Self-talk and the inner critic
For when the voice in your head is harder on you than you'd ever be on a friend. These help you catch it, question it, and answer it more fairly.
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Negative Self-Talk Worksheet
A free, printable negative self-talk worksheet: catch a harsh inner-critic thought, check whether it's fair, and answer it with something true and kinder.
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Self-Compassion Worksheet
A free, printable self-compassion worksheet: the self-compassion break, the friend test, a kind letter and journal prompts, based on Kristin Neff's research.
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Cognitive Distortions Worksheet
Free cognitive distortions worksheet: check one thought against ten thinking traps, test the evidence and write a fairer sentence. Not therapy. Free PDF.
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Positive Self-Talk Worksheet
A free, printable positive self-talk worksheet for adults: turn your usual phrases into kind, believable ones, write a pep talk and keep a 7-day practice log.
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Self-Forgiveness Worksheet
A free, printable self-forgiveness worksheet for adults: own your part, tell guilt from shame, make amends where you can, and write a letter forgiving yourself.
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Limiting Beliefs Worksheet
A free, printable limiting beliefs worksheet: 12 examples of limiting beliefs, where yours came from, evidence for and against, a fairer belief and a real test.
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Perfectionism Worksheet
A free perfectionism worksheet: spot where it shows up, name the rules behind it, set a 'good enough' line for one task and practise a kinder reply. Free PDF.
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Thought Record Worksheet
Free thought record worksheet: note the situation, feeling and thought, weigh the evidence and write a balanced thought. Self-help, not therapy. Free PDF.
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Socratic Questioning Worksheet
Free Socratic questioning worksheet: questions to explore one worrying thought in four steps, from Christine Padesky's guided discovery. Not therapy. Free PDF.
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Letting Go of the Past Worksheet
A free printable letting go worksheet: see what replaying the past costs you, sort what was in your control, write an unsent letter, plan for when it returns.
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Fact or Opinion Worksheet
Free printable fact or opinion worksheet: sort real thoughts into fact, interpretation, prediction or feeling, use the camera test, reword fairly.
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Quiet your inner critic
What the inner critic is, what it sounds like, where it comes from and how to quiet it: catch the thought, check if it's fair, and answer it, in plain words.
Guide · 13 min readPractise self-compassion
How to practise self-compassion: what it is, everyday examples and phrases, the common mistakes, and 6 simple exercises from Kristin Neff's research.
Guide · 11 min readCognitive distortions
What cognitive distortions are, where the list comes from, ten thinking traps with plain examples and a five-step way to test one. A self-help guide, not therapy.
Guide · 9 min readPerfectionism
The signs of perfectionism in plain English, where it can come from, what research links it to, and six steps to ease it, with a free perfectionism worksheet.
Guide · 9 min readCognitive restructuring
What cognitive restructuring is in plain words, four steps to try, a worked example, when it helps and when it can backfire. Free worksheets included.
Workbooks
Several worksheets in one printable PDF, in an order that builds.
