Explore and understand interpersonal beliefs and styles that may contribute to recurring relationship difficulties with this simple worksheet.
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.
An editable Microsoft PowerPoint version of the resource.
Beliefs about relationships (interpersonal beliefs) scaffold and influence how an
individual perceives events involving other people. Interpersonal styles reflect safety behaviors that they use to protect themselves from perceived negative consequences in relationships. Other people react to these interpersonal styles, and the individual appraises these reactions: often in ways which confirm (or fail to disconfirm) the original beliefs. Interpersonal Beliefs And Styles is a therapeutic worksheet aimed at addressing common relational issues encountered by clients in therapy. By delving into their beliefs and styles of behaving, clients can recognize patterns that may contribute to their difficulties.
This worksheet aids in identifying the underlying cognitive and behavioral patterns that affect interpersonal relationships. It's designed to:
Issues with connection and relationship satisfaction.
Fears surrounding intimacy and vulnerability in relationships.
Angry or defensive responses that disrupt social interactions.
Useful in couples therapy to examine patterns of behavior.
Start by identifying interpersonal difficulties.
Use guided questions to draw out the client's beliefs and assumptions within the context of social or relational situations.
Encourage clients to reflect on the conseuences of their interpersonal styles in social situations.
Facilitate brainstorming of alternative beliefs and behaviors for testing with behavioral experiments.
Interpersonal issues can be at the core of clients’ presenting problems and these can be well understood through the lens of cognitive models. Interpersonal beliefs guide how clients interpret and respond to social interactions, while interpersonal styles are the behaviors they rely on to respond to the emotional consequences of these beliefs. The interplay between these elements can create self-reinforcing cycles, where others’ reactions further embed the client’s beliefs. Interventions focused on exploring beliefs and their consequences are essential in breaking these cycles.
By using the Interpersonal Beliefs And Styles worksheet, therapists can guide clients to articulate and analyze interpersonal beliefs and styles across different cognitive levels — beliefs, assumptions, and automatic thoughts. This understanding paves the way for targeted interventions, such as behavioral experiments, to test and modify maladaptive beliefs and styles.
The Interpersonal Beliefs And Styles worksheet offers a structured approach to understanding and intervening in interpersonal difficulties. Clients gain insights into their relational patterns and learn to challenge and modify maladaptive beliefs, supporting healthier interactions and improved relationship satisfaction.
