CBT Thought Records: What They Are and How They Help with Anxiety
Do you ever feel stuck in your own head? Maybe you’re replaying a conversation, worrying about what someone thinks, or assuming the worst about a situation. You know the thought isn’t helping, but it just won’t let go.
If you’ve ever felt trapped in overthinking, a CBT thought record can be a useful way to step back and reset. It’s a simple but effective exercise that helps you catch your thoughts, explore them, and respond in a more grounded way.
What Is a Thought Record?
A thought record is a structured CBT tool for anxiety and stress. It helps you break down a distressing situation, notice the automatic thoughts that popped up, and question how accurate or helpful those thoughts really are.
You’re not trying to convince yourself everything’s fine, instead the aim is to look at your thoughts from a bit more distance, so you can respond with clarity and not just react on autopilot.
What Does a Thought Record Include?
There are lots of versions out there, but most follow the same basic structure. Here’s what you’ll usually find in a thought challenging worksheet like this:
The Situation
What happened? When and where?Your Emotions
What were you feeling, and how strongly? (e.g. 8/10 anxious)Automatic Thoughts
What popped into your mind in the moment? These are often quick, critical, or worst-case-scenario thoughts.Evidence For and Against
What supports the thought? What doesn’t? This part helps you step out of black-and-white thinking.Alternative Perspective
If someone you cared about was in your shoes, what would you say to them?Re-rating Emotions
After working through the steps, how do you feel now? Often the emotional intensity drops, even just a little.
Why Write It Down?
When emotions are running high, your brain moves fast, writing slows things down. It helps you untangle the knot and notice what’s going on beneath the surface.
Seeing your thoughts on paper often gives them less power. “I’m a failure” looks different when you can pause, reflect, and look at the bigger picture.
Over time, you might not need to write it all down, many clients find this becomes a natural part of how they think, especially if they’ve practised it in therapy.
These tools can also be really useful between sessions if you're already in therapy. Or they can give you a place to start if you're thinking about reaching out for support.
A Real-Life Example
Situation:
Sent a message to a friend to make plans… no reply.
Emotions:
Anxious, rejected, a bit embarrassed (7/10)
Automatic Thought:
“They’re ignoring me. I’ve probably done something wrong.”
Evidence For:
They haven’t replied. They’ve cancelled plans before.
Evidence Against:
They’ve said recently work is really busy. Our last message exchange was kind. They often reply late.
Alternative View:
They might be distracted or overwhelmed. It’s more likely to be about them than something I’ve done.
Re-rated Emotion:
Still slightly anxious (4/10), but less caught up in it. Feeling more understanding.
Does It Actually Work?
Yes, CBT tools like this one are backed by years of research. They’re used to support people with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and more. This particular exercise helps bring awareness to distorted thinking (we also call them cognitive distortions) and gives you a chance to shift it.
This is one of the tools that makes CBT so effective. It doesn’t offer a magic fix, but it does help you build awareness and agency over time.
If you’re interested in the bigger picture of how CBT works, you might like: What Is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?
Want to Try It Yourself?
You can start using this kind of thought challenging right away. Here’s a free downloadable PDF of a simple thought record template you can print or refer to.
Or if you'd like support applying it to your own life, I offer a free first session. We can talk about what’s been going on and whether CBT, or another approach, might help.
Book your free first session here, or email me directly if that’s easier: david@rolesweplay.co.uk
