In a counselling session or at home after a difficult evening, a self-harm diary can help someone record what happened before an incident and make sense of the thoughts, feelings and actions that followed. The page is a simple printable self-harm tracking worksheet with an example entry, useful for people who self-injure and for practitioners supporting adults, parents or clients trying to understand patterns around cutting or other self-harm behaviours.
This self-harm diary worksheet is a simple PDF for recording episodes of self-injury in a structured way. The table asks for the day and time, what was happening, the thoughts that came up, the feelings or body sensations noticed, and what the person did next. The completed example gives a clear model of how to fill in the diary without needing long written answers.
It can be used as a self-harm log, incident record or reflection worksheet after a difficult moment, or brought to a counselling, therapy or support appointment to help guide discussion. By looking back over entries, the person and their supporter may be able to notice situations, thoughts, emotions or physical signs that tend to appear before self-harm. This can make conversations about coping strategies, safety planning and support needs more focused.
The worksheet is suitable for adults using it independently, for parents or carers supporting someone, and for practitioners who want a straightforward printable handout for appointments, follow-up work or home learning between sessions. Download and print the PDF to use when it feels safe and helpful to complete, and keep it somewhere private if confidentiality is important. This resource was created by MindWell Leeds.
