These cognitive behavioral therapy activities help teach and reinforce CBT techniques.
Cognitive behavioral therapy can seem a bit complicated at first. Fortunately, CBT activity sheets, games, and other exercises can make techniques easier and even fun. With that in mind, let’s jump right into activities you can view and download, including PDFs you can use as soon as today.
1. CBT Activity Sheets for Anxiety and PTSD
This packet of CBT worksheets can be downloaded, printed, or even shared via email with clients. It’s available as 8 separate worksheets, or as one PDF workbook. The pages include cognitive restructuring sheets and build upon each other, if you choose to use them that way.
Topics covered include:
Coping with anxiety
Understanding post-traumatic stress (PTSD)
Emotional regulation
Introduction to Cognitive restructuring
Creating an Anxiety Hierarchy
Restructuring trauma stuck-points
Writing a trauma narrative
Reflecting on post-traumatic growth
These worksheets are best for problems like general anxiety, phobias, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). You can use them along with your therapy or share them with clients. Download them now.
2. CBT Jeopardy-Style Game
The CBT Game Show is Jeopardy-inspired with a set of interactive categories and prompts. It’s available as a PowerPoint and PDF version. The PowerPoint version includes clickable links so you can move around the game and screens, similar to a real game show. Example prompts include:
Describe a way to safely express a difficult feeling such as fear or anger.
Give an example of a less helpful coping skill and a more helpful one. Why do you think people use less helpful skills sometimes?
What’s a fun think you’ve never tried but would like to do?
The prompts are kid-friendly but have also been used with teen and adult groups. Since the game is in PowerPoint you can edit the prompts as well. Learn more.
3. Cognitive Behavioral Triangle Activity Sheet
The CBT triangle is a more basic activity sheet that covers the cognitive triangle. It reviews the three points of the triangle including thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, providing instruction and examples. The second part of the worksheet includes open space for you to walk through your own example and help restructure a common thought or belief. Check it out.
4. Printable Therapy Dice
This set of printable dice includes prompts based on CBT, DBT, and coping skills. Since they’re in PDF form you can reprint them as much as needed. There are prompts and ideas to play the dice as a game, or you can simply share and discuss the dice in an individual session or in groups. Example prompts include:
Name or describe a cognitive distortion.
Describe or show a mindfulness activity that can help with stress.
Name a feeling you’ve had before and how it shows up in the body
The dice set also includes feelings themselves, such as dice with “anger” or “happy” printed on them, to use along with other prompts. Download the PDF.
5. CBT Island Quest Board Game
CBT Island Quest is a printable therapy game that includes prompts to discuss ideas and skills relating to cognitive behavioral therapy. Categories include CBT and relaxation/mindfulness topics. Here are some example prompts:
Describe a calming breathing skill
What are the corners of the CBT triangle?
Give an example of challenging a negative thought
The game moves around an “island” as players roll dice and answer questions. There are also wild cards to make the game more interesting. Check it out.
6. CBT Lingo (Bingo Inspired)
CBT Lingo is a playable game with multiple Bingo-type cards including prompts based on cognitive behavioral therapy. Unlike other therapy Bingo-style games, there are multiple different cards included with 50 total prompts, and you can play it similar to a real Bingo game.
The cards are even saved separately so you can send individual cards for playing over telehealth. Example prompts are:
How do behaviors connect to feelings?
What is emotional reasoning?
What does it mean to challenge a thought
This is a great game for groups learning and practicing CBT. Learn more.
7. Coping Skills Cards
This set of coping skills cards includes skills from several categories, including CBT. Although created for kids, many adults also find them helpful. Categories, along with CBT, include mindfulness, creativity, movement, and distraction. Example skills written on cards are:
Draw
Visit Nature
Write
Skate
Shake
The cards include fun “magical” creatures including dragons and unicorns for a kid-friendly feel. They are helpful to print and keep a deck handy or send them home with clients. Check them out.
Bundle and Save
If you're like me, you're always needing new activities, depending on your clients age or goals, group topics, or classrooms. One of the best deals you can get is our giant store bundle that includes everything above and much more. See everything included.
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