What is the theory behind this anxiety pyramid worksheet? 

Anxiety is a typical response to stressors in daily life. If anxiety is not treated, it can have a negative impact on social and personal functioning and lower quality of life. The preferred treatment for anxiety disorders seems to be CBT.

How will the worksheet help?

The goal of the anxiety pyramid worksheet is to help you identify your triggers for anxiety by making a list of all the scenarios that make you feel nervous. Tracking anxious thoughts and being conscious of their intensity promotes greater anxiety management.

How to use the worksheet?  

The therapist will provide this worksheet to the client during the session. Therapists instruct the client to identify their anxiety triggers and make a hierarchy on the pyramid. 

Anxiety pyramid worksheet

There is a pyramid divided into three parts. List down your anxiety triggers according to their severity, starting from bottom (least distressing triggers) to top (most distressing triggers).

References

Salza, A., Giusti, L., Ussorio, D., Casacchia, M., & Roncone, R. (2020). Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) anxiety management and reasoning bias modification in young adults with anxiety disorders: A real-world study of a therapist-assisted computerized (TACCBT) program vs. “person-to-person” group CBT. Internet Interventions, 19, 100305. 

CBT for anxiety: How it works & examples. (2021, November 10). Choosing Therapy. https://www.choosingtherapy.com/cbt-for-anxiety/

You can download this worksheet here.