Coping Strategy Tracker
Rate your distress before and after each skill on a 0 to 100 scale, and find the ones you can count on
Coping Strategy Tracker
Rate your distress before and after each skill on a 0 to 100 scale, and find the ones you can count on
Coping Strategy Tracker
Rate your distress before and after each skill on a 0 to 100 scale, and find the ones you can count on
A skill that helped once might have been luck. A skill that brings your distress down on four different days is one you can lean on. This tracker gives you the numbers to tell the two apart.
Ratings use a 0 to 100 distress scale. 0 is completely calm. Around 30, something is bothering you, but you can still work, talk, and think clearly. Around 60, it is hard to focus on anything else. 90 to 100 is the most upset you have ever been. The scale is personal, so your 60 does not need to match anyone else's. Some therapists call this a SUDS rating, short for subjective units of distress.
Keep an eye on how long each skill took, too. Distress can ease on its own as time passes, so a skill that lowered your number in two minutes tells you more than one that took an hour. Need ideas to try? The Coping Skills Picker suggests three at a time.
If your numbers stay in the 90s for long stretches, or you have thoughts of hurting yourself, tell your therapist or doctor. In the US you can call or text 988 at any time.
- Fill in a row each time you use a coping skill on purpose, ideally within the hour.
- Rate your distress from 0 to 100 just before you start.
- Write the skill and roughly how long you used it, for example "slow breathing, 5 minutes."
- Rate your distress again right after you stop.
- Under What I Noticed, jot down anything that stood out: what made it easier or harder, where you were, what your body did.
- In the last column, write yes, maybe, or no for whether you would use this skill again in a similar moment.
- After four or more rows, look for the skills that bring your number down again and again. Write them in the first box at the bottom, and in the second, the moments you'll reach for them.
| What Was Going On | Distress Before (0-100) | Skill I Used & For How Long | Distress After (0-100) | What I Noticed | Use It Again? (Yes / Maybe / No) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The skills that help me most
When I'll reach for them
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Common Questions
What is the Coping Strategy Tracker worksheet?
A skill that helped once might have been luck. A skill that brings your distress down on four different days is one you can lean on. This tracker gives you the numbers to tell the two apart. Ratings use a 0 to 100 distress scale. 0 is completely calm.
How do I use the Coping Strategy Tracker worksheet?
Fill out this worksheet digitally or print it for use in session. You can save your progress with a Pro account. Take your time with each column — there are no right or wrong answers.
Is the Coping Strategy Tracker worksheet free?
Yes. Like every worksheet on Therapy Resource, it is free to read, print, and download as a PDF, no account required. A Pro subscription adds online filling with saved progress, practice-branded PDF exports, and secure client sharing.
Can I fill out the Coping Strategy Tracker worksheet online?
Yes. Switch the worksheet to "Type on Screen" mode to fill in the fields directly in your browser before printing. Pro members can also save their entries across sessions and export the completed worksheet as a branded PDF.
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