Therapists, CBT practitioners and clients working on panic exposure can use this situational exposure diary to track stepladder tasks, expected SUDS and actual anxiety ratings in a clear printable format.
The Situational Exposure Diary for Panic Worksheet PDF is a structured printable form for recording planned exposure practice in a clear and consistent way. It helps users capture the goal of the task, the situation or step attempted, expected SUDS from 0 to 100, actual SUDS from 0 to 100, and brief notes about what happened during the exercise. This can make it easier to review panic exposure work after a stepladder task, rather than relying on memory at the next appointment.
The worksheet is most suited to adults or older teenagers doing CBT for panic, agoraphobia or anxiety with support from a therapist, counsellor, CBT practitioner or mental health practitioner. It may be used between sessions as homework, during guided exposure planning, or as part of a wider anxiety management folder. Clients can use it to notice patterns, record safety behaviours or coping strategies, and identify which tasks may need repeating or breaking down into smaller steps.
Practitioners may find the diary useful for session reviews, collaborative planning, and setting manageable exposure tasks for home or community practice. It can also support discussion about whether the person stayed in the situation long enough, what made the exercise harder, and what could be adjusted next time.
Download or print the worksheet to use as a simple exposure diary for panic-focused CBT work. Produced by the Centre for Clinical Interventions.
