Use this worksheet to examine and reframe unhelpful thought patterns. Work through each column from left to right, starting with the situation that triggered your reaction and finishing with what you can learn for the future.
| Situation / trigger | Initial reaction | Negative automatic thoughts | Supporting evidence | Opposing evidence | Balanced alternative thought | Outcome / learning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| An event, thought, feeling, memory or image | How did I feel emotionally and physically? (Rate intensity 0–100%) | What negative thoughts did I notice? What is the "hot thought"? | What hard evidence supports the "hot thought"? | What hard evidence opposes the "hot thought"? | What is a more helpful and realistic way of thinking? | What can I learn to pre-empt this in future? (Re-rate intensity 0–100%) | |
| 📋 Worked example — for reference | |||||||
| Didn't get the job I wanted after putting in a lot of time and effort preparing for the interview. | Angry 80% Hopeless 90% |
This job should have been mine – 100% It's not fair and I have been cheated – 85% I am completely useless – 95% |
I didn't get the job. Somebody else was appointed. I received feedback about what I had not done well. |
I was encouraged to apply. I received positive feedback. I have been appointed to jobs before. I am respected and valued in my current role. |
I am disappointed but can accept this is just one situation – 80% The other person may have been better suited – 85% |
Feeling calmer and more reflective – 20%. I noticed my tendency to automatically feel rejected and assume the world is against me. |
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| ✏️ Your situations — add as many rows as you need | |||||||
What do I notice about my thoughts? Is this a factually accurate and helpful interpretation? What is a more realistic assessment? How would I objectively judge this if it was affecting somebody else? Will I see this differently in one day, one week, or one month? Is the real problem the situation, or the way I am thinking about it?
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