In a CBT therapy session, self-esteem group, supervision discussion or focused home exercise, this printable worksheet gives a clear structure for working with a negative core belief and building a more balanced alternative. It is likely to suit adults and older teenagers exploring low self-esteem, unhelpful schemas, self-critical beliefs or long-standing negative beliefs about themselves.
This CBT worksheet for adjusting negative core beliefs is designed to guide a thoughtful move from a harsh, self-critical belief towards a more balanced and workable alternative. It gives users a structured way to identify an old core belief, rate how strongly it feels true, notice related emotions, examine evidence, consider other explanations and plan small behavioural experiments that may support a new belief.
The worksheet includes prompts for recording the old negative core belief, belief ratings from 0 to 100%, emotions, a new balanced core belief, evidence for and against the old belief, evidence from the past and present, future evidence to look out for, and practical experiments to try in everyday situations. This can help make abstract thoughts easier to discuss, review and revisit over time.
It may be useful for adults, older teenagers, CBT clients, counsellors, psychologists and mental health practitioners working with low self-esteem, negative self-beliefs, unhelpful schemas, self-worth or cognitive restructuring. It can be used during therapy sessions, in self-esteem groups, as between-session homework, as part of supervision discussion, or as a reflective self-help exercise for people who already have some understanding of CBT ideas.
Download and print the PDF to use as a clear, practical worksheet for exploring negative core beliefs and developing a more balanced perspective.
