Leaves on a stream worksheet: a free, printable script and rating sheet

Does the leaves on a stream exercise work?

Leaves on a stream is taught as a cognitive defusion exercise within Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT was developed by Steven C. Hayes and colleagues, and the core text is Hayes, Strosahl and Wilson's Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (1999, second edition 2012). No single author of the leaves on a stream script is agreed. Many versions are in circulation, and the wording here is our own.

Honestly, the evidence for this exact exercise is thin. No study tests it on its own. A 2012 review by Levin and colleagues of 66 laboratory studies found positive effects for defusion exercises in general compared with doing nothing, though the studies were short. The larger reviews of ACT, such as A-Tjak and colleagues (2015), look at the whole therapy given by a therapist, not at a single visualisation done at home.

That is why the sheet asks for a rating before and after. Your own experience is the best guide to whether this exercise belongs in your toolkit.

These are educational self-reflection tools, not therapy.

If you want to go deeper

• Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D. & Wilson, K. G. (1999). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: An Experiential Approach to Behavior Change. Guilford Press. (2nd ed., 2012, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: The Process and Practice of Mindful Change.)
• Levin, M. E., Hildebrandt, M. J., Lillis, J. & Hayes, S. C. (2012). The impact of treatment components suggested by the psychological flexibility model: A meta-analysis of laboratory-based component studies. Behavior Therapy, 43, 741-756.
• A-Tjak, J. G. L., Davis, M. L., Morina, N., Powers, M. B., Smits, J. A. J. & Emmelkamp, P. M. G. (2015). A meta-analysis of the efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy for clinically relevant mental and physical health problems. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 84(1), 30-36.

Your questions, answered

What is the leaves on a stream exercise?

It's a short guided visualisation used in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). You picture a stream with leaves floating on it, put each thought that comes up on a leaf, and watch it drift away. The aim is to practise noticing thoughts without following or fighting them, not to empty your mind.

How do you do leaves on a stream?

Sit comfortably and picture a stream. Whenever a thought comes, place it on a leaf and let it float downstream. When you get caught up in a thought, notice that, and gently return to the stream. Section 2 of this worksheet has a script you can read slowly or record yourself reading, with a rating before and after.

Who created the leaves on a stream exercise?

We don't know. It's taught as an ACT defusion exercise, and ACT was developed by Steven C. Hayes and colleagues, but no single author of this particular script is agreed. It is also taught in many slightly different versions.

Does leaves on a stream work?

The evidence for this exact exercise is thin. No study tests it on its own. Laboratory studies of ACT-style defusion exercises in general have shown positive effects compared with doing nothing, but they were short and are not about this script. Treat it as something to try and judge from your own ratings, and drop it if it doesn't help.

What is the difference between leaves on a stream and a defusion worksheet?

This page is one guided exercise, done sitting quietly with a script. The cognitive defusion worksheet is a menu of quicker techniques you can use on one thought, such as adding 'I'm having the thought that' or naming the story. Both aim at the same thing: seeing a thought as a thought.

Is there a leaves on a stream worksheet PDF?

Yes. Use the Download PDF button for a clean, print-ready copy, or Print to print straight from the page. It's completely free, with no payment and no email needed. You can also fill it in on screen, and your answers save in your browser.

Is this worksheet a substitute for therapy?

No. It's a self-help tool, not therapy or medical advice. If thoughts are taking over your days, a GP can point you towards talking therapies. If you ever feel unsafe or have thoughts of harming yourself, thoughts like these are serious: call Samaritans on 116 123 (UK and Ireland), 988 (US), or find a line at findahelpline.com.

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