Questions / changes for next session

Reflect

What does this attempt tell us about making the next step useful?

Sources: Roth, A. D., & Pilling, S. (2007). The competences required to deliver effective CBT for people with depression and anxiety disorders. UCL competence framework., Bennett-Levy, J., et al. (Eds.). (2004). Oxford guide to behavioural experiments in cognitive therapy. Oxford University Press.

Progress can include returning to an activity, asking for help or responding differently to a familiar thought. Distress may still vary with sleep, health and life events. This record looks at one personally meaningful goal across a few planned reviews. It is not a validated questionnaire and cannot diagnose a condition or establish recovery. Keep the review brief and at an agreed interval, so monitoring supports your life rather than becoming another thing to check throughout the day.

How to use it

1. Choose one meaningful activity or goal and one response you are practising.
2. Agree a weekly review time, rather than repeatedly rating yourself.
3. Record a concrete example, any distress rating you find useful, and the context.
4. Notice changes in participation or response even when feelings fluctuate.
5. Decide what to keep, adjust or discuss. If things are worsening, seek appropriate support.

A fictional worked example

Sam's goal is to spend less of the evening caught in worry. At the first review, Sam managed one shared meal while worry was present. The next week worry felt stronger during a work deadline, but Sam ate with a friend twice and spent less time asking for reassurance afterwards. A symptoms-only rating could miss this change. Sam notes both the difficult week and the increased participation. They plan to keep the meals manageable and discuss the deadline with their manager. The record is a conversation starter about what is helping, rather than proof that therapy must be working in a straight line.

Keep in mind

These personal ratings have no diagnostic cut-offs. Avoid constant symptom checking, especially with health anxiety or OCD. A marked deterioration, inability to manage basic needs or safety concerns calls for support rather than simply another worksheet entry.

Worksheet prompts

• My goal / signs of progress
• When and what to review
• Date
• Activity / response I tried
• Daily life, distress and context
• Learning / next useful step
• What to keep, change or discuss

Reflect

What progress would I miss if I looked only at how anxious or low I felt?

Sources: Roth, A. D., & Pilling, S. (2007). The competences required to deliver effective CBT for people with depression and anxiety disorders. UCL competence framework., NHS. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

A setback does not erase what you have learned. A written plan can make it easier to recognise familiar patterns and respond before they take up more space. Build this from your actual experience, including the steps that were helpful and those that were not. Plan support as well as personal actions. You do not need to handle everything independently. This is a maintenance plan for ongoing CBT learning, not an emergency safety plan.

How to use it

1. Summarise the pattern you now understand and the responses that helped.
2. Identify early signs that old habits are returning, including changes in activity or attention.
3. Choose a small first response and a realistic time to review it.
4. Write who you can contact and when you would seek professional support.
5. Keep the plan accessible and update it after useful new learning.

A fictional worked example

After therapy, Aisha notices that a busy month has brought more cancelled plans and late-night worry. Her plan identifies these as early signs rather than evidence of failure. She chooses to restart a short planned activity and a brief worry record, then review in a week. She tells a trusted friend that things feel harder and asks for a catch-up. If avoidance continues to spread or daily functioning worsens, she will contact her therapist or GP rather than wait until she feels unable to cope. Her plan also reminds her that asking for support was one of the useful things she learned.

Keep in mind

This sheet does not replace a professional risk assessment or safety plan. If you are in immediate danger, use emergency services. For other urgent concerns, seek appropriate local urgent help. Keep prescribed care in place and discuss treatment changes with your clinician.

Worksheet prompts

• What I have learned
• If I notice...
• A small response I can use
• Support / when to review
• Helpful habits to keep
• Support / when to ask for help
• Review date / reminder

Reflect

Is the plan specific enough to use on a difficult day?

Sources: Roth, A. D., & Pilling, S. (2007). The competences required to deliver effective CBT for people with depression and anxiety disorders. UCL competence framework., NHS. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

When attention is pulled into worry or distress, noticing your current surroundings may help you reconnect with the task or place you are in. You can use simple external details, such as the colour of a door, the date or the feel of a supported chair. You do not have to complete a fixed sensory sequence. The aim is orientation and choice, not forcing calm or using a ritual to guarantee that nothing difficult will happen.

How to use it

1. First check what the current situation needs: actual danger calls for protective action.
2. If you are safe enough to pause, name your location, the date and one ordinary feature nearby.
3. Choose a neutral detail to look at, listen to or touch, only if comfortable.
4. Notice what you want to do next: return to a task, move to support or take a break.
5. Write a short card using the prompts you found useful; stop if they increase distress.

A fictional worked example

After a difficult message, Rowan feels caught in imagined future arguments. They look at the blue folder on the desk and say, 'It is Tuesday afternoon; I am in my kitchen.' They notice the support of the chair and the sound of the washing machine. Counting sensations feels irritating, so they leave that out. The worry has not disappeared, but Rowan can choose to finish lunch before deciding whether a reply is needed. Later they write a brief card: location, date, one neutral detail, next useful action. Their version is simple and does not need to be repeated until they feel completely settled.

Keep in mind

With flashbacks or dissociation, agree a personalised plan with a trauma-trained therapist. Do not use sensory prompts that trigger memories or distress. Grounding does not make an unsafe place safe. If orientation worsens or you cannot regain contact with the present, seek support.

Worksheet prompts

• Where and when I am now
• Two or three details around me
• Next action / person I can contact
• Cues to avoid / changes that help
• What helped / what to change

Reflect

Did this help me reconnect and choose an action, even if feelings remained?

Sources: NHS Inform. Grounding exercises., Roth, A. D., & Pilling, S. (2007). The competences required to deliver effective CBT for people with depression and anxiety disorders. UCL competence framework.

Strong emotions can make the next action feel urgent. This sheet creates a little room to recognise the feeling, name the urge and consider what would help. It is not about deciding that an emotion is wrong or insisting that you calm down before responding. A useful action may be to express a need, set a boundary, seek support or wait until you have enough information. Keep the reflection short enough to lead somewhere practical.

How to use it

1. Name what happened, the emotion and the action you feel pulled towards.
2. Pause briefly if it is safe to do so; choose an ordinary anchor if that helps.
3. Consider what the urge would achieve now and what its later effects might be.
4. Choose a response that protects your needs and fits the situation.
5. Review what happened with curiosity. If you already reacted, choose the next repair or boundary.

A fictional worked example

Alex sees a changed rota and feels angry, with an urge to send a sharp message immediately. They need a fair discussion about their hours. Sending the message may release frustration but make that conversation harder. Alex puts the draft aside for ten minutes, checks the agreed hours and writes a clear request to discuss the change. They still feel annoyed. The aim was not to remove the feeling; it was to express the concern in a way that could help. If a genuine boundary is being ignored, the next step may involve a manager or representative rather than more self-soothing.

Keep in mind

Do not delay leaving a dangerous situation or seeking urgent help in order to complete this sheet. Persistent overwhelming emotions or difficulty staying safe need appropriate support. A brief coping tool is only one part of understanding and responding to the wider problem.

Worksheet prompts

• Situation / feeling / urge
• My need, priority or safety
• Response I am considering
• Likely effect now
• Likely effect later
• My chosen action or request
• Outcome / repair or next step

Reflect

Did my action serve the need underneath the emotion?

Sources: Roth, A. D., & Pilling, S. (2007). The competences required to deliver effective CBT for people with depression and anxiety disorders. UCL competence framework., NHS. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

When we are upset, the mind can jump to a conclusion before we have the whole picture. This sheet helps you notice a thinking habit and respond more fairly. A pattern is a description of a thought, not a label for you.

How to use it

1. Write one situation and the thought or image that upset you.
2. Use the brief guide below if a thinking habit fits. You can leave this box blank.
3. Separate observations from assumptions. Include facts that do not fit your first conclusion.
4. Write a believable response and a useful next action. Notice what happens; you do not have to feel better immediately.

In the editable PDF, replace or delete each fictional example. Your notes stay in your saved copy and are not sent to this website.

A fictional example

Amina sees two friends talking without her and thinks, 'They do not want me around.' She notices mind-reading. She has not heard their conversation. Her fairer response is, 'I do not know what they are discussing; I can say hello and see.' She joins them rather than using their first expression as a test of whether she belongs.

Keep in mind

Do not use this sheet to explain away real mistreatment, discrimination or practical danger. Sometimes the useful response is a boundary, problem-solving or support. Repeatedly analysing the same thought can become another worry loop; one brief pass may be enough.

Review your learning

Did this help me act with a wider view, rather than find a perfectly reassuring answer?

Sources informing this original worksheet: Beck, J. S. (2020). Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.. These sources do not endorse the resource.

A core belief is a broad idea about yourself, other people or the world. It can feel like a fact, especially when you are low or anxious. This sheet supports a shared conversation about one belief and a more flexible alternative; it is not a search for something wrong with you.

How to use it

1. Start with a recent situation rather than detailed memories of the past.
2. Name the broad belief in your own words. Treat it as a working idea, not a diagnosis.
3. Notice how attention, avoidance or rules may keep it convincing. Include experiences it overlooks.
4. Agree a believable alternative, a safe small test and how you will review the learning with your therapist.

In the editable PDF, replace or delete each fictional example. Your notes stay in your saved copy and are not sent to this website.

A fictional example

After a difficult meeting, Ben concludes, 'I am useless.' With his therapist, he notices he counts mistakes but dismisses preparation and support he gives others. They explore, 'I have skills and limits, and I can learn.' He plans to ask one clarifying question at the next meeting and record what he learns, without grading his whole worth from the outcome.

Keep in mind

Broad beliefs can be connected with painful experiences. You do not need to revisit trauma or disclose private history on this sheet. Pause if it becomes overwhelming. Choose any behavioural test with your therapist; avoid tests involving danger, humiliation or pressure to prove your worth.

Review your learning

What would let me hold the old belief less rigidly, even if it still feels convincing?

Sources informing this original worksheet: Beck, J. S. (2020). Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.; NICE (2022). Depression in adults: treatment and management. NG222.. These sources do not endorse the resource.

When a harsh belief is familiar, the mind may notice what supports it and dismiss everything else. This diary helps you collect concrete experiences it overlooks. The aim is a fuller view, not a list of achievements or proof that every day went well.

How to use it

1. Choose one belief you want to examine, rather than monitor everything about yourself.
2. Record a specific event close to when it happens. Include kindness, persistence, learning, asking for help or resting when needed.
3. Notice any automatic dismissal. Ask whether you would dismiss the same event for somebody else.
4. Write a fair meaning. Review a few entries together at an agreed time rather than repeatedly checking the diary.

In the editable PDF, replace or delete each fictional example. Your notes stay in your saved copy and are not sent to this website.

A fictional example

Maya believes, 'I let everyone down.' She records telling a friend honestly that she could not meet that evening and suggesting another day. Her first response is, 'That is nothing.' A fuller view is that she communicated clearly and cared about the friendship while respecting her limits. The entry is useful information, not a demand to become a perfect friend.

Keep in mind

Include support from others; needing help does not cancel your contribution. Do not turn the diary into a daily performance target or repeatedly read it to feel completely certain about yourself. If no example comes to mind, leave it and revisit with support.

Review your learning

What has this helped me notice that my usual belief leaves out?

Sources informing this original worksheet: Beck, J. S. (2020). Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.; NICE (2022). Depression in adults: treatment and management. NG222.. These sources do not endorse the resource.

Self-criticism can feel as though it will keep us motivated or prevent mistakes. A harsh response may also leave us ashamed, stuck or afraid to try. This sheet helps you keep any useful information while responding in a fairer and more supportive way.

How to use it

1. Write the event separately from the judgement you made about yourself.
2. Notice the effect of the criticism. Does it help you learn, or make you withdraw or overwork?
3. Imagine a fair supporter who knows the full context. Include pressures, needs and anything you did manage.
4. Write a response you can believe and choose a useful next step, such as repairing a mistake, resting or asking for help.

In the editable PDF, replace or delete each fictional example. Your notes stay in your saved copy and are not sent to this website.

A fictional example

After cancelling a plan because she was exhausted, Leah calls herself selfish. She notices this pushes her to agree to more than she can manage. A fair response is, 'My friend matters and my energy matters. I can explain and offer another time.' She sends one clear message instead of repeatedly apologising and checking whether the friendship is secure.

Keep in mind

A supportive response does not mean denying a mistake or accepting harmful treatment from others. You can take responsibility for an action without attacking your whole character. If supportive wording feels false, begin with a neutral description of the facts or discuss it with a therapist.

Review your learning

Did this response make space for learning and a useful action?

Sources informing this original worksheet: Beck, J. S. (2020). Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.; NICE (2022). Depression in adults: treatment and management. NG222.. These sources do not endorse the resource.

A coping card holds a few words from what you have already learned in CBT. It can help you remember a useful action when the mind is busy. Make it personal and believable. The card is a reminder, not a promise that nothing difficult will happen.

How to use it

1. Choose one situation and use learning you actually believe, rather than a general positive slogan.
2. Write a short reminder and one action that fits your treatment plan. Agree any exposure step with your therapist.
3. Keep a copy or photograph if useful. Practise using the action, sometimes without consulting the card.
4. Review whether the card supports participation or has become something you feel you must check before you can cope.

In the editable PDF, replace or delete each fictional example. Your notes stay in your saved copy and are not sent to this website.

A fictional example

Alex writes, 'I do not know exactly how I will come across. I can listen and contribute one point.' At a familiar meeting he reads it once, then puts it away. Later he tries the same action without the card. The learning is that he can participate with uncertainty, not that the card protects him from feeling anxious.

Keep in mind

Repeated rereading for certainty can become reassurance or a safety behaviour. If you feel unable to act without the card, review its use with your therapist. This is not a crisis or medical safety plan and must not replace either. Use a separate agreed support plan if urgent help is needed.

Review your learning

Did the card help me use a skill, and can I gradually rely more on the learning itself?

Sources informing this original worksheet: Beck, J. S. (2020). Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.; NICE (2011, updated 2020). Generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder in adults: management. CG113.. These sources do not endorse the resource.