Graded exposure worksheet for working through things you have been avoiding — step by small step. It is a short, one-page prompt sheet based on the standard behavioural therapy approach for phobias, social anxiety, panic and health anxiety.
The worksheet asks you to pick one goal that avoidance has been getting in the way of, then build a ladder from the easiest step toward it to the hardest. You rate each rung for how anxious it feels now, choose where to start, repeat each step until it feels manageable, and only then move up. The point is not to feel no anxiety — it is to show yourself, in small pieces, that you can do the thing anyway.
Download the free one-page PDF below. It is yours to use, print and share freely.
Download the graded exposure worksheet (PDF)
Prefer to work through this with a counsellor? I offer online counselling across the UK. Book a free 15-minute call.
When this worksheet fits
- You are avoiding something that matters to you — driving, flying, social situations, meetings, phone calls, health checks — and want a way back in.
- You have a specific phobia and want to work on it steadily rather than pushing yourself too hard too fast.
- You are recovering from panic and want to rebuild the places and situations you have narrowed.
- You are between counselling sessions and want a plan to practise between visits.
- You want a simple, visual structure that keeps progress honest, so you can see what you have actually done.
A note on when to seek more support
If anxiety or avoidance is severely limiting your life, if panic feels unmanageable, or if you are experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please contact your GP, call NHS 111 and press 2 for the mental health option, or call Samaritans free on 116 123, 24 hours a day. In an emergency, call 999 or go to A&E.
When counselling helps alongside
Graded exposure is more effective, and usually kinder, when you have another person helping you plan the ladder, choose the right size of step and reflect on what each rung brought up. At Thrive, sessions take place in person in Central Milton Keynes or online across the UK, including Bedford and Northampton. Individual sessions are £55 for 50 minutes. The contact page is the simplest way to start.
Related reading: Anxiety counselling, Breathing techniques worksheet, Grounding 5-4-3-2-1 worksheet.