Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Worksheets

1. Automatic Thought Record

  • Situation: What happened? Where, when, and who was involved?
  • Emotions & Intensity: List emotions and rate their intensity (0-100%).
  • Automatic Thoughts: What thoughts came to mind? What did you assume?
  • Evidence For & Against:
    • For: What supports this thought?
    • Against: What contradicts it?
  • Balanced Thought: What is a more realistic or helpful way to think about this?

2. ABC Model

  • Activating Event: What triggered your response?
  • Beliefs: What did you think about the event? What meaning did you attach to it?
  • Consequences:
    • Emotional response: How did you feel?
    • Behavioral response: How did you react?
  • Dispute Beliefs: What evidence challenges this belief? Are there alternative perspectives?
  • Effective New Belief: What healthier belief can you adopt?

3. Behavioral Experiment

  • Prediction: What do you expect will happen?
  • Experiment Design: How will you test this thought or belief?
  • Results: What actually happened?
  • Reflection: What did you learn? How does this change your perspective?

4. Core Beliefs Challenge

  • Identify the Belief: What is the deep-seated belief affecting your thoughts?
  • Evidence Supporting the Belief: What past experiences reinforce it?
  • Evidence Against the Belief: What facts or experiences contradict it?
  • Balanced Belief: What is a more realistic and constructive way to think about this?

5. Gratitude & Reframing

  • Negative Event or Thought: Describe what happened and your initial reaction.
  • Initial Feelings: How did this make you feel?
  • Reframing the Thought: How can you view this in a more positive or neutral way?
  • Gratitude Reflection: List three things you are grateful for today.

6. Thought Log with Distortions

  • Trigger Event: What happened to spark this thought?
  • Automatic Thought: What was your immediate reaction?
  • Cognitive Distortion: Which thinking pattern applies? (e.g., all-or-nothing thinking, catastrophizing)
  • Evidence & Balanced Thinking: What facts support or challenge this thought? How can you reframe it?

7. Weekly Mood & Thought Tracker

  • Mood Tracking: Rate your mood daily (scale or color code).
  • Notable Thoughts/Events: List key events or thoughts that influenced your mood.
  • Reflection & Summary: What patterns do you notice? What areas can you improve next week?