For some reason, anxiety and depression are so prevalent in our culture. I’m one of the many who are affected by it. Although it’s really hard to tell if it’s genetic, a personality issue, or just part of our crazy busy culture with super high expectations of us, it’s a problem.

It was just recently that I was introduced to the idea of “self-therapy”. At first I thought it sounded super weird, but as I continued to look into it I got really excited! For me, analyzing situations and writing out my thoughts really helps when I’m dealing with any issue. But I had never tried it with my anxiety or depression!

Because this is something I deal with more than any other kind of anxiety, I’m going to start with situational anxiety. Situational anxiety is panic caused by relational situations. It may be something as simple as owing someone some money, being in charge of an event, or worrying for days over a comment you made to someone… or it could be real issues like a falling out with someone or getting called out about a mistake you made.

All of these are real issues in the heart of someone with anxiety and it’s something we have to process in order to find peace. Everyone makes mistakes and this is something I try to remind myself of every time I find myself in a situation causing me anxiety. However, that usually isn’t enough to get me out of it because I end up telling myself that I make more mistakes than anyone else does and it gets me in a huge funk.

If this all sounds familiar to you, you may also get situational anxiety! Next time something comes up and you find yourself unable to stop thinking about it, whip out this self-therapy worksheet and give yourself a pep talk! Let me know what you think about these questions and if they are helpful to you.

1. Describe the situation that has you feeling anxious/depressed.
2. Use one word to describe the feeling that you have about the situation.
3. Number your anxiety/depression from 0-10 (0 = totally at peace, 10 = unable to function)
4. Is there something you could have done differently to avoid the situation? If so, how can you make amends and move on? If not, how can you come to acceptance of the situation?
5. What is your main concern about the outcome of the situation? Can you control the outcome? If not, how can you make peace with this situation?
6. What is something you can do to make the best out of the situation?
7. If someone you love was going through the same thing you are, what advice would you give them?
8. Find a way to describe the situation in a positive light. What did you learn from this experience? Did it help you mature in any way?
9. What is something uplifting you can do right now to help yourself relax and think positively?
10. Will this situation matter in 5 years? If so, what can I do to impact this situation positively? If not, how can I relax and let go of this situation?