Print and use it to plan a small, manageable step towards a feared situation, whether at home, in a counselling session, or as part of CBT-style anxiety work. The form prompts the person to name the situation, explore the fears and worst-case thoughts, plan coping strategies, take action, then review what happened afterwards.
The Five Steps to Facing Your Fears Anxiety Worksheet is a printable PDF designed to help someone approach an anxiety-provoking situation in a structured, manageable way. Rather than asking the person to face everything at once, it supports them to choose one small step, name what they are afraid of, and look more closely at the thoughts that may be keeping the fear going.
This resource can be used in counselling sessions, wellbeing appointments, classroom or college support, adult learning, or home learning where a calm written plan would be useful. It may be particularly helpful as part of CBT-style anxiety work, graded exposure planning, confidence building, or a discussion about avoidance and coping strategies.
- Use it before trying a feared activity to prepare practical coping ideas.
- Print it as a worksheet for individual support, small group work, or revision of anxiety management skills.
- Return to the review section afterwards to reflect on what happened and what could be tried next.
Download or print the worksheet for use as a clear planning template when someone is ready to take a realistic first step towards facing a fear at their pace. This resource was created by MindWell Leeds.
