CBT Triangle Worksheet for Kids & Teens

CBT Triangle Worksheet for Kids & Teens

Name: ____________________________
Date: ____________________________

The CBT Triangle

The CBT triangle shows how thoughts, feelings, and actions can influence one another.

THOUGHTS → What am I thinking?
FEELINGS → What am I feeling?
ACTIONS → What am I doing?


1. What Happened?

Think of a situation that was difficult, confusing, or frustrating.

What happened?




2. My Thoughts 💭

What thoughts went through your mind?



I was thinking:
☐ “I can handle this.”
☐ “This is difficult.”
☐ “I need help.”
☐ “I might make a mistake.”
☐ Other: __________________________________


3. My Feelings 😊

How did you feel?

☐ Happy
☐ Sad
☐ Worried
☐ Angry
☐ Frustrated
☐ Nervous
☐ Confused
☐ Excited
☐ Calm
☐ Other: __________________

One feeling I noticed: ____________________________


4. My Actions 🚶

What did you do?



I responded by:
☐ Talking to someone
☐ Taking a break
☐ Asking for help
☐ Trying again
☐ Staying quiet
☐ Walking away
☐ Other: __________________________________


5. Complete My CBT Triangle

💭 THOUGHTS

What was I thinking?


⬇️

❤️ FEELINGS

How did I feel?


⬇️

🚶 ACTIONS

What did I do?



6. Try a Different Thought

Is there another helpful or balanced way to look at the situation?

My new thought could be:



For example:

“This is challenging, but I can take it one step at a time.”


7. Try a Different Action

What could you do next time that might help?

☐ Take a few calm breaths
☐ Ask a trusted adult for help
☐ Break the problem into smaller steps
☐ Talk about how I feel
☐ Take a short break
☐ Try again
☐ Other: __________________________________


8. My Helpful Plan ⭐

When I notice:


I can remind myself:


I can try:


A trusted person I can talk to:



Remember 🌈

A thought is not always a fact. Feelings can change, and there can be more than one way to respond to a situation. You can pause, think, and choose a helpful next step.