What is the theory behind this anxiety self talk worksheet? 

Your inner dialogue, or how you speak to yourself, is called self-talk. It is based on the thoughts, beliefs, and ideas that are retained in your subconscious mind. It can be   either positive or negative. According to research, the CBT technique known as self-talk can help athletes in reducing competitiveness while also improving their performance, self-efficacy, and volitional abilities. Self talk is found to be beneficial in reducing anxiety in other anxiety provoking situations.      

How will the worksheet help?

The worksheet will give the clients awareness about the self talk. It makes clients able to identify their self talk and change negative self talk to positive self talk that will help in managing anxiety.  

How to use the worksheet?  

The therapists can provide this worksheet during the session. Therapists will instruct clients to identify their self talk and change it to positive self talk. Clients can continue this worksheet as homework .  

Anxiety self talk worksheet

Self -Talk

Whether you are conscious of it or not, your self-talk either undermines (negative) or encourages (positive) you. Self-talk that is negative can lead to unneeded stress and anxiety. Positive self-talk promotes achievement, effective coping, self-confidence, and a general sense of wellbeing. 

Identify the self talk As you listen to others, now listen to yourself. Listen to your inner dialogues that are increasing your anxiety or making it difficult for you to manage anxiety. List down your inner negative dialogues.

Challenge the Negative talk Ask yourself these questions and evaluate each of your inner dialogues that you have listed. Am I being too stressed? Does it really matter that much? Am I generalising too much? Am I making a decision based more on my opinion or my past experiences than on the truth? Am I being too critical of myself? Do you use adjectives like “dumb,” “hopeless,” or “fat” to describe yourself?What evidence do I have that my thoughts are accurate? What is the evidence against it?Is there any evidence that justify your inner dialogues?

Time to change the gears Now that you know more about your inner dialogues, it’s time to change gears and discover a different method of self-talk. Look back at the negative talk that you have listed and try to change it into a positive and kinder one.

References

Morris, S. Y. (n.d.). Self-talk: Why it matters. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/self-talk#getting-started

Boulkraa, M. (2016). Positive self-talk :, an unexploited self-management cognitive-motivational strategy at the University level and its effect on students’ oral performances. مجلة العلوم الإنسانية, 78. 

Walter, N., Nikoleizig, L., & Alfermann, D. (2019). Effects of Self-Talk Training on Competitive Anxiety, Self-Efficacy, Volitional Skills, and Performance: An Intervention Study with Junior Sub-Elite Athletes. Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 7(6), 148. 

You can download this worksheet here.