Thought Record

This is what a thought record looks like. This is the last one that I did and that I feel comfortable sharing with you. In the first column you write down what the situation is. What happened that led to the unpleasant emotion.

In the second column you say what emotion you are feeling. Sad, angry, anxious, etc., and you give it a number. On a scale of 1 to 10 how strong is that emotion.

In the third column you write down the automatic thoughts you are telling yourself because of the situation. Then you give those thoughts a number too. On a scale of 1 to 10 how much do you really believe those thoughts.

In the fourth column you write down a more rational response to the situation or what is really the truth. Then you give this a number too. On a scale of 1 to 10 how much do you believe the rational response. This is my favorite part because it really does work for me. It helps me fight those automatic thoughts that I have about myself that bring me down.

In the last column you re-rate your belief in the automatic thought. Then you write down the emotion you are feeling after you have done the thought record, and rate that emotion as well.

I really enjoy doing these because I feel so much better after I complete the thought record. I think everyone could benefit from doing this. We all have situations that come up that create negative thoughts and feelings, and this helps you to take a step back and see things differently. I've tried doing this in my head as well, but it doesn't work very good for me. I always feel better after writing everything out though, and I hope it will work for you too. Have a happy thoughtful day!