Exposure Practice Record
A session-by-session log for tracking distress ratings, duration, and outcomes during exposure exercises
Exposure Practice Record
A session-by-session log for tracking distress ratings, duration, and outcomes during exposure exercises
Exposure Practice Record
A session-by-session log for tracking distress ratings, duration, and outcomes during exposure exercises
Consistent tracking during exposure therapy is essential for both clinical progress and client motivation. Recording Subjective Units of Distress (SUDS) ratings at the beginning, peak, and end of each exposure session lets you and your therapist track how your fear changes over time. Current exposure research also puts weight on comparing what you predicted would happen with what actually happened (Craske et al., 2022). This log also helps identify safety behaviors that may interfere with treatment, and it provides concrete evidence of progress that can sustain motivation through challenging exercises. Rate your distress on a 0 to 100 scale, where 0 means no anxiety, 50 means significant anxiety, and 100 means the most extreme anxiety you can imagine.
- Before each exposure, write the date and the exercise, then what you predict will happen and how sure you are, from 0 to 100%. List the safety behaviors you plan to drop, such as distraction, reassurance-seeking or counting.
- During the exercise, rate your SUDS at the start, at the peak and at the end, and note how long you stayed. Stay until you have tested your prediction, or longer than you thought you could. Your distress does not have to come down before you stop.
- Afterward, write what actually happened and what you learned from it. Compare it with your prediction. A gap between the two is the part that counts.
| Date, exercise and how long | What I predict, and how sure I am (0 to 100%) | Safety behaviors I'll drop | SUDS: start / peak / end | What actually happened, and what I learned |
|---|---|---|---|---|
References
- Craske, M. G., Treanor, M., Zbozinek, T. D., & Vervliet, B. (2022). Optimizing exposure therapy with an inhibitory retrieval approach and the OptEx Nexus. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 152, Article 104069. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2022.104069
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See also
Clinical guides that use this worksheet
Common Questions
What is the Exposure Practice Record worksheet?
Consistent tracking during exposure therapy is essential for both clinical progress and client motivation. Recording Subjective Units of Distress (SUDS) ratings at the beginning, peak, and end of each exposure session lets you and your therapist track how your fear changes over time.
How do I use the Exposure Practice Record 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 Exposure Practice Record 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 Exposure Practice Record 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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