Helps people sort anxious thoughts into practical worries they can act on and hypothetical worries they may need to let go. The one-page worry tree diagram gives a simple CBT-style decision pathway for worry management, worry time, problem solving and refocusing attention, making it easy to print for home use, therapy sessions, wellbeing appointments or student support.
This worry tree diagram for anxiety and worry time is a printable one-page guide for anyone who wants a clearer way to respond to anxious thoughts. It can be used by adults, older teenagers, students, support workers and practitioners as a simple visual prompt during self-help, counselling, wellbeing appointments or guided conversations.
The worksheet encourages the user to pause, name the worry, and decide whether it is a practical issue that needs action or a hypothetical worry that may be kept going by rumination. This makes it useful for exploring common patterns such as overthinking, reassurance seeking, difficulty switching off, and repeated “what if” thoughts. It can support worry management sessions, anxiety worksheets, student support packs, home learning about wellbeing, or a personal coping folder.
The steps are easy to follow in a lesson, therapy session or quiet moment at home. Users are prompted to consider what can be done, when it can be done and how to start, rather than staying with the same thought loop. If there is no useful action to take, the diagram points towards letting the worry pass and returning attention to the present.
View, download or print the PDF to use as a practical handout, discussion tool or reminder for managing worry day to day. This resource was created by MindWell Leeds.
