Information handouts
Did you know that 40 to 80% of medical information is immediately forgotten by patients (Kessels, 2003)? The same is probably true of therapy and counseling, so clients will almost always benefit from having access to additional written information. Psychology Tools information handouts provide clear, concise, and reliable information, which will empower your clients to take an active role in their treatment. Learning about their mental health, helpful strategies and techniques, and other psychoeducation topics helps clients better understand and overcome their difficulties. Moreover, clients who understand the process and content of therapy are more likely to invest in the process and commit to making positive changes.
100 of 182 resources
"Should" Statements
“Should” statements (sometimes referred to as ‘musturbation’, ‘necessitous thinking’, ‘self-commands’, and ‘injunctions’) are char ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/should-statements
Abandonment
Schema therapy posits that psychological difficulties stem from early maladaptive schemas (EMS) and clients’ characteristic responses to them, refer ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/abandonment
Activity Menu
Helping clients to choose which activities to target during behavioral activation (BA) can be accomplished in a variety of ways: activity monitoring c ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/activity-menu
All-Or-Nothing Thinking
All-or-nothing thinking (often also referred to as ‘black and white thinking’, ‘dichotomous thinking’, ‘absolutist thinking’, or ‘binary ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/all-or-nothing-thinking
Approval-/Admiration-Seeking
Schema therapy posits that psychological difficulties stem from early maladaptive schemas (EMS) and clients’ characteristic responses to them, refer ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/approval-admiration-seeking
Arbitrary Inference
Arbitrary inference is one of the earliest and broadest cognitive disotortions described in CBT. Beck defines it as "the process of forming an interpr ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/arbitrary-inference
Assertive Communication
Communicating and acting assertively is an interpersonal skill that helps people to maintain healthy relationships, resolve interpersonal conflict, an ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/assertive-communication
Autonomic Nervous System
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) automatically regulates the function of body systems outside of voluntary control. The Autonomic Nervous System han ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/autonomic-nervous-system
Balance
Our sense of balance is the result of a complex system which receives visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive inputs. This Balance client information h ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/balance
Barriers Abusers Overcome In Order To Abuse
Individuals who have experienced abuse often focus on their own actions (or inactions) and blame themselves for their own abuse. This client informati ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/barriers-abusers-overcome-in-order-to-abuse
Catastrophizing
The Catastrophizing information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series. It is designed to help clients and therapists to work more eff ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/catastrophizing
Checking Certainty And Doubt
Psychologists have discovered interesting relationships between Checking, Certainty, And Doubt. This information handout contains an exercise helpful ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/checking-certainty-and-doubt
Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioning is a process by which stimuli become associated with responses. This information handout describes key principles of Classical ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/classical-conditioning
Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Anorexia Nervosa (Fairburn, Cooper, Shafran, 2003)
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by restriction of energy intake and intense fear of gaining weight. For women, the lifetime preva ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-anorexia-nervosa-fairburn-cooper-shafran-2003
Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD: Veale, 2004)
Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) experience distress associated with their body image. The Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Body Dysmorphi ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-body-dysmorphic-disorder-bdd-veale-2004
Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Bulimia Nervosa (Fairburn, Cooper, Shafran, 2003)
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging. Among young women, the point prevalence of bulimia is about 1 ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-bulimia-nervosa-fairburn-cooper-shafran-2003
Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Clinical Perfectionism (Shafran, Cooper, Fairburn, 2002)
People with perfectionism pursue high standards in one or more areas of their life and base their self-worth on their ability to achieve these standar ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-clinical-perfectionism-shafran-cooper-fairburn-2002
Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Depersonalization (Hunter, Phillips, Chalder, Sierra, David, 2003)
Depersonalization is an experience where an individual feels a sense of detachment from themselves, or estrangement from their perceptions, actions, a ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-depersonalization-hunter-phillips-chalder-sierra-david-2003
Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Fear Of Body Sensations
Fear of bodily sensations is present in a number of conditions, most notably panic disorder. The Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Fear Of Bodily Sensatio ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-fear-of-body-sensations
Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD: Dugas, Gagnon, Ladouceur, Freeston, 1998)
Individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) report significant worry which they find difficult to control and experience as distressing. Numer ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad-dugas-gagnon-ladouceur-freeston-1998
Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Health Anxiety (Salkovskis, Warwick, Deale, 2003)
Health anxiety is characterized by a preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness, and a high level of anxiety about health. People with h ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-health-anxiety-salkovskis-warwick-deale-2003
Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Insomnia (Harvey, 2002)
Insomnia is a highly prevalent sleep disorder characterized by difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or having non-restorative sleep for at leas ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-insomnia-harvey-2002
Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Intolerance Of Uncertainty And Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms (Hebert, Dugas, 2019)
Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) has been defined as “an underlying fear of the unknown”. Intolerance of uncertainty is a risk factor for the deve ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-intolerance-of-uncertainty-and-generalized-anxiety-disorder-symptoms-hebert-dugas-2019
Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Low Self-Esteem (Fennell, 1997)
Low self-esteem is characterized as a negative sense of the self and co-occurs with many other mental health problems. Although not formally represent ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-low-self-esteem-fennell-1997
Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD: Salkovskis, Forrester, Richards, 1998)
The essential insight of the cognitive behavioral model of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is that it is the client’s interpretation of the intr ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd-salkovskis-forrester-richards-1998
Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Panic (Clark, 1986)
The Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Panic identifies catastrophic misinterpretation of body sensations as a criticial maintenance factor which serves to ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-panic-clark-1986
Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD: Whalley, Cane, 2017)
Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) is a form of dizziness which is thought to be maintained by psychological factors. This is a Cognitive ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-persistent-postural-perceptual-dizziness-pppd-whalley-cane-2017
Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD: Ehlers & Clark, 2000)
Anke Ehlers' & David Clark's Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an influential account of the condition. The ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd-ehlers-clark-2000
Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Social Phobia (Clark, Wells, 1995)
People suffering from social anxiety disorder (previously known as social phobia) experience persistent fear or anxiety concerning social or performan ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-social-phobia-clark-wells-1995
Cognitive Behavioral Model Of The Relapse Process (Marlatt & Gordon, 1985)
Marlatt & Gordon’s cognitive behavioral model of relapse (1985) conceptualizes relapse as a “transitional process, a series of events that unf ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioural-model-of-the-relapse-process-marlatt-gordon-1985
Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Tinnitus (McKenna, Handscombe, Hoare, Hall, 2014)
The Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Tinnitus identifies cognitive, behavioral, and perceptual changes which operate to maintain tinnitus perception and ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-tinnitus-mckenna-handscombe-hoare-hall-2014
Cognitive Distortions – Unhelpful Thinking Styles (Common)
Cognitive distortions (or ‘unhelpful thinking styles’) are ways that our thoughts become biased. Different cognitive biases are associated with di ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-distortions-unhelpful-thinking-styles-common
Cognitive Distortions – Unhelpful Thinking Styles (Extended)
Cognitive distortions (or ‘unhelpful thinking styles’) are ways that our thoughts become biased. Different cognitive biases are associated with di ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-distortions-unhelpful-thinking-styles-extended
Core Belief Magnet Metaphor
Core beliefs (schemas) are self-sustaining. They act to 'attract' confirmatory evidence and 'repel' (or distort) disconfirmatory evidence. This inform ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/core-belief-magnet-metaphor
Critical Care And PTSD
The Critical Care And PTSD information handout is designed to help clients to learn about the properties of critical care that can increase the likeli ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/critical-care-and-ptsd
Developing Psychological Flexibility
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) proposes that suffering is associated with psychological inflexibility. ACT suggests that to increase psycholo ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/developing-psychological-flexibility
Discounting In Perfectionism – The Ratchet Effect
When individuals with perfectionism successfully meet their demanding standards, these accomplishments are often discounted as “easy to do,” “no ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/discounting-in-perfectionism-the-ratchet-effect
Disqualifying Others
This Disqualifying Others information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more eff ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/disqualifying-others
Disqualifying The Positive
This Disqualifying the Positive information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists work more ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/disqualifying-the-positive
Eating And Your Energy Levels
The Eating and Your Energy Levels handout provides an overview of the relationship between food intake and energy levels. It graphically illustrates h ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/eating-and-your-energy-levels
EMDR Negative And Positive Cognitions
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic approach designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories. ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/emdr-negative-and-positive-cogntions
Emotional Reasoning
The Emotional Reasoning information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effec ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/emotional-reasoning
Emotions
Many people find it hard to label their emotional states or reactions. This information handout provides a list of emotions, categorizing them as basi ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/emotions
Emotions Motivate Actions
Many clients find it helpful to recognize the range of actions that are motivated by different emotional states. This worksheet encourages clients to ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/emotions-motivate-actions
Everyday 'Unusual' Experiences
Everyone has powerful experiences from time to time, and there are many very ordinary reasons why people have experiences that are considered ‘unusu ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/everyday-unusual-experiences
Exercise For Mental Health
Exercise is an evidence-based treatment for depression and anxiety and research suggests that, in the treatment of depression, exercise interventions ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exercise-for-mental-health
Exposures For Fear Of Appearing Anxious
Concerns about appearing anxious in front of others plays a central role in social anxiety. Exposure is an effective treatment for tackling these fear ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exposures-for-fear-of-appearing-anxious
Exposures For Fear Of Body Sensations
Fearful responses to physical sensations are common in several disorders. Interoceptive exposure (or ‘symptom induction’) is an effective treatmen ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exposures-for-fear-of-body-sensations
Exposures For Fear Of Breathlessness
Fearful responses to benign physical sensations such as breathlessness are common in several disorders, most notably panic disorder (with and without ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exposures-for-fear-of-breathlessness
Exposures For Fear Of Death
Fear of death is common, and is associated with a variety of psychological disorders including generalized anxiety disorder, depression, panic disorde ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exposures-for-fear-of-death
Exposures For Fear Of Flying
Fear of flying is a very common fear, affecting up to 18% of individuals, and is characterized by intense and persistent fear during, or in anticipati ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exposures-for-fear-of-flying
Exposures For Fear Of Heights
Fear of heights is a very common fear, characterized by an avoidance of high places including staircases, tall buildings, and bridges. Exposure is an ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exposures-for-fear-of-heights
Exposures For Fear Of Illness
Fear of illness is a common and persistent fear that can result in significant functional impairment. Exposure is an effective treatment for health-re ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exposures-for-fear-of-illness
Exposures For Fear Of Losing Control Of Your Mind
Fearful responses to benign physical sensations are common in several disorders, and interoceptive exposure (or ‘symptom induction’) is an effecti ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exposures-for-fear-of-losing-control-of-your-mind
Exposures For Fear Of Uncertainty
Fear of uncertainty is commonly associated with many psychological difficulties, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive compulsive di ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exposures-for-fear-of-uncertainty
Exposures For Fear Of Vomiting
Fear of vomiting is a chronic and distressing difficulty that is associated with significant impairment. Exposure is an effective treatment for addres ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exposures-for-fear-of-vomiting
Externalizing
The Externalizing information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effectively ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/externalizing
Fair Fighting Rules For Resolving Conflict
Fair fighting is a collection of rules that individuals can use to manage conflict effectively, so that it is ‘fair’ and works towards a resolutio ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/fair-fighting-rules-for-resolving-conflict
Fight or Flight (CYP)
The Fight Or Flight (CYP) information handout has been specifically designed for younger children and includes carefully simplified language. The prof ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/fight-or-flight-cyp
Fight Or Flight Response
The fight or flight response is an automatic physiological reaction to an event that is perceived as stressful or frightening. The perception of threa ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/fight-or-flight-response
Forgiveness Is
Forgiveness is an effective treatment for anger and relieving hurt. Sadly, many people dismiss forgiveness due to misconceptions regarding its nature. ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/forgiveness-is
Forgiveness Methods
Forgiveness is an effective treatment for anger and the relief of hurt. This information handout describes techniques for forgiveness and the steps in ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/forgiveness-methods
Forgiveness Quotes
Forgiveness takes courage and strength. Clients often struggle with the concept of forgiveness because of unhelpful misconceptions. The Forgiveness Qu ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/forgiveness-quotes
Fortune Telling
The Fortune Telling information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effective ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/fortune-telling
Grounding Techniques Menu
Dissociation can be described as a shift of a person’s attention away from the present moment. When working with traumatized clients, this shift oft ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/grounding-techniques-menu
Guidelines For Better Sleep
Some sleep experts recommend that sleep hygiene issues be attended to as one component of treatment for poor sleep. This sleep hygiene information wor ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/guidelines-for-better-sleep
Habituation
The Habituation information sheets are designed to help clinicians to explain the concept of habituation and its role in exposure therapy. The handout ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/habituation
Health Anxiety Formulation
Health anxiety is characterized by a preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness, and a high level of anxiety about health. People with h ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/health-anxiety-formulation
Hindsight Bias
Hindsight bias describes the tendency that people have – once an outcome is known – to believe that they predicted (or could have predicted) an ou ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/hindsight-bias
How Breathing Affects Feelings
Normal, anxious, and exercise breathing have significant effects upon our physiology and our emotions. This information handout explains the physiolog ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/how-breathing-affects-feelings
How Trauma Can Affect You (CYP)
Trauma can result in a wide variety of symptoms, experiences, and behaviors. As well as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), prevalence rates of oth ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/how-trauma-can-affect-you-cyp
How We Hear Sounds
Clients with tinnitus often have a very medicalized understanding of their condition. Understanding the processing steps involved in normal hearing ca ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/how-we-hear-sounds
How Your Body Responds To Stress
Many clients identify with the concept of ‘stress’ more readily than ‘threat’ and the The How Your Body Responds To Stress information handou ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/how-your-body-responds-to-stress
How Your Past Affects Your Present (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) describes three levels of cognition – automatic thoughts, assumptions, and core beliefs – which are influenced ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/how-your-past-affects-your-present-cbt
How Your Past Affects Your Present (Schema Therapy)
Schema therapy posits that many longstanding psychological difficulties stem from unmet core emotional needs, the early maladaptive schemas (EMS) they ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/how-your-past-affects-your-present-schema-therapy
Intolerance Of Uncertainty
Uncertainty is a normal part of life – we can never be 100% sure about what will happen next. Many people feel good about uncertainty and live lives ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/intolerance-of-uncertainty
Jumping To Conclusions
The Jumping to Conclusions information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more ef ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/jumping-to-conclusions
Labeling
Identifying negative automatic thoughts and reappraising unhelpful thinking is a core element of cognitive therapy. Teaching clients to recognize the ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/labeling
Magnification And Minimization
The Magnification And Minimization information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/magnification-and-minimization
Maximizing The Effectiveness Of Exposure Therapy
Despite its position as the leading treatment technique for anxiety disorders, not all clients respond to exposure therapy and some individuals relaps ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/maximizing-the-effectiveness-of-exposure-therapy
Mental Filter
The Mental Filter information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effectively ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/mental-filter
Mind Reading
The Mind Reading information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effectively ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/mind-reading
Motivational Systems (Emotional Regulation Systems)
At the heart of Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) is an evolutionary model of human motivational systems. Developed by Paul Gilbert it is a helpful len ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/motivational-systems-emotional-regulation-systems
Operant Conditioning
Operant conditioning / instrumental learning is a mechanism by which behaviors can be strengthened or weakened over time. This information handout des ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/operant-conditioning
Overgeneralization
The Overgeneralization information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effect ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/overgeneralization
Overview Of CBT
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for a wide variety of mental and physical health conditions. This information handout des ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/overview-of-cbt
Performance And The Yerkes-Dodson Law
The Yerkes-Dodson Law suggests that performance increases with mental arousal (stress) but only up to a point: when an individuals’ level of stress ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/performance-and-the-yerkes-dodson-law
Permissive Thinking
The Permissive Thinking information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effec ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/permissive-thinking
Personalizing
The Personalizing information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effectively ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/personalizing
Process Model Of Supervision
Hawkins & Shohet proposed a helpful structure for reflecting upon the focus of a supervision session. This information sheet includes example ques ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/process-model-of-supervision
Progress In Therapy
The Progress In Therapy information handout graphically illustrates metaphors for trajectories of progress (or how progress might be subjectively expe ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/progress-in-therapy
Prompts For Challenging Your Negative Thinking
Cognitive restructuring is an evidence-based intervention that involves identifying, evaluating, and modifying maladaptive cognitions, including negat ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/prompts-for-challenging-your-negative-thinking
Properties Of Trauma Memories
Important properties of trauma memories include involuntary recall, 'nowness', vividness, and immutability. People who have experienced trauma report ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/properties-of-trauma-memories
PTSD And Memory
Alterations in the way the brain processes 'normal' vs. 'traumatic' material are thought to be responsible for the intrusive nature of memories in con ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/ptsd-and-memory
PTSD Film Projection Metaphor
Treatment for trauma often involves exposure to traumatic thoughts and memories, and many clients are understandably reluctant to attempt this. The PT ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/ptsd-film-projection-metaphor
PTSD Linen Cupboard Metaphor
Treatment for trauma often involves exposure to traumatic thoughts and memories, and many clients are understandably reluctant to attempt this. The PT ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/ptsd-linen-cupboard-metaphor
Reactions To Trauma
Traumatic events are shocking and it is normal to feel overwhelmed. Not everybody reacts in the same way though and there is no ‘right’ way to res ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/reactions-to-trauma
Recognizing Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is characterized by marked and excessive fear of situations such as open or public spaces where escape or help might not be available, and ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/recognizing-agoraphobia
Recognizing Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by the restriction of energy intake, leading to a severely low weight in the context of an individual’s age, heigh ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/recognizing-anorexia-nervosa
Recognizing Binge Eating Disorder
Binge Eating Disorder is characterized by frequent and recurrent episodes of binge eating, which is defined as a period of time in which the individua ...
https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/recognizing-binge-eating-disorder