Positive Coping Thoughts

Worksheet Description

The “Coping Thoughts” worksheet is a cognitive exercise component of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), aimed at helping students practice reframing stressful situations with positive, self-empowering thoughts. The worksheet is structured to guide users through the process of identifying stress-inducing scenarios and actively replacing their automatic negative reactions with constructive coping thoughts. This practice is based on the principle that intentionally directing the mind towards positive thinking can prevent the spiraling of stress and diminish the impact of negative thought patterns.

Students are instructed to note down specific stressful situations that they commonly encounter in the space provided. Subsequently, for each scenario, they are prompted to articulate one or two positive coping thoughts that could help them manage the associated stress. This method encourages a shift in perspective, from a stress-focused viewpoint to one of resilience and proactive problem-solving. By completing this worksheet, students learn to cultivate a habit of countering stressful thoughts with positivity, a strategy that can significantly enhance their emotional well-being and their ability to cope with challenges in various aspects of life.