When It Fits
Use this worksheet when the painful emotion fits the facts and the situation can potentially be changed.
Problem Solving to Change Emotions
Problem Solving to Change Emotions is a DBT problem-solving worksheet for practitioners working with a client whose painful emotion fits the facts and whose situation may be changed. It helps define the problem, set a goal, consider options, choose an action, and review whether the action worked.
Try the 7-step worksheet
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Tool guide
Learn more about this tool
Use this background section to understand when the tool fits, how practitioners use it, and what to consider before sharing it with clients.
Pending Actions
The action and outcome sections can remain pending until the client has tried the selected solution.
Limits
The tool does not become a task manager, solution optimizer, or source of automated clinical advice.
Does the tool choose the best solution?
No. It organizes options and the selected action; the practitioner and client choose and interpret the solution.
What if the problem is not changeable?
The worksheet can be marked not appropriate or stopped without forcing completion.
Can the action be reviewed later?
Yes. A worksheet can remain pending until the client records action taken and outcome.
Are sample options saved when I save the tool?
No. Saving preserves the fixed tool, not fictional demo options or temporary client content.