COPING WITH PTSD WORKSHEET.
By
HappierTherapy
Author bio
The Happier Therapy editorial team is made up of Masters and PhD counselling psychologists. Each worksheet is created by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The worksheet then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the subject matter and highly cited published material.
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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition triggered when someone has experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, serious accident, terrorist act, war/combat, child abuse, rape/ sexual violence, or death.
What Are The Theories Behind This Worksheet?
Psychotherapy is known to treat people with PTSD.
One of the helpful forms of psychotherapy is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). CBT helps people learn to change unhelpful thinking and behavioural patterns in a number of ways. Some of them include;
- Exposure therapy
This kind of therapy helps people face and control their fears by gradually exposing them to the trauma they experienced in a safe controlled way to distress and learn to cope.
- Cognitive restructuring
This form of therapy helps people focus on modifying the painful negative emotions and beliefs caused by the trauma.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) is another form of psychotherapy used in the treatment of PTSD. It involves processing upsetting trauma-related memories, thoughts and feelings.
How Will This Worksheet Help You?
This worksheet will equip individuals with the coping skills needed to manage symptoms related to PTSD.
This worksheet will also help individuals understand triggers related to PTSD, and provide different techniques that will stop the intense feelings of shame and guilt resulting from the traumatic event.
How Should You Use This Worksheet?
This worksheet should be used when you experience any symptoms of PTSD -emotional flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt, and uncontrollable thoughts about the traumatic event-.
You should also use this worksheet to help you desensitize your traumatic memories and thoughts and replace them with healthier and positive thoughts.
COPING WITH PTSD WORKSHEET.
SECTION B.
- In what ways do you find yourself relieving your traumatic experience?
Example: Nightmares
- What are some of the unhelpful thoughts and emotions you have due to the traumatic experience?
| UNHELPFUL THOUGHTS | UNHELPFUL EMOTIONS |
- What are some of the PTSD triggers you battle with?
- List down the unhealthy coping skills you engage in due to the stressful effects of the trauma.
- In what ways do you relieve your daily stressors?
- What kind of support would you like to receive to help you cope with the stressful effects of the trauma?
- What are some of the healthy coping strategies you can engage in to help you cope with the stressful effects of the trauma?
- Identify ways you are learning to face and control your fears.
| FACING YOUR FEARS | CONTROLLING YOUR FEARS |
- Identify four things you are grateful for every day before you sleep.
- Daily journal.
Keeping a daily journal of your thoughts and emotions about the traumatic event can reduce stress and improve your overall health.
You can download this worksheet here.
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References
1.-
American Psychological Association. (© 2022). How to cope with traumatic stress. Available at: https://www.apa.org/topics/trauma/stress. [Accessed November 10, 2022]
2.-
National Institute of Mental Health. (© 2022). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Available at: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd#part_2241. [Accessed November 10, 2022]
