The Decatastrophizing worksheet is a cognitive restructuring tool aimed at reducing catastrophic thinking, taken from the self-help workbook Psychology Tools For Overcoming Panic.
Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
Includes client-friendly guidance. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
A fillable version of the resource. This can be edited and saved in Adobe Acrobat, or other PDF editing software.
An editable Microsoft PowerPoint version of the resource.
Decatastrophizing, a term originally coined by Albert Ellis in the context of rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT), helps clients address catastrophic thoughts. This technique is designed to help clients shift perspective by evaluating the likelihood, perceived severity, and protective coping factors related to a feared event. This worksheet guides clients through a systematic reflection on different aspects of their anxieties and helps them to develop their ability to evaluate anxiety-provoking situations independently.
Decatastrophizing is useful cognitive technique for reducing anxiety, helping to:
Persistent and excessive worry about everyday situations.
Intense anxiety characterized by recurring panic attacks.
Excessive worry about having a serious illness.
Fear of judgment or embarrassment in social situations.
Distress following a traumatic event, often involving exaggerated fear responses.
Determine the specific catastrophic thought or fear.
Transform vague "what if" concerns into clear, testable statements.
Assess the likelihood and severity of the fear, using past experiences for reference.
Investigate worst-case, best-case, and most realistic scenarios.
Develop strategies and identify resources to cope if the feared event occurs.
Encourage clients to internalize alternative viewpoints and support this cognitive shift.
Catastrophic thinking is increasingly recognized not just as a symptom of specific disorders but as a transdiagnostic cognitive process that contributes to the onset, maintenance, and exacerbation of emotional distress (Gellatly & Beck, 2016). These thoughts typically involve exaggerated predictions of disaster and are prevalent across a wide range of conditions, including panic disorder, social anxiety, PTSD, and health anxiety (Clark & Beck, 2010; Hirsch & Mathews, 2012).
Gellatly and Beck (2016) propose a cyclical model in which catastrophic beliefs activate interpretive biases, attentional biases, and heightened anxiety, forming a self-reinforcing loop. These mechanisms maintain symptom severity by skewing perception and narrowing cognitive focus toward threat. The model highlights several intervention points — including working with maladaptive beliefs, attentional fixations, and interpretation styles — that can be addressed through cognitive restructuring strategies.
Decatastrophizing, a technique developed within the cognitive therapy tradition (Beck, 1976; Beck & Haigh, 2014), is specifically designed to target such exaggerated threat appraisals. It involves guiding clients to examine the worst-case scenario, assess its actual likelihood, consider more realistic alternatives, and identify coping strategies. This approach not only helps to reduce the emotional impact of catastrophic thoughts in the moment, but also fosters metacognitive awareness — the ability to reflect on and evaluate one’s thinking processes (Wells, 2000). Over time, it supports cognitive flexibility, a key protective factor for psychological resilience.
