PICTORIAL THOUGHT RECORD
A visual way to understand your thoughts, feelings and choices
Thought records are often very word-heavy. For some people, that works well. For others, especially when overwhelmed, anxious, tired, dyslexic, neurodivergent or simply more visually minded, finding and organising all those words can become another barrier.
The Pictorial Thought Record offers another way.
Instead of relying only on writing, you can use pictures, symbols, colours, arrows, shapes, photographs or simple marks to explore what happened, what your mind made it mean, how you felt and what you did next.
You do not need to be able to draw.
A stick figure, thought bubble, storm cloud, scribble, colour or simple symbol is enough. This is not about creating artwork — it is about making your experience easier to see and understand.
Inside the guide you will find:
• a simple visual thought-record sequence
• ideas for representing situations, thoughts and emotions pictorially
• prompts for noticing body sensations and actions
• two printable pictorial thought-record worksheets
• a “widen the frame” exercise for finding another perspective
• ideas for using colours, photographs, stickers and personal symbols
• guidance for recognising repeating patterns
• a supportive message from me
The basic sequence is:
Situation → Thought → Feeling → Body → Action → Wider View
The aim is not to tell yourself that your first thought was wrong or to force a positive alternative. It is to slow the experience down, notice the connections and create space for another possible interpretation or response.
If traditional worksheets have never suited you, change the format rather than assuming you are the problem.
Make it visual. Make it simple. Make it yours.
Space to Breathe Therapy
