Templates / Problem solving therapy worksheet

Mental Health

Problem solving therapy worksheet

Free PDF • 3 pages, print-ready • Clinician-reviewed

Anja Dodevska Last updated November 6, 2026 Reviewed by Dr. Vanja Kitanova

---

A problem solving therapy worksheet is a structured form that takes a patient from one practical problem to a dated review of their plan. Its six sections cover the problem and its causes, the emotions and thoughts it triggers, and possible solutions. The patient then picks a solution, writes an action plan and reviews it later. Clinicians use it in session and as homework, printed or sent as a digital form. It supports your clinical judgment and does not replace it.

Template details

Template type

Worksheet

Format

Printable PDF, 3 pages

Sections

7 sections

Fields to complete

46 fields

Best for

Mental Health

Key takeaways

The worksheet works best on one specific, practical problem, not on open-ended distress.

Its six sections run from defining the problem to a dated review, so the work continues between sessions.

Sorting what sits inside and outside the patient’s control decides whether the plan targets the problem or how they cope with it.

Evidence for problem solving therapy is strongest in depression, so check the literature before using it for other presentations.

Pabau’s digital forms send the worksheet to patients and keep the completed copy with their record.

What is a problem solving therapy worksheet?

A problem solving therapy worksheet is the written form of the core method in problem solving therapy (PST). It sets out that method as prompts a patient answers alone or with you. PST traces back to a 1971 paper by D’Zurilla and Goldfried.

NICE depression guidance includes problem solving among the psychological options clinicians can consider for mild to moderate depression. The evidence is strongest for depression and thinner for other presentations, so check the current literature for your patient group.

How to work through the six sections in session

Introduce the worksheet in session and complete the first sections together. Set the action plan as homework, then use the review section at the next visit.

1. Identify the problem. Ask the patient to describe it in concrete, observable terms. Then list its causes, its likely consequences and whatever already makes it more manageable, and close with one overall goal.
2. Emotional and cognitive response. Record the emotions the problem triggers and the thoughts that come with it. Ask whether each thought is rational and whether it helps.
3. Solution generation. Split the problem into the parts inside and outside the patient’s control. Brainstorm solutions before judging any of them, noting which part each one addresses.
4. Solution selection. Choose the option that is most effective, most feasible and closest to the goal. Weigh its pros and cons, and plan around any unintended consequences.
5. Action plan. Write the practical steps, the cognitive and emotion regulation strategies the patient will use, who can help, and a fallback if the plan stalls.
6. Review and adjust. Date the review, note what worked and what did not, and change the plan. The closing box holds your own clinical notes.

Section 3 often redirects the work. When most of the problem sits outside the patient’s control, the action plan shifts. It leans on emotion regulation and support instead of fixing the problem itself.

Section 2 can also surface catastrophic predictions that block every option. Work through those with a decatastrophizing worksheet before moving on to solutions. The diagram below shows what the patient writes in each section.

Who the worksheet helps

It helps clinicians working with adults, teens and younger patients who face a defined, practical problem. Typical examples are a recurring conflict, work pressure or a decision the patient keeps postponing. Typical users include:

• Therapists and counselors running short, goal-focused sessions
• Psychologists who want structured tasks between appointments
• Clinicians working with patients who have depression or anxiety, where PST has been studied

Practices that manage notes and forms digitally can keep completed worksheets alongside electronic records for mental health.

Why a written structure helps between sessions

A worksheet gives structure to sessions where patients feel stuck, and it leaves a written trail of their reasoning. In practice, that helps in four ways:

• Patients follow a clear sequence instead of circling the same problem.
• Homework continues between sessions without you rebuilding the plan each week.
• You and the patient can review options and outcomes side by side.
• The completed sheet supports your clinical notes and progress reviews.

PST vs CBT: How the two approaches differ

PST and CBT share cognitive and behavioral foundations, but PST is a separate protocol built around solving one defined problem.

Choose PST when the patient’s main difficulty is a practical problem they can name. Choose CBT when the work centers on a disorder-specific cognitive or behavioral target, where an ABCDE CBT worksheet fits better. Some protocols blend elements of both, so check the model you were trained in.

Adapting the worksheet for adults, teens and youth

Adults can often complete the sheet alone, while teens and younger patients may need you to model the first problem together. Keep these adjustments in mind:

• Use concrete examples from school, home or friendships for younger patients.
• Shorten the problem statement so it fits on one line.
• Review more often with patients who have low energy or low mood, as they may need smaller steps.

Clinical safeguards and data protection

The worksheet supports clinical judgment and does not replace it, especially where risk is present. Apply these checks before you hand it over:

• Screen for risk first. If a patient discloses risk, follow your crisis procedures and complete a patient safety plan before any problem solving work.
• Keep completed worksheets secure, and check how HIPAA applies to storing patient records in your setting.
• Record the decisions the patient made and the review date in your session notes.
• Adjust the worksheet for children and for patients with severe mental illness, and follow local guidance on suitability.

How Pabau keeps worksheet homework moving

Most practices print the worksheet, hand it over at the end of a session and hope it comes back. A sheet that stays at home leaves the review section with nothing to review.

Pabau, the practice management software we build for therapy practices, sends the worksheet as a digital form before or after the appointment. The completed copy lands in the patient record, next to your notes.

After the session, Pabau Scribe, our AI scribe, drafts the session note from what was discussed. The review at the next visit then starts from a written plan instead of memory.

Keep worksheet homework and session notes together

Pabau sends the worksheet as a digital form and keeps the completed copy in the patient record. Your session notes sit in the same place.

Book a demo

Conclusion

The worksheet earns its place when the patient leaves with one written plan and a date to review it. Pick a small problem first, and hold the review on the date you set. Let section 3 decide whether the plan targets the problem or how the patient copes.

The trade-off is speed. Six sections take longer than an informal chat, but they leave a record you can return to. If your practice wants that record kept in one system, see how Pabau for therapy practices handles forms and notes. Book a demo to see the worksheet sent, completed and reviewed in one workflow.

Continue your research

Facing an urgent risk concern? Crisis intervention strategies for clinicians outlines approaches for sessions where safety becomes the priority.

Need a structured assessment before planning treatment? Psychiatric evaluation template offers a framework for documenting the initial picture.

Is the patient torn between two options? Decisional balance worksheet weighs the costs and benefits of change before a solution is chosen.

Want the action plan to have measurable steps? SMART goals worksheet turns a broad goal into specific, time-bound targets.

Frequently asked questions