155 Best Free Psychology Tools, Worksheets and Exercises
155 free, evidence-based worksheets, exercises, and printables. Fill them in right here, download a clean PDF to keep or bring to a session, and nothing you write ever leaves your device.
ACT 8
ACT Values Worksheet →
Clarify what matters most across the key life domains and set a compass for action.
Leaves on a Stream →
A guided defusion meditation: place each thought on a leaf and let it drift past.
ACT Worksheets →
Clinician-reviewed ACT worksheets: values, defusion, the observing self, and committed action.
Cognitive Defusion (ACT) →
ACT techniques to unhook from sticky thoughts: name the story, thank your mind, sing it.
ACT Worksheets Library →
The full set of ACT tools: values, defusion, the observing self, and committed action.
Passengers on the Bus →
The classic ACT metaphor: keep driving toward your values while noisy thoughts ride along.
Values Bullseye Worksheet →
Rate how aligned your life is with your values across four domains, then plan a step.
The Observing Self →
Practice noticing thoughts and feelings, then choose how to respond to them.
Anger 6
Anger Management Worksheet →
A step-by-step worksheet to understand an anger episode and plan a calmer response.
The Anger Iceberg →
See the hidden feelings under anger: hurt, fear, shame, and more.
Anger Coping Skills →
In-the-moment and long-term skills to cool anger and lower your reactivity.
The Anger Cycle →
Map the five phases of anger and learn where you can step in to break the loop.
Anger Warning Signs Worksheet →
Map your personal early warning signs so you can act before anger boils over.
Anger Log →
Log each anger episode to reveal triggers, patterns, and what helps.
Anxiety 11
Anxiety Worksheets →
The full set of anxiety tools: the anxiety cycle, worry tools, fear ladders, and exposure planners.
Habituation & Why Exposure Works →
The anxiety habituation curve, why avoidance maintains fear, and how exposure undoes it.
Circle of Control Worksheet →
Sort worries into in, out of, or partly within your control, then focus on the actions you can take.
Fear Ladder (Exposure Hierarchy) →
List feared situations, rate each 0-100 (SUDs), and rank them into a step-by-step ladder.
Anxiety Triggers Worksheet →
Identify your triggers and early warning signs, then build a coping plan that fits.
The Anxiety Cycle →
See how trigger, thought, body symptoms, and avoidance loop and keep anxiety alive.
Exposure Hierarchy Builder →
Plan graded exposures and log SUDs before and after each to track real progress.
Decatastrophizing Worksheet →
Walk a what-if down from the worst case to the most likely, then ask: could I cope?
Worry Decision Tree →
Sort any worry into solvable or hypothetical, then take the matching action.
Scheduled Worry Time →
Postpone worries to a set daily slot, then review and act on them on purpose.
Interoceptive Exposure Worksheet →
Record feared body sensations, predictions, distress, and learning during clinician-guided practice.
CBT 16
List of Cognitive Distortions →
The common unhelpful thinking styles, each with a plain definition and example.
CBT Worksheets →
The full set of CBT worksheets: thought records, restructuring, core beliefs, and more.
Unhelpful Thinking Styles →
The cognitive distortions reference: the unhelpful thinking styles, defined with examples.
Thought Record (CBT) →
A CBT worksheet for examining upsetting thoughts, weighing evidence, and choosing a balanced response.
The Cognitive Triangle →
How thoughts, feelings, and behaviors connect, with definitions and a worked example.
Core Beliefs Worksheet →
Identify a deep belief about yourself, weigh the evidence, and build a more balanced one.
ABC Model Worksheet →
Separate an event, your beliefs, and your reactions, then practice a more flexible response.
Positive Self-Talk Worksheet →
Swap harsh inner-critic statements for realistic, supportive self-talk you can believe.
Challenging Negative Thoughts →
Examine the evidence for a distressing thought and write a balanced, believable response.
Problem-Solving Worksheet →
Define, brainstorm, evaluate, choose, plan, review: a structured path out of feeling stuck.
Downward Arrow Technique →
Follow 'if that were true, what would it mean?' down to the core belief underneath.
CBT Case Formulation (5 Ps) →
Map a problem with the 5 Ps: presenting, predisposing, precipitating, perpetuating, protective.
Vicious Flower Maintenance Diagram →
Map a central fear and the maintaining behaviors that feed it, petal by petal.
CBT Continuum Worksheet →
Use behavioral anchors on a 0-100 line to examine all-or-nothing judgments.
Positive Data Log Worksheet →
Keep dated observations and their meaning for one selected, balanced belief.
Responsibility Pie Chart Worksheet →
Map contributing factors to a setback and compare your share with your initial self-blame estimate.
Clinical documentation 4
Mental Status Exam (MSE) →
Document the full MSE: appearance, mood, affect, thought, cognition, and more.
Treatment Plan Template →
Build a goal-driven treatment plan with measurable objectives and matched interventions.
Intake / Biopsychosocial Assessment Template →
Run a thorough biopsychosocial intake: history, risk, and clinical formulation.
Case Conceptualization Template →
Organize your clinical thinking into a working hypothesis that guides treatment.
Crisis & safety 4
Suicide Safety Plan →
A Stanley-Brown safety plan: warning signs, coping, people, professionals, and crisis lines.
Wellness Recovery Action Plan →
A WRAP-style plan: daily maintenance, triggers, early warning signs, and a crisis plan.
Coping with Self-Harm Urges →
A compassionate plan for self-harm urges: delay, alternatives, and people to reach out to.
Warning Signs Worksheet →
Identify your early warning signs of a crisis and plan what to do when you notice them.
DBT 13
DBT Worksheets →
The full set of DBT worksheets across all four skill modules, free to fill in and download.
DBT Skills Library →
The full set of DBT skills: TIPP, ACCEPTS, wise mind, opposite action, and more.
Radical Acceptance Worksheet →
Stop fighting a painful reality you cannot change, and turn the mind toward acceptance.
Opposite Action Worksheet →
Change an emotion that does not fit the facts by doing the opposite of what it urges.
DEAR MAN Worksheet →
Plan a clear request or refusal with DEAR MAN, then rehearse how to stay focused and negotiate.
TIPP Skills →
Temperature, intense exercise, paced breathing, and muscle relaxation for crisis-level distress.
DBT Diary Card →
Track daily emotions, urges, and DBT skills used to spot patterns over time.
Pros and Cons Worksheet (DBT) →
Weigh acting on a crisis urge against resisting it, across all four quadrants.
DBT Distress Tolerance (TIPP) →
Crisis survival skills including TIPP, STOP, and self-soothing to ride out an emotional crisis safely.
Check the Facts Worksheet →
Separate facts from interpretations and check whether your emotion fits the situation.
Behavior Chain Analysis Worksheet →
Trace a problem behavior step by step: vulnerability, prompting event, links, behavior, consequences, re
Cope Ahead Plan →
Anticipate a difficult situation and rehearse coping with it before it happens.
Validation Practice Worksheet for Adults →
Practice six ways to validate an adult’s experience without agreeing with every claim.
Emotions & feelings 8
Feelings Wheel (Free Printable PDF) →
Name what you feel with an adult feelings wheel and free labeled and blank printables.
List of Emotions & Feelings →
Find feeling words by emotion family, then print the PDF for journaling or conversations.
Feelings Chart →
Common feelings with short, plain descriptions, friendly for both kids and adults.
Emotion Faces Chart →
Named facial expressions for common feelings, with the cues that show on a face.
Feelings Thermometer →
Rate emotion intensity 0-10 and plan what each level looks like and how to cope.
Emotions Iceberg →
The surface emotion you show often hides softer, deeper feelings underneath.
Identifying Emotions Worksheet →
Walk from situation to body sensations to the named emotion and the need beneath.
Emotion Cards →
Printable cards, one feeling each, for naming, matching, and sorting emotions.
Family & systems 1
Goals & motivation 4
Wheel of Life →
Rate satisfaction across eight life areas to see your balance and where to focus.
SMART Goals Worksheet →
Sharpen a goal against five criteria: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.
Motivation & Confidence Ruler →
Rate importance and confidence for a change, then explore your reasons in your own words.
Best Possible Self Exercise →
Write about your best realistic future to boost optimism and clarify what you want.
Grief & loss 5
The Stages of Grief →
Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance: explained, with the caveat that grief is not linear.
Grief & Loss Worksheets →
A gentle library of grief tools: stages, a goodbye letter, continuing bonds, mourning tasks, and rituals
Grief Cycle Diagram →
A printable diagram showing grief as overlapping waves, not a one-way line.
Grief Rituals & Ceremonies →
Ideas for memorials, anniversaries, and personal rituals to honor a loss.
Tasks of Mourning Worksheet →
Work gently through Worden's four tasks: accept, process, adjust, and stay connected.
Habits & behavior change 2
Mindfulness & meditation 4
Mindfulness Exercises Library →
A printable library of mindfulness exercises, from a one-minute pause to a full body scan.
Mindfulness Meditation Exercise →
A guided sitting meditation to anchor attention in the breath and body, with a reflection.
Mindful Breathing Exercise →
Use the breath as an anchor for attention: a short, guided practice with a reflection.
RAIN Mindfulness Technique →
Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture: a four-step practice for working with hard emotions.
Mood 3
Coping Skills for Depression →
Evidence-based coping skills for depression: act, think, connect, and care for yourself.
Behavioral Activation Planner →
Choose meaningful activities, build a manageable activity ladder, and review what helps you follow throu
The Cycle of Depression →
How low mood, withdrawal, and inactivity feed each other, and where to break the loop.
Parenting 4
Behavior Chart (Kids) →
Build a custom kids' behavior chart: pick the behaviors, days, and rewards, then print.
Emotional Regulation Activities for Kids →
Printable activities for naming feelings, practicing calming skills, and helping kids ask for support.
Calm-Down Corner Cards →
Printable cards and a guide for a cozy calm-down corner where kids settle big feelings.
Parenting Worksheets →
Clinician-reviewed printables for behavior, big feelings, and calmer family routines.
Positive psychology 6
Gratitude Journal →
Record specific moments you appreciate and review them in a free printable gratitude journal.
Art Therapy Activities →
Simple art prompts for expressing feelings and easing stress, with no artistic skill needed.
List of Strengths →
All 24 VIA character strengths under six virtues, each with a plain-language definition.
Positive Psychology Worksheets →
The full set of positive psychology tools: strengths, gratitude, savoring, growth mindset, and more.
Three Good Things Exercise →
Log three things that went well each night, and why, to train your attention toward the good.
Gratitude Jar →
Collect small gratitude notes over time, then revisit them when you need a lift.
Psychology basics 1
Relationships 11
Setting Boundaries (Quick Guide) →
Four quick steps: where, with whom, the boundary, and the script to say it.
Setting Boundaries Worksheet →
Identify your limits, plan a clear script, and prepare for pushback.
Assertive Communication Worksheet →
Tell passive, aggressive, and assertive apart, then build a clear assertive response.
Four Horsemen Worksheet (Gottman) →
Identify criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling, and learn the antidote to each.
Fair Fighting Rules →
Ground rules to keep conflict from turning destructive: stay on topic, no contempt, time-outs.
Couples Communication Worksheet →
Talk through a hard topic with soft start-up, I-statements, and reflective listening.
Rebuilding Trust Worksheet →
Begin repairing trust after a breach: own the harm, understand impact, rebuild.
Relationship Check-In Worksheet →
A weekly couples ritual: appreciate, raise concerns gently, and reconnect.
DESC Assertiveness Script →
Build an assertive request step by step: Describe, Express, Specify, Consequences.
Assertiveness Bill of Rights →
The personal rights behind healthy assertiveness, and the beliefs each one corrects.
Appreciation & Admiration Exercise →
Strengthen fondness by naming what you value and admire in your partner.
Relationships & communication 6
Love Languages Chart →
The five love languages with concrete examples of how to speak each one.
Social Skills Worksheets →
Conversation skills, reading social cues, and making and keeping friends.
Healthy vs Unhealthy Relationships →
Green flags, red flags, and the signs that tell a healthy relationship from an unhealthy one.
Communication Styles →
Passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive, and assertive: how each one sounds and lands.
Cycle of Abuse →
The four phases of the abuse cycle and the power and control wheel, with support resources.
I-Statements Worksheet →
Rewrite blaming you-statements into clear I-statements: I feel X when Y because Z.
Risk & safety 1
Self-esteem & self-compassion 8
Journaling Prompts →
A free printable PDF of mental health journal prompts, from anxiety to gratitude.
Positive Affirmations Worksheet →
Build realistic, believable affirmations rooted in your strengths and values.
Self-Esteem Worksheet →
Strengths inventory, self-critical thought reframes, and kinder self-talk.
Self-Compassion Exercises →
Guided prompts in self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness, from Neff's research.
Body Image Worksheet →
Challenge appearance thoughts, practice body gratitude, and build media literacy.
Self-Compassion Break →
Neff's three-step in-the-moment practice with ready phrases for hard moments.
Self-Forgiveness Worksheet →
Acknowledge, take responsibility, make amends, and release self-blame.
Self-Esteem Journal →
Log daily wins, strengths used, and kindnesses to build a fairer self-view.
Sleep 3
Sleep Diary →
Track bedtime, wake time, hours, awakenings, and quality to spot real sleep patterns.
Sleep Hygiene Checklist →
Check your habits against sleep hygiene basics and build a short personalized plan.
Sleep Restriction Worksheet →
Use sleep diary averages to discuss a CBT-I sleep window and daytime safety with your clinician.
Stress & relaxation 11
4-7-8 Breathing →
Inhale 4, hold 7, exhale 8: a calming breath often used to wind down for sleep.
Stress Management Worksheet →
Identify your stressors, sort by control, and build a practical action plan.
Box Breathing →
Practice square breathing with guided counts, comfort tips, and a calm check-in.
Coping Skills Library →
A categorized menu of healthy coping skills for anxiety, anger, sadness, and overwhelm.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation →
Tense and release each muscle group in turn to let go of held-in tension.
Body Scan Meditation →
Move attention slowly through the body, noticing sensation without judgment.
Deep Breathing Exercise →
Practice gentle, slower breathing and record how you feel afterward.
Fight or Flight Response →
The stress response explained: sympathetic activation, symptoms, and how to calm it down.
Relaxation Techniques →
An overview of the main relaxation skills: PMR, breathing, imagery, and grounding.
Five Senses Calming Exercise →
Self-soothe through sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch to settle the body.
Stress Diary →
Log stressors, intensity, body signs, and what helped to spot your patterns.
Substance use & recovery 9
Addiction Recovery Worksheets →
Stages of change, triggers, cravings, relapse prevention, and more, all free and private.
Relapse Prevention Plan Worksheet →
Map triggers, warning signs, coping skills, support, and an emergency plan.
Stages of Change Worksheet →
Locate yourself in the stages of change and name a realistic next step.
Urge Surfing Worksheet →
Ride a craving like a wave and watch it rise, peak, and fall.
Coping with Cravings Worksheet →
Build a delay, distract, and cope toolkit for the moment a craving hits.
Decisional Balance Worksheet →
Weigh the real pros and cons of using versus changing, side by side.
Harm Reduction Plan Worksheet →
Set safer-use goals and reduce risk at any stage, no abstinence required.
HALT Check-In →
Check Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired, the four states that quietly drive cravings.
Drink/Drug Refusal Skills →
Practical, judgment-free ways to say no and handle social pressure.
Trauma & PTSD 6
PTSD Worksheets Library →
The full set of trauma and PTSD worksheets: triggers, flashbacks, grounding, and more.
Window of Tolerance →
Hyper- and hypo-arousal explained, plus how to map your own signs and return to calm.
Trauma Triggers Worksheet →
Identify your trauma triggers, the warning signs they bring, and a coping plan for each.
Flashback Coping Plan →
Build a personal, ready-to-use plan for grounding yourself through a flashback.
Safe Place Imagery Script →
Create a vivid mental safe place to return to when you feel anxious or overwhelmed.
Trauma Timeline Worksheet →
Gently map significant life events over time to see patterns. Best done with a therapist.
Cite this source
Psychology.com. (2026, September 16). 155 Best Free Psychology Tools, Worksheets and Exercises. Psychology.com. https://psychology.com/tools/