Core Beliefs Worksheet

GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC

Worksheet published on September 20th, 2022

Core Beliefs Worksheet

Core beliefs are the strong and withstanding beliefs that a person has about themselves and how they relate to others, the world, and their future. These beliefs are based on what a person has learned through life experiences and begin being formed during childhood.

The way a person sees each aspect of their life is affected by their core beliefs. If you have negative, irrational, or unhealthy core beliefs, you will have a negative perspective of yourself and your life.

Most people are not consciously aware of how their core beliefs affect their impression of situations, which makes them draw upsetting and negative conclusions. Being aware of how your core beliefs affect you can boost your understanding of your thinking errors. Understanding your thinking errors is an important step toward having healthier thoughts. It also helps with developing healthier core beliefs.

When core beliefs are brought to a client’s attention, it puts into perspective how their thinking errors may be affecting them. It helps them see unhealthy perspectives in ways they had not previously realized.

About This Worksheet

This is the Core Beliefs worksheet. On this worksheet, the client is asked to represent how they see themselves, the world, and their future. It is a reflective exercise that helps the client see how their thoughts and core beliefs shape their perspectives.

By identifying and reflecting on core beliefs, the client can understand how they shape their behavior, ideas, and perspectives around their core beliefs. The client is encouraged to use keywords and pictures, rather than complete sentences.

This is an excellent worksheet to use with adolescents and adults. It can be used in individual or group sessions. It can also be helpful in family sessions if the therapist deems it appropriate. The Core Beliefs worksheet can help in the treatment of anxiety, mood disorders, and personality disorders. It is an instrumental tool to use in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Instructions

The Core Beliefs worksheet consists of 3 categories of core beliefs. The client is asked to reflect on each of the three categories. They are instructed to use pictures and keywords to represent their core beliefs for each category.

At the end of each of the three sections, you may choose to ask the client to write a conclusion sentence. This can help summarize the core belief that reflects each category. If available, the use of colored pencils is encouraged. This can help the client express what they are thinking and feeling while working on each category. 

When the client has finished, reflect on each category of the worksheet with the client. Try to help them find key themes in their core beliefs, and initiate a conversation about how their core beliefs may be affecting them.

Download Core Beliefs Worksheet

Link To This Worksheet

2 Comments On Core Beliefs Worksheet

  1. Abigail

    Looks like a helpful resource to understand difference between core beliefs and values

    • Thank you for your feedback! It is so important to understand how both core beliefs and values affect our lives. Both are helpful to explore in therapy.

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