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What Is Therapy Homework?

Sanjana is a health writer and editor. Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness.

Dr. Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and a professor at Yeshiva University’s clinical psychology doctoral program.

Astrakan Images / Getty Images

Types of Therapy That Involve Homework

If you’ve recently started going to therapy , you may find yourself being assigned therapy homework. You may wonder what exactly it entails and what purpose it serves. Therapy homework comprises tasks or assignments that your therapist asks you to complete between sessions, says Nicole Erkfitz , DSW, LCSW, a licensed clinical social worker and executive director at AMFM Healthcare, Virginia.

Homework can be given in any form of therapy, and it may come as a worksheet, a task to complete, or a thought/piece of knowledge you are requested to keep with you throughout the week, Dr. Erkfitz explains.

This article explores the role of homework in certain forms of therapy, the benefits therapy homework can offer, and some tips to help you comply with your homework assignments.

Therapy homework can be assigned as part of any type of therapy. However, some therapists and forms of therapy may utilize it more than others.

For instance, a 2019-study notes that therapy homework is an integral part of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) . According to Dr. Erkfitz, therapy homework is built into the protocol and framework of CBT, as well as dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) , which is a sub-type of CBT.

Therefore, if you’re seeing a therapist who practices CBT or DBT, chances are you’ll regularly have homework to do.

On the other hand, an example of a type of therapy that doesn’t generally involve homework is eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. EMDR is a type of therapy that generally relies on the relationship between the therapist and client during sessions and is a modality that specifically doesn’t rely on homework, says Dr. Erkfitz.

However, she explains that if the client is feeling rejuvenated and well after their processing session, for instance, their therapist may ask them to write down a list of times that their positive cognition came up for them over the next week.

"Regardless of the type of therapy, the best kind of homework is when you don’t even realize you were assigned homework," says Erkfitz.

Benefits of Therapy Homework

Below, Dr. Erkfitz explains the benefits of therapy homework.

It Helps Your Therapist Review Your Progress

The most important part of therapy homework is the follow-up discussion at the next session. The time you spend reviewing with your therapist how the past week went, if you completed your homework, or if you didn’t and why, gives your therapist valuable feedback on your progress and insight on how they can better support you.

It Gives Your Therapist More Insight

Therapy can be tricky because by the time you are committed to showing up and putting in the work, you are already bringing a better and stronger version of yourself than what you have been experiencing in your day-to-day life that led you to seek therapy.

Homework gives your therapist an inside look into your day-to-day life, which can sometimes be hard to recap in a session. Certain homework assignments keep you thinking throughout the week about what you want to share during your sessions, giving your therapist historical data to review and address.

It Helps Empower You

The sense of empowerment you can gain from utilizing your new skills, setting new boundaries , and redirecting your own cognitive distortions is something a therapist can’t give you in the therapy session. This is something you give yourself. Therapy homework is how you come to the realization that you got this and that you can do it.

"The main benefit of therapy homework is that it builds your skills as well as the understanding that you can do this on your own," says Erkfitz.

Tips for Your Therapy Homework

Below, Dr. Erkfitz shares some tips that can help with therapy homework:

• Set aside time for your homework: Create a designated time to complete your therapy homework. The aim of therapy homework is to keep you thinking and working on your goals between sessions. Use your designated time as a sacred space to invest in yourself and pour your thoughts and emotions into your homework, just as you would in a therapy session .
• Be honest: As therapists, we are not looking for you to write down what you think we want to read or what you think you should write down. It’s important to be honest with us, and yourself, about what you are truly feeling and thinking.
• Practice your skills: Completing the worksheet or log are important, but you also have to be willing to put your skills and learnings into practice. Allow yourself to be vulnerable and open to trying new things so that you can report back to your therapist about whether what you’re trying is working for you or not.
• Remember that it’s intended to help you: Therapy homework helps you maximize the benefits of therapy and get the most value out of the process. A 2013-study notes that better homework compliance is linked to better treatment outcomes.
• Talk to your therapist if you’re struggling: Therapy homework shouldn’t feel like work. If you find that you’re doing homework as a monotonous task, talk to your therapist and let them know that your heart isn’t in it and that you’re not finding it beneficial. They can explain the importance of the tasks to you, tailor your assignments to your preferences, or change their course of treatment if need be.

"When the therapy homework starts 'hitting home' for you, that’s when you know you’re on the right track and doing the work you need to be doing," says Erkfitz.

A Word From Verywell

Similar to how school involves classwork and homework, therapy can also involve in-person sessions and homework assignments.

If your therapist has assigned you homework, try to make time to do it. Completing it honestly can help you and your therapist gain insights into your emotional processes and overall progress. Most importantly, it can help you develop coping skills and practice them, which can boost your confidence, empower you, and make your therapeutic process more effective.

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We've tried, tested, and written unbiased reviews of the best online therapy programs including Talkspace, BetterHelp, and ReGain. Find out which option is the best for you.

Conklin LR, Strunk DR, Cooper AA. Therapist behaviors as predictors of immediate homework engagement in cognitive therapy for depression . Cognit Ther Res . 2018;42(1):16-23. doi:10.1007/s10608-017-9873-6

Lebeau RT, Davies CD, Culver NC, Craske MG. Homework compliance counts in cognitive-behavioral therapy . Cogn Behav Ther . 2013;42(3):171-179. doi:10.1080/16506073.2013.763286

By Sanjana Gupta Sanjana is a health writer and editor. Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness.

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Benefits of Homework in CBT Online Group Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a well-known and evidence-based therapy that is effective for a wide range of mental health concerns. CBT often involves homework assignments, where individuals are encouraged to practice new skills and strategies outside of therapy sessions to reinforce learning and promote positive behavior change. 

With the rise of online therapy, group therapy sessions have become increasingly accessible and convenient, allowing individuals to participate from their homes. In group therapy sessions, homework can be an incredibly effective tool, as individuals can share their experiences and learn from each other's successes and challenges. This article will explore the benefits of using homework in online group therapy sessions for CBT and how it can help individuals achieve their therapy goals.

Benefits of homework with CBT

There are several reasons why Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and homework work well together in an online group therapy environment. Here are several reasons homework is highly beneficial for those taking cognitive behavioral therapy group therapy sessions online.

Reinforcement of new skills

Homework assignments can reinforce new skills and strategies learned in therapy sessions, allowing individuals to apply them in real-life situations. In an online group therapy environment, individuals can share their experiences with their peers and receive feedback and support, which can help them solidify their learning and reinforce positive changes.

Accountability

In an online group therapy environment, individuals are more likely to complete their homework assignments when they know they will share their progress with others. This can lead to greater accountability and motivation and increase the likelihood of achieving therapy goals.

Flexibility

Online group therapy sessions offer flexibility in scheduling and location, making it easier for individuals to attend therapy and complete homework assignments. They can participate from the comfort of their homes at a time that works best for their schedule.

Supportive environment

Group therapy can provide a supportive and validating environment where individuals can share their experiences, learn from each other, and receive peer support. A supportive environment can help reduce feelings of isolation and promote community, which is particularly important in an online setting.

Cost-effective

Online group therapy sessions can be more cost-effective than individual therapy sessions, which may make therapy more accessible to individuals who cannot afford one-on-one therapy. Homework assignments can also be a cost-effective way to practice new skills and strategies, as they do not require additional therapy sessions.

Combining CBT and homework in an online group therapy environment can be a powerful tool for promoting positive change and improving mental health outcomes.

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Led by a licensed therapist, our weekly group sessions are conducted remotely for the convenience of our members. Feedback from participants indicates that 70% experienced significant improvements within just 8 weeks.

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45+ Powerful Therapy Exercises For Clients, Couples & Groups

By identifying and sharing appropriate therapy exercises with clients, therapists help clients learn to manage existing problems and gain self-help skills for use going forward (Nelson-Jones, 2014).

In this article, we share many of our favorite free therapy exercises and suggest situations and groups where they may be best placed. Why not review them and reflect on their potential to boost engagement while supporting growth and development in individual, couple, and group settings?

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive CBT Exercises for free . These science-based exercises will provide you with detailed insight into positive Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and give you the tools to apply it in your therapy or coaching.

This Article Contains

How to use exercises in therapy, 19 popular therapy exercises to try, 14 exercises and activities for couples, 7 group therapy exercises for your sessions, 5 simple therapeutic writing exercises, resources from positivepsychology.com, a take-home message, frequently asked questions.

A vital aspect of therapy is for the counselor or therapist to “collaborate with clients to achieve change and then for clients to maintain that change” long after treatment ends (Nelson-Jones, 2014, p. 52).

Mental health practitioners must understand the skills their clients need to develop, demonstrate how they can be implemented, and engage them in performing structured activities and homework tasks.

While it is essential that the counselor form a solid therapeutic bond with their client, it is similarly crucial that they identify and share powerful therapy exercises that support them in replacing their old self-defeating ways with more helpful, better skills (Nelson-Jones, 2014).

Unsurprisingly, research recognizes a significant connection between completing therapeutic homework and treatment outcomes (Mausbach et al., 2010).

The following exercises can be empowering when working with clients experiencing anxiety.

6 Exercises for managing anxiety

While the effects of anxiety can be catastrophic and far reaching, therapeutic interventions can be highly successful in helping clients redirect their minds away from “worry and negative self-appraisals and toward greater acceptance of internal states” (Crowley et al., 2017, p. 130).

The following therapy exercises will help:

• Event Visualization Worksheet Detailed imagination of a future event or challenge offers a safe and controlled environment for reducing concern and anxiety and gaining confidence without risk of failure.
• Tackling Anxious Thoughts Clients can learn how to notice anxious and irrational thoughts and find more helpful and rational alternatives.
• Managing Panic This is a valuable worksheet for identifying triggers and sources of panic and anxiety and recognizing associated feelings and behavior.
• Anxiety Record Maintaining a record of the causes of anxiety can be enlightening and empowering.
• Best and Worst When working with children, creating a Venn diagram can be a helpful visual representation of their anxieties versus potentially positive outcomes.
• Labeling Your Emotions Giving names to feelings can help children identify and understand their anxiety without forming guilt or engaging in judgment.

6 Best exercises for depression

Depression can be helped by understanding its causes and triggers while building a resilient mindset that increases positivity, improves stress recovery, and maintains flexibility in challenging environments (Waugh & Koster, 2015).

The following worksheets are valuable tools for use when working with clients experiencing depression or at risk of future episodes:

• Recognizing Rumination Persistent negative thinking is a key risk factor for depression. This template helps identify unhelpful thoughts and how they interfere with daily living.
• Guilt and Shame Emotions That Drive Depression Feeling guilt and shame can push an individual deeper into their depression. The clients answer questions in this exercise to help identify and better understand such emotions.
• Depressive Thought Worksheet for Teens Young people can benefit from reflecting on situations causing negative thinking and changing them into more realistic thoughts.
• What Is Depression? A Fact Sheet for Teenagers This valuable and insightful fact sheet explains what depression is, its signs and symptoms, potential behavioral changes, and how to seek help.
• My Depression Story Use this worksheet with clients to create a timeline of their lives to understand the key moments that shaped their perspective.
• Unhelpful Thinking Styles Our underlying thought patterns can worsen our depression. Share this worksheet with clients to identify unhelpful thinking styles and how to reconstruct them more positively.

7 Helpful exercises for building self-esteem

While poor self-esteem may emerge early in life, it can also develop in adulthood, caused by a combination of negative self-beliefs, harsh feedback, and challenging environments (Orth & Robins, 2019).

The following helpful exercises can boost clients’ self-esteem and challenge harsh self-evaluations:

• Designing Affirmations Positively focused self-affirmations can reinforce our self-identity and outcomes related to meaningful personal values.
• The Self-Esteem Checkup This valuable tool offers clients insight into their degree of self-love, self-respect, and confidence in their capabilities.
• Understanding Self-Confidence This worksheet helps teens, adolescents, and adults familiarize themselves with the mental and bodily experiences associated with self-confidence.
• My “Love Letter” to Myself Use this worksheet with clients to help them identify their best traits, abilities, and talents and consider how they have benefited them and others in their lives.
• Things I Like About Me This worksheet helps children and teenagers see the beauty resulting from their uniqueness. Use this worksheet to encourage them to understand all they can do, how they treat others, and what they like about themselves.
• Self-Esteem Journal for Adults Journaling can promote positive self-reflection and enhance self-esteem. Ask the client to complete the questions and then reflect on their thinking patterns, feelings, and emotions.
• Track and Measure Success We are all much better at remembering what we did wrong rather than our successes. Ask clients to keep a copy of what went well and review it before future challenges.

Download 3 Free Positive CBT Exercises (PDF)

These detailed, science-based exercises will equip you or your clients with tools to find new pathways to reduce suffering and more effectively cope with life stressors.

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Inevitably, couples disagree. However, when differences become irreconcilable, couples therapy can help regain trust, rebuild communication, and strengthen relationship bonds (Greiger, 2015).

The following exercises and activities are powerful tools for use with clients to support them on their journey.

30 Questions to ask couples

• Conflict Resolutions Checklist This valuable set of 10 questions ensures both partners have taken the steps to reduce or remove conflict.
• Valuing My Partner These five questions support clients in seeing their partners in a more positive (and realistic) light.
• Relationship History and Philosophy Questionnaire These 11 questions encourage couples to rediscover their admiration and love for one another through revisiting their shared history.
• Marital Conflict Questionnaire Use this four-question sheet to recognize and understand multiple conflicts the couple is experiencing.

4 Couples exercises to build trust

• Anger Exit and Re-Entry Routines This exercise builds relationship trust by identifying when conversations become heated and when it is time to exit, cool down, or re-enter.
• Imago Workup Identifying each other’s needs, desires, and past experiences can enhance understanding, encourage vulnerability, and boost trust in any relationship.
• Things I Love These are 10 prompts to be answered by each partner to encourage more robust, fruitful connections and strengthen the couple’s bond.
• Good Qualities Ask couples to work through the four prompts and capture and share good qualities, cherished memories, what they appreciate, and how the other person shows they care.

3 Exercises couples can perform at home

• From My Way to Our Way Couples may find living together challenging. This helpful exercise encourages partners to find a middle ground between two possibly very different views of everyday activities.
• Turning You Into I Worksheet “You” statements can sound critical and judgmental. In this exercise, each partner focuses on using the “I” pronoun to express how they feel and thereby support empathy.
• 10 Tips for Coping With Your Partner’s Upset While listening to a partner’s pain is sometimes difficult, this exercise can help avoid becoming overwhelmed.

3 Exercises for long-distance relationships

• Active Listening Reflection Worksheet Being apart can significantly strain a relationship. Each partner will benefit from improving their active listening skills to boost understanding and reduce the likelihood of misinterpretation of what is being communicated on a call, video chat, or in person.
• Traps to Avoid and Tips for Success Conflicts can often be avoided — or at least managed better — by learning the mistakes we make in our communication and following these six tips for conflict resolution.
• Effective Communication Reflection Worksheet Provide clients with this helpful worksheet to encourage them to reflect on their communication and how it might be improved.

The following exercises support group-based therapy in children and adults:

• Telling an Empathy Story Telling someone else’s story can be a powerful way to understand their perspective while developing empathy. This five-step worksheet helps group members focus on feelings and what it’s like to be in someone else’s situation.
• What I See in You We rarely see ourselves as others do. In this exercise, the group takes turns offering compliments to an individual member, which they then repeat back using the pronoun “I.”
• Nudge Interventions in Groups A group environment creates a powerful opportunity to identify, explore, and discuss small changes that can have significant behavioral outcomes.
• Group Boundary-Setting Exercise This exercise provides an opportunity to practice using body language and speech to set boundaries with others in a group setting.
• Creating an Empathy Picture Helpful for multiple age groups, this exercise encourages members to reflect on and understand another person’s feelings.
• Support Group Evaluation Form It is vital to assess the appropriateness of interventions performed continuously within a group setting to ensure their suitability.
• Group Counseling Permission Form This is a helpful form for parents to give their consent for their children to attend group counseling.

“Writing about traumatic, stressful or emotional events has been found to result in improvements in both physical and psychological health.”

Baikie & Wilhelm, 2005, p. 338

Simply capturing our thoughts, emotions, and concerns regularly — perhaps daily in a journal — has been shown to boost our moods and improve our overall sense of psychological wellbeing (Baikie & Wilhelm, 2005).

The following five exercises encourage clients to self-reflect and then capture how they feel and think digitally or on paper:

• Gratitude Journal Writing down daily everything that we are grateful for and learning from the challenges we face provides a powerful exercise for boosting our focus on the good things in life.
• Who Am I? Stopping to reflect and answer questions about ourselves increases self-awareness and self-knowledge. This two-part writing activity can be used in individual and group settings.
• Self-Love Journal These 10 self-love writing prompts encourage self-inquiry while identifying ways to introduce more self-directed compassion and kindness.
• Self-Love Sentence Stems Completing these 20 self-love partial sentences can boost self-awareness and self-kindness in clients who tend toward self-criticism.
• Reverse the Rabbit Hole Capturing worries and potentially positive and negative outcomes on paper can make clients’ concerns more manageable.

17 Science-Based Ways To Apply Positive CBT

These 17 Positive CBT & Cognitive Therapy Exercises [PDF] include our top-rated, ready-made templates for helping others develop more helpful thoughts and behaviors in response to challenges, while broadening the scope of traditional CBT.

Created by Experts. 100% Science-based.

As we have already seen, we have many resources for therapists working with individuals, couples, and groups to support multiple issues and concerns while promoting overall wellbeing.

More extensive versions of the following tools are available with a subscription to the Positive Psychology Toolkit© , but they are described briefly below.

Building the rituals of connection

Regular, relationship-focused habits can help foster more productive communicative behavior in a relationship and can offer emotional significance.

The four steps include:

• Step one – understanding various ritual types and timings, such as when parting, showing affection, and arranging date nights
• Step two – identifying specific actions for inclusion in each ritual
• Step three – planning how and when they should take place
• Step four – reflecting on the positive emotions that arose from each ritual and recognizing their importance

A strengths versus weakness focus

We often devote more time to our weaknesses than our strengths. The following two steps can be performed in a group setting to improve awareness regarding the importance of strength awareness and focus.

• Step one – Divide the group into three subgroups, as follows.

– Group 1 (weakness focus) spends time reflecting on challenging aspects of their jobs that drain their energy. – Group 2 (strength focus) discusses the highlights of their job. – Group 3 (observers) keeps an eye on the other two groups, noting their distinctions and dynamics.

• Step two – After 15 minutes, regroup. The “weakness” and “strength” groups share what they discussed first. Then, the observers point out the contrasts in energy, mood, and behavior between the two.

This exercise supports participants as they introspectively analyze their strengths and weaknesses, all while fostering group communication and collaboration.

If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others through CBT, check out this collection of 17 validated positive CBT tools for practitioners. Use them to help others overcome unhelpful thoughts and feelings and develop more positive behaviors.

Therapy exercises are powerful tools for therapists and counselors working with individuals, couples, and groups. Such interventions, performed as homework between sessions, are linked to successful treatment outcomes (Mausbach et al., 2010).

The article shares many free therapy exercises and interventions grounded in research that support working with various psychological challenges, including complicated relationships, anxiety, depression, and self-esteem issues.

Such therapeutic exercises have the potential to foster meaningful change in your clients, equipping them with the tools to manage immediate challenges and the skills to solve issues in the future and after therapy. In doing so, they support and encourage individuals to participate actively in their healing and growth.

Besides the free therapy exercises highlighted, we offer various resource packs available on our website that underpin successful client outcomes. As therapists and counselors, you can use these activities and exercises as they are or tailor them to your clients’ specific needs and situations, ensuring you provide the best support for a positive therapeutic outcome.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. For more information, don’t forget to download our three Positive CBT Exercises for free .

Ed: Updated November 2023

When talk therapy doesn’t meet a client’s needs, a more active approach, such as drama therapy , can be helpful. Role-play and storytelling can be powerful tools for treating young people experiencing behavioral challenges, older clients facing age-related issues, and anyone with social and emotional difficulties (Boila et al., 2020).

Typically, stabilizing mental health involves a multifaceted approach. Individuals seeking help benefit from actively engaging in therapy and creating personal treatment plans, including recognizing strengths and setting personal goals.

Counseling offers therapeutic support and learning skills to help clients form solid connections with others and adopt a positive mindset by reframing negative thoughts, practicing gratitude, and focusing on successful outcomes (Dixon et al., 2016; Jacob, 2015).

• Baikie, K., & Wilhelm, K. (2005). Emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment , 11 (5), 338–346.
• Bandelow, B., & Wedekind, D. (2022). Internet psychotherapeutic interventions for anxiety disorders: A critical evaluation. BMC Psychiatry , 22 (1).
• Boila, V., Klettke, L., Quong, S., & Gerlitz, C. (2020). Raising the curtain on drama therapy: Healing benefits for youth and older adults. Behavioural Sciences Undergraduate Journal , 3 (1), 45–50.
• Crowley, M. J., Nicholls, S. S., McCarthy, D., Greatorex, K., Wu, J., & Mayes, L. C. (2017). Innovations in practice: group mindfulness for adolescent anxiety: Results of an open trial. Child and Adolescent Mental Health , 23 (2), 130–133.
• Dixon, L. B., Holoshitz, Y., & Nossel, I. (2016). Treatment engagement of individuals experiencing mental illness: review and update. World Psychiatry , 15 (1), 13–20.
• Dwyer, L. A., Hornsey, M. J., Smith, L. G. E., Oei, T. P. S., & Dingle, G. A. (2011). Participant autonomy in cognitive behavioral group therapy: An integration of self-determination and cognitive behavioral theories. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology , 30 (1), 24–46.
• Greiger, R. (2015). The couples therapy companion: A cognitive behavior workbook . Routledge.
• Jacob, K. S. (2015). Recovery model of mental illness: A complementary approach to psychiatric care. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine , 37 (2), 117–119.
• Lenz, A. S., Hall, J., & Bailey Smith, L. (2015). Meta-analysis of group mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for decreasing symptoms of acute depression. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work , 41 (1), 44–70.
• Mausbach, B. T., Moore, R., Roesch, S., Cardenas, V., & Patterson, T. L. (2010). The relationship between homework compliance and therapy outcomes: An updated meta-analysis. Cognitive Therapy and Research , 34 (5), 429–438.
• Nelson-Jones, R. (2014). Practical counselling and helping skills . Sage.
• Orth, U., & Robins, R. W. (2019). Development of self-esteem across the lifespan. In D. P. McAdams, R. L. Shiner, & J. L. Tackett (Eds.), Handbook of personality development (pp. 328–344). Guilford Press.
• Waugh, C. E., & Koster, E. H. (2015). A resilience framework for promoting stable remission from depression. Clinical Psychology Review , 41 , 49–60.

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How Much Does Homework Matter in Therapy?

What research reveals about the work you do outside of therapy sessions..

Posted April 16, 2017 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan

• What Is Therapy?
• Find a therapist near me

Homework is an important component of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and other evidence-based treatments for psychological symptoms. Developed collaboratively during therapy sessions, homework assignments may be used by clients to rehearse new skills, practice coping strategies, and restructure destructive beliefs.

Although some clients believe that the effectiveness of psychotherapy depends on the quality of in-session work, consistent homework during the rest of the week may be even more important. Without homework, the insights, plans, and good intentions that emerge during a therapy session are at risk of being buried by patterns of negative thinking and behavior that have been strengthened through years of inadvertent rehearsal. Is an hour (or less) of therapeutic work enough to create change during the other 167 hours in a week?

Research on homework in therapy

Research on homework in therapy has revealed some meaningful results that can be understood collectively through a procedure called meta-analysis. A meta-analysis is a statistical summary of a body of research. It can be used to identify the average impact of psychotherapy homework on treatment outcomes across numerous studies. The results of four meta-analyses listed below highlight the value of homework in therapy:

• Kazantzis and colleagues (2010) examined 14 controlled studies that directly compared treatment outcomes for clients assigned to psychotherapy with or without homework. The data favored the homework conditions, with the average client in the homework group reporting better outcomes than about 70% of those in the no-homework conditions.
• Results from 16 studies (Kazantzis et al., 2000) and an updated analysis of 23 studies (Mausbach et al., 2010) found that, among those who received homework assignments during therapy, greater compliance led to better treatment outcomes. The effect sizes were small to medium, depending on the method used to measure compliance.
• Kazantzis et al. (2016) examined the relations of both quantity (15 studies) and quality (3 studies) of homework to treatment outcome. The effect sizes were medium to large, and these effects remained relatively stable when follow-up data were collected 1-12 months later.

Taken together, the research suggests that the addition of homework to psychotherapy enhances its effectiveness and that clients who consistently complete homework assignments tend to have better mental health outcomes. Finally, although there is less research on this issue, the quality of homework may matter as much as the amount of homework completed.

To enhance the quality of homework, homework assignments should relate directly to a specific goal, the process should be explained with clarity by the therapist, its method should be rehearsed in session, and opportunities for thoughtful out-of-session practice should be scheduled with ideas about how to eliminate obstacles to completion.

To find a therapist, please visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory .

Kazantzis, N., Deane, F. P., & Ronan, K. R. (2000). Homework assignments in Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy: A meta‐analysis. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 7(2), 189-202.

Kazantzis, N., Whittington, C., & Dattilio, F. (2010). Meta‐analysis of homework effects in cognitive and behavioral therapy: A replication and extension. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 17(2), 144-156.

Kazantzis, N., Whittington, C., Zelencich, L., Kyrios, M., Norton, P. J., & Hofmann, S. G. (2016). Quantity and quality of homework compliance: a meta-analysis of relations with outcome in cognitive behavior therapy. Behavior Therapy, 47(5), 755-772.

Mausbach, B. T., Moore, R., Roesch, S., Cardenas, V., & Patterson, T. L. (2010). The relationship between homework compliance and therapy outcomes: An updated meta-analysis. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 34(5), 429-438.

Joel Minden, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist, author of Show Your Anxiety Who’s Boss , director of the Chico Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and lecturer in the Department of Psychology at California State University, Chico.

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Supporting Homework Compliance in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: Essential Features of Mobile Apps

1 Discipline of Psychiatry, Department of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada

David Kreindler

2 Division of Youth Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada

3 Centre for Mobile Computing in Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada

4 Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective psychotherapy modalities used to treat depression and anxiety disorders. Homework is an integral component of CBT, but homework compliance in CBT remains problematic in real-life practice. The popularization of the mobile phone with app capabilities (smartphone) presents a unique opportunity to enhance CBT homework compliance; however, there are no guidelines for designing mobile phone apps created for this purpose. Existing literature suggests 6 essential features of an optimal mobile app for maximizing CBT homework compliance: (1) therapy congruency, (2) fostering learning, (3) guiding therapy, (4) connection building, (5) emphasis on completion, and (6) population specificity. We expect that a well-designed mobile app incorporating these features should result in improved homework compliance and better outcomes for its users.

Homework Non-Compliance in CBT

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based psychotherapy that has gained significant acceptance and influence in the treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders and is recommended as a first-line treatment for both of these [ 1 , 2 ]. It has also been shown to be as effective as medications in the treatment of a number of psychiatric illnesses [ 3 - 6 ]. Homework is an important component of CBT; in the context of CBT, homework can be defined as “specific, structured, therapeutic activities that are routinely discussed in session, to be completed between sessions” [ 7 ]. Completion of homework assignments was emphasized in the conception of CBT by its creator, Aaron Beck [ 8 ]. Many types of homework are prescribed by CBT practitioners, including symptom logs, self-reflective journals, and specific structured activities like exposure and response prevention for obsessions and compulsions. These can be divided into the following 3 main categories: (1) psychoeducational homework, (2) self-assessment homework, and (3) modality-specific homework. Psychoeducation is an important component in the early stage of therapy. Reading materials are usually provided to educate the client on the symptomatology of the diagnosed illness, its etiology, as well as other treatment-relevant information. Self-assessment strategies, including monitoring one’s mood using thought records, teach the patients to recognize the interconnection between one’s feelings, thoughts, and behaviors [ 8 ]. For example, depressed patients may be asked to identify thinking errors in daily life and document the negative influences these maladaptive thinking patterns can produce on their behaviors. Various psychiatric disorders may require different types of modality-specific homework. For example, exposure to images of spiders is a treatment method specific to arachnophobia, an example of a “specific phobia” in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) [ 9 ]. Homework is strategically created by the therapist to correct and lessen the patient’s psychopathology. The purpose of these exercises is to allow the patients to practice and reinforce the skills learned in therapy sessions in real life.

Homework non-compliance is one of the top cited reasons for therapy failure in CBT [ 10 ] and has remained a persistent problem in the clinical practice. Surveys of practitioners have suggested rates of non-adherence in adult clients of approximately 20% to 50% [ 10 , 11 ] while adherence rates in adolescents have been reported to be approximately 50% [ 12 ]. Many barriers to homework compliance have been identified in the literature; to facilitate discussions, they can be divided into internal and external factors. Internal factors originate from a client’s own psychological environment while external ones are created by external influences. Internal factors that have been identified include lack of motivation to change the situation when experiencing negative feelings, the inability to identify automatic thoughts, disregard for the importance or relevance of the homework, and the need to see immediate results [ 12 - 14 ]. Various external factors have also been identified, including the effort associated with pen-and-paper homework formats, the inconvenience of completing homework because of the amount of time consumed, not understanding of the purpose of the homework, lack of instruction, and failure to anticipate potential difficulties in completing the homework [ 14 - 16 ]. There is strong evidence suggesting that homework compliance is integral to the efficacy of CBT in a variety of psychiatric illnesses. In the treatment of depression with CBT, homework compliance has been correlated with significant clinical improvement and shown to predict decreases in both subjective and objective measures of depressive symptoms [ 17 - 23 ]. Similarly, homework compliance is correlated with short-term and long-term improvement of symptoms in anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), hoarding, panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [ 17 , 24 - 32 ]. Fewer studies have been done on homework compliance in other psychiatric conditions, but better homework compliance has been correlated with significant reductions in pathological behaviors in psychotic disorders [ 33 , 34 ], cocaine dependence [ 35 , 36 ], and smoking [ 37 ]. Two meta-analyses further support the notion that greater homework adherence is associated with better treatment outcomes in depression, anxiety-related disorders, and substance use [ 38 , 39 ].

The Utility of Technology in Enhancing CBT Homework

Despite its demonstrated efficacy, access to CBT (as well as other forms of psychotherapy) remains difficult due to the limited number of practicing psychotherapists and the cost of therapy sessions [ 40 ]. With the rise of mass-market mobile communication devices such as the iPhone or other kinds of mobile devices with app capabilities (smartphones), new solutions are being sought that will use these devices to provide therapy to patients in a more cost-effective manner. Mobile phones with app capabilities are portable devices that combine features of a cellphone and a hand-held computer with the ability to wirelessly access the Internet. Over time, ownership of mobile phones in North America has grown [ 41 , 42 ] and progressively lower prices have further reduced barriers to their use and ownership [ 43 , 44 ]. As more and more people acquire mobile phones, the acceptance of and the demand for mobile health solutions have been on the rise [ 45 ]. Boschen (2008), in a review predating the popularization of the modern mobile phone, identified the unique features of the mobile telephone that made it a potentially suitable vehicle for adjunctive therapeutic applications: portability, acceptability, low initial cost, low maintenance cost, social penetration and ubiquity, “always on,” “always connected,” programmability, audio and video output, keypad and audio input, user-friendliness, and ease of use [ 46 ]. Over the last decade, modern mobile phones have supplanted the previous generation of mobile telephones; progressive increases in their computing power, ongoing advances in the software that they run and interact with (eg, JAVA, HTML5, etc.), common feature sets across different operating systems such as Google Inc.'s Android or Apple Inc.'s iOS, and adoption of common hardware elements across manufacturers (eg, touch screens, high-resolution cameras, etc) have enabled the development of platform-independent apps for mobile phones, or at least apps on different platforms with comparable functionality (eg, apps written for Apple's HealthKit or the apps written for Microsoft's HealthVault).

The popularization of the smartphone presents a unique opportunity to enhance CBT homework compliance using adjunctive therapeutic applications such that well-designed mobile software may be able to diminish barriers to CBT [ 40 ] by making CBT therapists' work more cost-effective. However, there are no guidelines and no existing research that directly address the design of mobile phone apps for this purpose. Given this gap in the literature, we searched MEDLINE (1946 to April 2015) and PsycINFO (1806 to April 2015) for all articles related to “cognitive behavioral therapy”, “homework”, “mobile applications” and “treatment compliance or adherence”, and reviewed articles related to (1) mobile technologies that address homework completion, (2) essential features of therapy, or (3) barriers to homework completion in CBT. In this article, we propose a collection of essential features for mobile phone-based apps that will optimally support homework compliance in CBT.

A Proposed List of Essential Features for Mobile Apps That Optimally Support CBT Homework Compliance

In order to be effective for patients and acceptable to therapists, an optimal mobile phone app to support CBT homework compliance should conform to the CBT model of homework while addressing barriers to homework compliance. Tompkins (2002) provides a comprehensive guideline on the appropriate ways to provide CBT homework such that homework should be meaningful, relevant to the central goals of therapy, salient to focus of the session, agreeable to both therapist and client, appropriate to sociocultural context, practiced in session to improve skill, doable, begin small, have a clear rationale, include written instructions, and include a backup plan with homework obstacles [ 47 ]. In addition, the therapist providing the homework needs to be curious, collaborative, reinforce all pro-homework behavior and successful homework completion, and emphasize completion over outcome [ 47 ]. By combining Tompkins' guidelines with the need to reduce barriers to homework compliance (as described above), we obtained the following list of 6 essential features that should be incorporated into mobile apps to maximize homework compliance: (1) congruency to therapy, (2) fostering learning, (3) guiding therapy, (4) building connections, (5) emphasizing completion, and (6) population specificity.

Congruency to Therapy

Any intervention in therapy needs to be relevant to the central goals of the therapy and salient to the focus of the therapeutic session. A mobile app is no exception; apps have to deliver useful content and be congruent to the therapy being delivered. There are different types of homework in CBT, including (1) psychoeducational homework; (2) self-assessment homework; and (3) modality-specific homework. Which types are assigned will depend on the nature of the illness being treated, the stage of treatment, and the specific target [ 48 ]. An effective app supporting homework compliance will need to be able to adjust its focus as the therapy progresses. Self-monitoring and psychoeducation are major components in the early stage of therapy. Thought records can be used in depression and anxiety while other disorders may require more specific tasks, such as initiating conversation with strangers in the treatment of SAD. Therefore, the treatment modules delivered via mobile phones should meet the specific needs of therapy at each stage of therapy, while also providing psychoeducation resources and self-monitoring capabilities.

Psychoeducational Homework

While there are large amounts of health-related information on the Internet, the majority of information is not easily accessible to the users [ 49 ]. Mobile apps can enhance psychoeducation by delivering clear and concise psychoeducational information linked to the topics being covered in therapy. As psychoeducation is seen as a major component of mobile intervention [ 50 ], it has been incorporated into several mobile apps, some of which have been shown to be efficacious in treating various psychiatric conditions, including stress [ 51 ], anxiety and depression [ 52 ], eating disorders [ 53 ], PTSD [ 54 ], and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) [ 55 ]. For example, Mayo Clinic Anxiety Coach is a mobile phone app “designed to deliver CBT for anxiety disorders, including OCD” [ 55 ]. The app contains a psychoeducational module that teaches the user on “the use of the application, the cognitive-behavioral conceptualization of anxiety, descriptions of each anxiety disorder, explanations of CBT, and guidance for assessing other forms of treatment” [ 55 ]. The benefits of delivering psychoeducation via a mobile phone app are obvious: the psychoeducational information becomes portable and is easily accessed by the patient. Furthermore, the information is also curated and validated by proper healthcare authorities, which builds trust and reduces the potential for misinformation that can result from patient-directed Internet searches. However, psychoeducation on its own is not optimal. Mobile interventions that also incorporate symptom-tracking and self-help interventions have resulted in greater improvement when used for depression and anxiety symptoms than those that deliver only online psychoeducation [ 50 ].

Self-Assessment Homework

In contrast to conventional, paper-based homework, mobile apps can support in-the-moment self-assessments by prompting the user to record self-report data about the user’s current state [ 56 ]. While information collected retrospectively using paper records can be adversely affected by recall biases [ 57 ], mobile apps enable the patient to document his or her thoughts and feelings as they occur, resulting in increased accuracy of the data [ 58 ]. Such self-assessment features are found in many mobile apps that have been shown to significantly improve symptoms in chronic pain [ 59 , 60 ], eating disorders [ 61 ], GAD [ 62 ], and OCD [ 55 ]. Continuing with the previous example, the Mayo Clinic Anxiety Coach offers a self-assessment module that “measures the frequency of anxiety symptoms” with a self-report Likert-type scale [ 55 ]. The app tracks users’ progress over time based on the self-assessment data; users reported liking the record of daily symptom severity scores that the application provides.

Modality-Specific Homework

Evidence suggests that a variety of modality-specific homework assignments on mobile apps are effective, including relaxation practices, cognitive therapy, imaginal exposure in GAD and PTSD [ 54 , 57 ], multimedia solutions for skill learning and problem solving in children with disruptive behavior or anxiety disorders [ 63 ], relaxation and cognitive therapy in GAD [ 62 ], or self-monitoring via text messages (short message service, SMS) to therapists in bulimia nervosa [ 61 ]. Mayo Clinic Anxiety Coach, for example, has a treatment module for OCD that “guides patients through the use of exposure therapy” [ 55 ]; patients can use this to build their own fear hierarchies according to their unique diagnoses. Users reported liking the app because it contains modality-specific homework that can be tailored to their own needs. Novel formats, such as virtual reality apps to create immersive environments, have been experimented with as a tool for facilitating exposure in the treatment of anxiety disorders with mostly positive feedback [ 64 - 66 ]. Apps that provide elements of biofeedback (such as heart rate monitoring via colorimetry of users' faces using the mobile phone's camera), have recently begun to be deployed. So-called ”serious games,“ (ie, games developed for treatment purposes), are also showing promise in symptom improvement in certain cases [ 51 , 67 , 68 ].

Fostering Learning

Doing CBT homework properly requires time and effort. As noted above, any sense of inconvenience while doing the homework may hamper a patient’s motivation to complete the homework. While patients may appreciate the importance of doing homework, they often find the length of time spent and the lack of clear instructions discouraging, resulting in poor engagement rates [ 49 , 52 ]. Therefore, it makes sense that the tasks should be simple, short in duration to begin with, and include detailed instructions [ 47 ], since homework completion rates have been shown to be correlated with patients’ knowing exactly what to do [ 33 , 69 ]. Many apps incorporate text messaging-based services or personalized feedback to encourage dynamic interactions between the therapist and the client [ 59 ]. However, the types of homework delivered by these apps are fixed. An app that adapts the contents to the user’s progress in learning homework tasks would be more engaging and effective since therapy should be a flexible process by nature. Ideally, the app would monitor and analyze the user’s progress and adjust the homework's content and difficulty level accordingly. While the effectiveness of this type of app has not been studied, a similar app has been described in the literature for treating GAD [ 62 ]. This app, used in conjunction with group CBT, collected regular symptom rating self-reports from patients to track anxiety. Based on patients’ ratings, the app would respond with encouraging comments and invite patients to practice relaxation techniques or prompt the patient to complete specific built-in cognitive therapy modules if their anxiety exceeded a threshold rating. Despite the simple algorithm used to trigger interventions, use of the app with group CBT was found to be superior to group CBT alone.

Guiding Therapy

Therapists have a number of important roles to play in guiding and motivating clients to complete homework. First, the therapist needs to address the rationale of the prescribed homework and work with the client in the development of the treatment plan [ 47 ]. Failure to do this has been identified as a barrier to homework compliance. Second, the therapist should allow the patient to practice the homework tasks during the therapy sessions [ 47 ] in order to build confidence and minimize internal barriers, such as the failing to identify automatic thoughts. Lastly, the therapist has to be collaborative, regularly reviewing homework progress and troubleshooting with the patients [ 47 , 70 ]; this can be done during or in between homework assignments, either in-person or remotely (ie, via voice or text messaging) [ 60 , 71 ].

Reviewing and troubleshooting homework has been seen as a natural opportunity for apps to augment the role of therapists. Individualized guidance and feedback on homework is found in many Internet-based or mobile apps that have been shown to be effective in treating conditions such as PTSD [ 72 ], OCD [ 55 ], chronic pain [ 59 , 60 ], depression and suicide ideation [ 71 ], and situational stress [ 73 ]. Moreover, providing a rationale for homework, ensuring understanding of homework tasks, reviewing homework, and troubleshooting with a therapist have each individually been identified as predictors of homework compliance in CBT [ 74 , 75 ]. However, despite incorporating a variety of features including self-monitoring, psychoeducation, scheduled reminders, and graphical feedback [ 52 ], automated apps with minimal therapist guidance have demonstrated elevated homework non-completion rates of up to 40%, which is less than ideal.

Building Connections

The effects of technology should not interfere with but rather encourage a patient’s ability to build meaningful connections with others [ 76 ]. The therapeutic alliance between the therapist and the client is the strongest predictor of therapeutic outcome [ 77 ] and has been suggested to predict level of homework compliance as well [ 78 ]. While there is no evidence so far to suggest that technology-based interventions have an adverse effect on the therapeutic alliance [ 79 , 80 ], this conclusion should not be generalized to novel technologies as their impact on therapeutic alliance has not been well studied [ 81 ].

An arguably more significant innovation attributable to technology has been its potential to allow patients to form online communities, which have been identified as useful for stigma reduction and constructive peer support systems [ 82 ]. Online or virtual communities provide patients with a greater ability to connect with others in similar situations or with similar conditions than would be possible physically. Internet-delivered CBT that includes a moderated discussion forum has been shown to significantly improve depression symptoms [ 83 ]. Furthermore, professional moderation of online communities increases users’ trust of the service [ 84 ]. Therefore, including social platforms and online forums in a mobile app may provide additional advantages over conventional approaches by allowing easier access to social support, fostering collaboration when completing homework, and enabling communication with therapists.

Emphasizing Completion

A patient’s need to see immediate symptomatic improvement is an impediment to homework compliance since the perception of slow progress can be discouraging to the user [ 35 ]. To address this issue, it is important for both therapists and mobile apps to emphasize homework completion over outcome [ 47 ]. While a therapist can urge the client to finish uncompleted homework during the therapy session to reinforce its importance [ 47 , 85 ], there is little a therapist can do in between therapy sessions to remind clients to complete homework. In contrast, a mobile app can, for example, provide ongoing graphical feedback on progress between sessions to motivate users [ 52 , 86 ], or employ automatic text message reminders, which have been demonstrated to significantly improve treatment adherence in medical illnesses [ 87 ]. These features have previously been incorporated into some technology-based apps for homework adherence when treating stress, depression, anxiety, and PTSD [ 52 , 54 , 88 ] with significant symptom improvement reported in one paper [ 71 ].

Population Specificity

Homework apps should, where relevant or useful, explicitly be designed taking into account the specific characteristics of its target audience, including culture, gender, literacy, or educational levels (including learning or cognitive disabilities). One example of how culture-specific design features can be incorporated can be found in Journal to the West, a mobile app for stress management designed for the Chinese international students in the United States, which incorporates cultural features into its game design [ 89 ]. In this game, breathing activity is associated with the concept of “Qi” (natural energy) in accordance with Chinese traditions; the name of the game itself references to a famous Chinese novel and the gaming environment features inkwash and watercolor schemes of the East Asian style, making the experience feel more “natural” as reported by the users. A different approach to tailoring design is taken by the computer-based games described by Kiluk et al [ 68 ] that combine CBT techniques and multi-touch interface to teach the concepts of social collaboration and conversation to children with autism spectrum disorders. In these games, the touch screen surface offers simulated activities where children who have difficulties with peer engagement can collaborate to accomplish tasks. Children in this study demonstrated improvement in the ability to provide social solutions and better understanding of the concepts of collaboration. Although the population-specific design is intuitively appealing, the degree to which it can enhance homework compliance has yet to be investigated.

Other Considerations

There are several additional issues specific to mobile apps that should be carefully considered when developing mobile apps for homework compliance. Because of screen sizes, input modes, the nature of electronic media, etc, standard CBT homework may need to be translated or modified to convert it into a format optimal for delivery via a mobile phone [ 47 ]. The inclusion of text messaging features remains controversial, in part because of concerns about client-therapist boundary issues outside the therapy sessions [ 90 ]. One potential solution is to use automated text messaging services to replace direct communication between the therapist and the client so the therapist can't be bombarded by abusive messages [ 52 , 61 , 91 , 92 ]. Privacy and security issues are also real concerns for the users of technology [ 93 ], although no privacy breaches related to text messaging or data security have been reported in studies on mobile apps so far [ 88 , 94 - 98 ]. Designers of mobile apps should ensure that any sensitive health-related or personal data is stored securely, whether on the mobile device or on a server.

Finally, while this paper focused on “essential” features of apps, this should not be misunderstood as an attempt to itemize all elements necessary for designing a successful piece of software. Good software design depends on many important elements that are beyond the scope of this paper, such as a well-designed user interface [ 99 ] that is cognitively efficient relative to its intended purpose [ 100 ] and which makes effective use of underlying hardware.

The popularization and proliferation of the mobile phone presents a distinct opportunity to enhance the success rate of CBT by addressing the pervasive issue of poor homework compliance. A variety of barriers exist in traditional, paper-based CBT homework that can significantly hamper clients’ motivation to complete homework as directed. The 6 essential features identified in this paper can each potentially enhance homework compliance. Therapy congruency focuses the features of the app on the central goal of therapy and fostering learning eases engagement in therapy by reducing barriers. Apps should help the therapist guide the client through therapy and not hinder the therapeutic process or interfere with patient’s building connections with others. It is crucial that homework completion be emphasized by the app, not just homework attempting. Population-specific issues should also be considered depending on the characteristics of targeted users.

As an example of how this applies in practice, “Mental Health Telemetry-Anxiety Disorders” (MHT-ANX) is a new mobile app developed by the Centre for Mobile Computing in Mental Health at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto that helps patients monitor their anxiety symptoms using longitudinal self-report. The symptom log is therapy congruent to the practice of CBT since it promotes patients' awareness of their anxiety symptoms and the symptoms’ intensity. The simplicity of the app makes it easy for patients to learn to use, consistent with the need for fostering learning and increasing compliance. The MHT-ANX app was designed to share patient data with their clinicians, helping clinicians guide patients through therapy and more readily engage in discussion about symptom records, thus potentially enhancing the therapeutic relationship. Homework completion is emphasized both by automated text message reminders that the system sends and by questions presented by MHT-ANX that focus on how homework was done. While there are few population-specific design issues obvious at first glance in MHT-ANX, the focus groups conducted as part of our design process highlighted that our target group preferred greater privacy in our app rather than ease of sharing results via social media, and prioritized ease-of-use. While not yet formally assessed, reports from staff and early users suggest that MHT-ANX has been helpful for some patients with promoting homework compliance.

Limitations and Future Challenges

The feature list we have compiled is grounded in current technology; as technology evolves, this list may need to be revised. For example, as artificial intelligence [ 101 ] or emotional sensing [ 102 ] develops further, we would expect that software should be able to dynamically modify its approach to the user in response to users' evolving emotional states.

This paper presents our opinion on this topic, supported by a survey of associated literature. Our original intention was to write a review of the literature on essential features of apps supporting CBT homework compliance, but there was no literature to review. The essential features that are the focus of this article are summaries of key characteristics of mobile apps that are thought to improve homework compliance in CBT, but randomized trials assessing the impact of these apps on homework compliance have not yet been done. We would anticipate synergistic effects when homework-compliance apps are used in CBT (eg, if measures of progress collected from an app were used as feedback during therapy sessions to enhance motivation for doing further CBT work), but the actual impact and efficacy of therapy-oriented mobile apps cannot be predicted without proper investigation.

Abbreviations

Conflicts of Interest: None declared.

Empower Your Clients: Effective Therapy Homework Ideas Unveiled

The power of therapy homework, what is therapy homework.

Therapy homework refers to assignments or tasks that are given to clients by therapists, psychologists, coaches, or practitioners as part of the therapeutic process. These assignments are designed to be completed outside of therapy sessions and are tailored to address specific therapeutic goals and objectives.

Therapy homework can take various forms, depending on the therapeutic approach and the client’s needs. It may involve activities such as journaling, practicing mindfulness exercises, completing worksheets or thought records, engaging in self-reflection, or working on specific skills. The purpose of therapy homework is to actively involve clients in their own healing process and empower them to take ownership of their growth and development.

Benefits of Assigning Therapy Homework

Assigning therapy homework offers numerous benefits for both clients and therapists. Some of the key advantages include:

• Continuity and Reinforcement : Therapy homework provides an opportunity for clients to reinforce and apply what they have learned in therapy sessions to their daily lives. It helps to bridge the gap between sessions, ensuring that progress continues beyond the therapy room.
• Active Engagement : Engaging in therapy homework encourages clients to actively participate in their treatment. It promotes a sense of agency and responsibility, empowering clients to take an active role in their own healing journey.
• Skill Development : Therapy homework allows clients to practice and develop new skills, strategies, and coping mechanisms in real-life situations. It helps to reinforce positive changes and build resilience.
• Generalization of Learning : Through therapy homework, clients have the opportunity to generalize the insights gained in therapy to different contexts and relationships. It supports the transfer of therapeutic gains into their day-to-day lives.
• Increased Self-Awareness : Therapy homework often involves self-reflection and introspection, which can deepen clients’ self-awareness and understanding of their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This increased self-awareness can be a catalyst for personal growth and transformation.
• Collaborative Process : Assigning therapy homework fosters a collaborative therapeutic relationship between clients and therapists. It encourages open communication, feedback, and discussion, leading to a more effective and tailored treatment approach.

By incorporating therapy homework into the therapeutic process, therapists can enhance the effectiveness of their interventions and facilitate meaningful change in their clients’ lives.

To explore therapy homework ideas for different therapeutic needs, refer to our articles on  therapy homework assignments ,  therapy homework for anxiety ,  therapy homework for depression , and many more.

Finding the Right Therapy Homework Ideas

When it comes to assigning therapy homework,  tailoring  the activities to each individual client is essential for maximizing their engagement and progress. By customizing the homework, therapists can address specific needs and help clients work towards their therapeutic goals. Additionally, incorporating the client’s  goals and interests  into the assignments can enhance motivation and make the process more enjoyable.

Tailoring Homework to the Client

To ensure the therapy homework is effective, it’s crucial to consider the unique characteristics and preferences of each client. Tailoring the assignments involves taking into account factors such as the client’s age, cultural background, learning style, and personal circumstances.

For example, if a client is struggling with anxiety, it may be beneficial to assign homework that focuses on relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation. On the other hand, a client who is working on building assertiveness skills may benefit from practicing role-plays or assertiveness exercises outside of therapy sessions.

By tailoring the therapy homework to the client’s specific needs and challenges, therapists can provide targeted support and facilitate progress towards their therapeutic goals. For more ideas on therapy homework assignments, check out our article on  therapy homework assignments .

Incorporating Client Goals and Interests

Incorporating the client’s goals and interests into therapy homework is an effective way to increase motivation and engagement. By aligning the assignments with the client’s aspirations, they are more likely to be actively involved in the therapeutic process.

For example, if a client is working towards improving their self-esteem, therapy homework could involve engaging in self-affirmation exercises or creating a self-compassion journal. If a client is interested in mindfulness, incorporating mindfulness exercises and  meditation  into the homework can be highly beneficial.

By connecting the therapy homework to the client’s personal goals and interests, therapists can foster a sense of ownership and investment in the therapeutic journey. This approach helps to create a more meaningful and impactful therapeutic experience.

Remember, therapy homework is most effective when it is tailored to the client’s individual needs and incorporates their goals and interests. By taking these factors into account, therapists can empower their clients to actively engage in their own healing process.

Therapy Homework Ideas for Different Needs

When it comes to therapy homework, tailoring the assignments to the unique needs of each client is essential. This ensures that the homework aligns with their therapeutic goals and interests. In this section, we will explore therapy homework ideas for different needs, including  Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques ,  mindfulness and meditation exercises ,  journaling and writing prompts , and  creative expressive arts activities .

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Techniques

CBT techniques are widely used in therapy to help individuals identify and modify negative thought patterns and behaviors. Assigning CBT-based homework can provide clients with practical tools to challenge unhelpful thoughts and develop healthier coping mechanisms. Some therapy homework ideas for CBT may include:

• Thought Records : Encourage clients to keep a thought record where they write down and examine their negative thoughts, identify cognitive distortions, and reframe them with more realistic and positive alternatives.
• Behavioral Experiments : Suggest clients engage in real-life experiments to test the validity of their negative beliefs and assumptions, helping them gather evidence to challenge and modify those beliefs.
• Activity Scheduling : Encourage clients to create a schedule of activities that promote positive emotions, engagement, and a sense of accomplishment. This can help them break the cycle of negative thoughts and behaviors.

To discover more therapy homework ideas for specific topics or concerns, such as anxiety, depression, self-esteem, or assertiveness, check out our article on  therapy homework assignments .

Mindfulness and Meditation Exercises

Mindfulness and meditation exercises can be valuable homework assignments to help clients develop present-moment awareness, reduce stress, and cultivate emotional well-being. Some therapy homework ideas for mindfulness and meditation include:

• Breathing Exercises : Encourage clients to practice deep breathing exercises, focusing on their breath as it enters and leaves their body. This can help promote relaxation and reduce anxiety.
• Body Scan Meditation : Suggest clients engage in a body scan meditation, guiding their attention from head to toe, paying attention to physical sensations and releasing tension.
• Mindful Eating : Encourage clients to practice mindful eating by fully engaging their senses, savoring each bite, and paying attention to the tastes, textures, and smells of their food.

For more mindfulness and meditation exercises, along with guided scripts, consider referring to our article on  therapy homework for mindfulness .

Journaling and Writing Prompts

Journaling and writing prompts can be effective tools for self-reflection, emotional expression, and personal growth. Assigning writing exercises as therapy homework allows clients to explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a safe and structured way. Some therapy homework ideas for journaling and writing prompts include:

• Gratitude Journal : Encourage clients to keep a gratitude journal, writing down three things they are grateful for each day. This practice can help shift their focus towards positive aspects of their lives.
• Letter Writing: Suggest clients write a letter to themselves, expressing self-compassion , forgiveness, or encouragement. This can be a powerful exercise for promoting self-acceptance and self-care.
• Emotional Release Writing : Encourage clients to engage in free-writing, allowing their thoughts and emotions to flow onto the paper without judgment or self-censorship. This can be a cathartic exercise for emotional processing.

To explore more journaling and writing prompts for therapy homework, consider referring to our article on  therapy homework for journaling .

Creative Expressive Arts Activities

Engaging in creative expressive arts activities can provide clients with a unique and alternative way to explore their emotions, enhance self-expression, and gain insights into their inner world. Some therapy homework ideas for creative expressive arts activities include:

• Art Therapy : Encourage clients to engage in art therapy exercises, such as drawing, painting, or collaging, to express their emotions and access their subconscious mind.
• Music Therapy : Suggest clients create a playlist of songs that resonate with their emotions and help them process their feelings, or encourage them to engage in music improvisation as a form of expression.
• Drama Therapy : Encourage clients to engage in role-playing exercises or create and act out scenes to explore different perspectives and gain insights into their own experiences.

For additional therapy homework ideas for creative expressive arts activities, refer to our article on  therapy homework for self-expression .

By incorporating therapy homework ideas that align with the specific needs and interests of each client, therapists can empower their clients to actively participate in their own healing journey and make progress towards their therapeutic goals.

Implementing Effective Therapy Homework

To ensure the effectiveness of therapy homework assignments, it is crucial to follow certain guidelines. This section will discuss three key aspects of implementing effective therapy homework:  providing clear instructions ,  setting realistic expectations , and  encouraging accountability and follow-up .

Providing Clear Instructions

When assigning therapy homework, it is essential to provide your clients with clear and concise instructions. Clearly outline the purpose of the assignment, the specific tasks or exercises involved, and any guidelines or resources they may need. Using simple and straightforward language will help ensure that your clients understand what is expected of them.

Additionally, consider providing written instructions or  therapy homework worksheets  that your clients can refer to as they complete their assignments. This will serve as a helpful reminder and guide, increasing the likelihood of successful completion.

Setting Realistic Expectations

Setting realistic expectations is crucial when assigning therapy homework. Take into account your clients’ individual circumstances, such as their available time, resources, and personal commitments. Tailor the assignments to their specific needs and abilities to ensure they can be realistically accomplished within the given timeframe.

By setting achievable goals, you will motivate your clients and increase their confidence in their ability to complete the assignments. This, in turn, will enhance their engagement and overall progress during therapy.

Encouraging Accountability and Follow-up

Encouraging accountability and follow-up is essential for effective therapy homework. Regularly check in with your clients to inquire about their progress and address any challenges or questions they may have. This demonstrates your support and commitment to their growth.

Encourage your clients to keep a record of their experiences, insights, or reflections related to their therapy homework. This can be in the form of a journal, a digital document, or even a dedicated  therapy homework app  that allows them to track their progress and thoughts.

By reviewing their completed assignments and discussing their experiences during therapy sessions, you can provide valuable feedback and insights. This feedback will reinforce their efforts and help them integrate their learnings into their daily lives.

Remember to offer encouragement and praise for your clients’ hard work and dedication. Celebrate their achievements, no matter how small, as it will motivate them to continue their therapeutic journey.

As you implement these strategies for effective therapy homework, you will empower your clients to actively engage in their healing process. Providing clear instructions, setting realistic expectations, and encouraging accountability and follow-up will ensure that therapy homework becomes a valuable tool for their growth and progress.

Enhancing Client Engagement

When it comes to therapy homework,  client engagement  is vital for effective progress and positive outcomes. Building a supportive relationship, offering feedback and encouragement, and addressing challenges and concerns are key elements in fostering client engagement .

Building a Supportive Relationship

Establishing a supportive and trusting relationship with clients is essential for effective therapy. Creating a safe and non-judgmental environment allows clients to feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Actively listening, demonstrating empathy, and validating their feelings are effective ways to build rapport and foster a strong therapeutic alliance.

By developing a supportive relationship, clients are more likely to engage in therapy homework willingly and openly. They will feel understood, respected, and motivated to actively participate in their therapeutic journey.

Offering Feedback and Encouragement

Providing feedback and encouragement throughout the therapy process can significantly enhance client engagement. Regularly acknowledging their progress, recognizing their efforts, and celebrating their achievements can boost their motivation and self-confidence.

Offering constructive feedback that highlights their strengths and areas of improvement can help clients gain valuable insights. It’s essential to provide feedback in a compassionate and non-judgmental manner, ensuring that clients feel supported and encouraged to continue their growth.

Addressing Challenges and Concerns

Therapy is not always a smooth journey, and clients may encounter challenges or have concerns along the way. As a therapist, it is crucial to address these issues promptly and effectively. Actively listen to their concerns, validate their emotions, and work collaboratively to find solutions.

By addressing challenges and concerns, clients will feel heard and supported, which promotes their engagement in therapy. Whether it’s modifying therapy homework assignments, exploring different strategies, or adjusting treatment goals, adapting the therapy process to meet their specific needs can enhance client engagement and overall therapeutic outcomes.

Remember, client engagement is a dynamic process that requires ongoing attention and effort. By building a supportive relationship, offering feedback and encouragement, and addressing challenges and concerns, therapists can empower their clients and create a collaborative therapeutic environment. This environment promotes active engagement in therapy homework and facilitates positive change.

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Why Do Some Therapists and Coaches Assign Homework In Between Sessions?

Caitlin harper.

When you start therapy or coaching, you probably expect to be doing most of the work in-session, working directly with your amazing coach or therapist. But what happens when the session ends?

If you’re just starting your therapy or coaching journey, it might surprise you to find that many therapists and coaches assign homework in between sessions, and it’s even an integral part of certain types of therapy, like cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. 

“It’s important to learn and fully understand the skills we explore during sessions and it is equally important to know how to apply those skills in your real life situations,” says Irene Chin, a therapist and MyWellbeing community member. “When I assign ‘homework’ it is to foster positive change in your life slowly but surely. However, the amount of homework can be tweaked to best fit your needs.”

If your school graduation days are behind you, you might think your homework days are long gone as well. But in this new stage of your learning and development, that might not be the case! Here are a few of our therapists and coaches on why they might assign homework in between sessions and what it might look like for you.

Why do coaches and therapists assign homework in between sessions?

Many times, therapists and coaches will assign homework so that you can practice the skills you explored during your session in the “real world.”

“While we work together on developing insight during our sessions, it’s between sessions when you have the opportunity to put these insights into practice in your life,” says Christine Carville. “Being able to take home specific tools to use in tough situations or emotionally charged moments allows for you to experience the learning and gain confidence. It’s like learning a language—you can go to class once or twice a week but it takes using the language on a daily basis to become fluent and confident. In a lot of ways, therapy is learning the language of emotional intelligence and in-vivo experience is vital.”

Some therapists and coaches find that assignments or other exercises to practice in between sessions can help clients gain a sense of continuity and growth as their therapy or coaching journey progresses.

“I have found that often people leave sessions feeling elated, unburdened, and with an increased sense of comfort and clarity,” says Sky Koltun. “Sometimes this experience can feel difficult to hold onto between sessions. I am always prepared to work with people to create a sense of continuity between sessions or come up with ways to hold or continue to cultivate what they feel they have gained from the work we do in the session. I have often recommended books, writing/journaling exercises, breathing, and meditation techniques, and help clients to create their own practices.”

Therapists and coaches who do assign homework sometimes believe that most of the work actually happens outside the session where you can apply what you learn when you worked together.

“I do assign work in any form that works best for you,” says Hannah Evans. “I can provide handouts and worksheets, book recommendations, journal prompts, behavior change activities to engage in, etc. Both you and I will discuss how the homework or activity went, exploring your thoughts, feelings, and interpretations to progress towards your therapy goals. There are 168 hours in a week and change will not occur in the one hour we meet each week. Therefore, most of the work for therapy happens outside of session where you apply the skills learned in session.”

In many situations, what you put into it is what you get out of it, and therapy and coaching are often no different. The more work you do outside of your sessions, the better your results can be.

“I always tell clients that coming to therapy and/or coaching is a bit like buying a gym membership: it's great that you have committed to bettering yourself, but you have to be patient and you have to be ready to put in consistent work to see results,” says William Hasek. “If you are only engaging in self-reflection for one hour a week with me, I don't think that will be of great benefit to you—just like you won't see many benefits if you only go to the gym one hour a week. You have to put in the time and energy outside of our sessions to experience the benefits.” 

But all of our coaches and therapists agree on one thing, and that is that you and your therapist or coach will work together to find what works best for you.

“I don't like to simply ‘assign’ activities for you to do outside of session because I want you to be active in creating solutions and committing to action, says William. “We will develop these activities collaboratively so you have a voice in the changes you are undertaking.”

What are some types of homework therapists or coaches might assign?

While homework can be worksheets or journaling, you might be surprised how varied and creative your “assignments” can be!

“Sometimes the homework can look like ‘Try to take note of what is happening before and after your anxiety sets in,’” says Evelina Rodriguez. “Other times I may offer an article, book, or activity to continue processing over the course of time between sessions.”

The homework doesn’t always look like “work” either.

“If you are struggling with burnout, I would encourage you to think about one simple yet pleasurable activity such as listening to  soothing music and schedule this specific event at a certain time of day,” says Catherine Kim.

In fact, homework often looks a lot like “real life,” which is kind of the point.

“Homework helps to reinforce skills discussed and practiced in session,” says Fanteema Barnes. “Assignments can range from completing worksheets, practicing mindfulness techniques, socializing, going on a date, reflecting on what we discussed in session, giving yourself compliments daily, engaging in a hobby, reading an article, purchasing a self-help book, watching a video or TED talk, or even having a conversation with a loved one.”

Leora Mandel gives a few more creative homework examples: 

• Free-form journal entries or letter writing 
• Planned pleasant events, such as attending a concert, cooking a favorite meal, making time to listen to a podcast, or paint
• Executing a plan brainstormed by you and I, such as beginning a new habit, reaching out to a person, beginning an application, or making a list
• Recording events to identify patterns—what time of day do negative thought spirals occur, and how often? Are there any recurring triggers? 
• Exercises with instructions involving the learning of a tool, such as a distress tolerance skill, and reflection of your experience practicing it

And your homework doesn’t have to stay the same—as you progress through your therapy or coaches journey, your assignments might change as you do.

“At the start of treatment, homework mostly consists of reflecting on behaviors, examining thoughts, and understanding relational and coping patterns,” says Shari Norton. “Toward the middle of treatment, homework may consist of practicing skills between sessions and through activities such as journaling. As treatment comes to an end, homework becomes less frequent, and consists of reflecting on changes that occurred from the start of sessions.

Again, your therapist or coach will work with you to determine the best course of action for you at that particular time in your life.

“Some people find the process of additional homework to be stress-inducing, adding yet another thing to their already piled-high list, and if this is the case then I might just ask the client to take a mental picture of something that happened to bring into the next session, maybe something around a triggering event, a dream, or just a thought that they keep ruminating about,” says Andrea Yuen-Sing Chan. “For others, homework helps to ease the transitions between sessions and to make the person feel as if they are doing something. In this case, because it can reduce anxiety and is also therapeutically useful, I will ask for journal entries, or to practice behavioral interventions and then to notate them in a journal. Occasionally I suggest a book or article that might be helpful to the client.”

Does every therapist or coach assign homework in between sessions?

If the idea of homework isn’t appealing to you, that’s totally fine too—not all coaches and therapists are into it either.

“I do not assign homework,” says Shaina Ferguson. “I believe that each of us have different ways of processing what may come up in therapy. You may find yourself reflecting upon the content of sessions outside of sessions and may want to journal or process through art or movement. You may choose to bring writing or other forms of expression into therapy and that is welcomed, but no formal homework will be assigned.”

Some therapists and coaches won’t assign you homework, but you’re more than welcome to develop exercises yourself and share them with your coach or therapist in-session.

“I believe that therapy has to be client-centered and based on your personal experience, not out of a book or on a worksheet,” says Autumn Potter. “I may ask you to take notice of certain experiences outside of a session or ask you to collect specific art materials. That being said, I also have clients who have come up with their own homework, such as ‘this week I am going to refrain from using Instagram.’ I believe that the directive coming from the client holds significantly more power than something I would assign.”

Homework doesn’t always fit with the kind of care you’re receiving, and that’s okay. But self-reflection is usually encouraged!

“I find that assigning homework does not fit well with my style of work which is more focused on expression of, and reflection on, feelings and thoughts within a supportive therapy relationship in order to build a level of insight that I feel can ultimately produce meaningful changes,” says Michael Nettis-Benstock. “At the same time, I feel that our work doesn’t stop at the end of the session and I always encourage you to reflect on what we discuss in our sessions throughout the week, but not in a way that feels like an assignment.”

Not everyone loves the word homework and your therapist or coach might call it something else entirely

“Part of the co-created coaching process depends on ‘fieldwork’ or homework in between sessions where clients are accountable for making real-world progress on short- and long-term goals,” says Ilysse Rimalovski.

“Oftentimes I assign small tasks in between sessions,” says Jordyn Norman. “I feel this is a good way to be able to measure progress.”

“I will at times assign what I like to call ‘projects’ in between sessions,” says Pam Skop. “The reason that I do this is that the real work happens outside of therapy. I generally meet with clients once a week for forty-five minutes and a lot can be discussed at that time, but it is what they do with that once they leave my office that leads to lasting changes. We will discuss the ‘project’ at the next session and use it as a learning tool to move forward.”

“Any ideas for tasks between sessions arise from our conversations during the session,” says Alena Gerst. “As you reveal to me what you feel you are lacking, we find ways to begin to slowly and intentionally integrate what you are searching for into your life. I call these tasks ‘Marching Orders’ (referring to the book The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron). Occasionally, these ‘assignments’ may feel challenging as you come to terms with what is true for you. But usually they are designed to unlock creativity, joy, and delight.”

“As a former teacher, I know that the word ‘homework’ might make some cringe, so I prefer to call it ‘practice,’” says Alison Abrams. “Time between sessions is priceless. It provides you with more time to extend the learning you do in our sessions into the real world.”

“There definitely will be times when I may make recommendations for ‘homework’ (or as I like to refer to it, ‘a challenge’) depending on what we're working through or if I think it could be relevant or helpful,” says Faith Bowen. “I typically don't do this every session—unless that is something you'd like.”

“I believe that I'm not here to help you grow just during the sessions but I want the growth and change to be sustainable in the long run,” says Kimberly Weimer. “I typically will cater your 'homeplay' (homework) around self-care tasks that you are interested in. This might include meditation, journaling, a gratitude practice, breathwork, yoga or some form of exercise. I will encourage readings, podcasts, and activities that fit with your struggles and goals.”

“For example if you have OCD you will have exposure exercise,” says Kimberly. “If you struggle with anxiety or depression you might have a thought journal and mindfulness exercises. If you are struggling with self-esteem or imposter syndromes you will likely be assigned affirmations and self love exercises. Homeplay is not mandatory but encouraged. I want you to have the skills to maintain the ‘new you’ long term and continue in your growth process even after we are no longer working together."

In the end, your therapist or coach is going to do what is right for you

“Our activities depend on your goals, what motivates you, and what has worked in the past,” says Krissi Franzen. “Most of our assignments involve being curious and experimenting, whether it's with coping strategies, grounding techniques, or practicing communication skills. If you're freaked out by homework, don't fret! If it's not a strategy that is successful for you, let's find things that do work!”

Mainly, you and your therapist or coach will work together to figure out what’s best. Be sure to share what’s working and not working for you so can find the best way forward for you.

“This is a conversation that we will have together!” says Em Kane. “If you're someone who enjoys being given homework and tasks for outside of sessions I can make that a component of our work. For others though this just adds stress, so it isn't necessary!”

Your therapist or coach is there to support you so you can get the care you deserve. Through your collaborative relationship, you can discuss how they can best facilitate your therapy or coaching journey. If you’re ready to get started, find your perfect match now. Still not sure if you might benefit from therapy or coaching? Our quiz might help.

“For some clients, homework is enjoyed, embraced and needed, however, not all clients like this,” says Christina Viera. “As a result, it is our job (client and therapist) to discover what works best for you, so that you can get the most out of therapy.”

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Recommended reading, let go of the "shoulds" in your life, 5 negative effects adultery has on a family, what is pandemic guilt and how can you cope.

About the author

Caitlin is an organizational change strategist, advisor, writer, and the founder of Commcoterie, a change management communication consultancy. She helps leaders and the consultants who work with them communicate change for long-lasting impact. Caitlin is a frequent speaker, workshop facilitator, panelist, and podcast guest on topics such as organizational change, internal communication strategy, DEIBA, leadership and learning, management and coaching, women in the workplace, mental health and wellness at work, and company culture. Find out more, including how to work with her, at www.commcoterie.com .

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The importance of homework in therapy

by Elyssa Barbash | Jul 25, 2018 | change , growth , Self-improvement , success , Therapy , Uncategorized , worry | 0 comments

Not all therapists assign homework, but many do – even if they don’t call it “homework.” Homework in therapy is not meant to be busy work. This is not school, after all. But rather, any assignments given during the course of therapy are intended to supplement and benefit the therapeutic process.

There has been significant research conducted on the use of homework in therapy. Findings consistently indicate that homework maximizes the benefit of therapy and allows clients to realize gains in their life.

At the beginning of therapy, homework is a topic that I review with all of my patients. However, there still comes the times where I have to re-review the importance of homework with my patients after they share they have not completed their work!

Purpose of Homework

Homework in therapy is intended to allow the person to implement the strategies that are being learned in therapy so that they can actualize the changes and gains they are seeking to make in their life. I like to put it this way: therapy sessions do not consume a very large portion of your life. At most, we are talking about 45 to 50 minutes out of your week that you are in a therapy session. While the therapy session lays the foundation for the changes to occur in your life, the actual therapy session is such a small portion of your time and is a false reality.

The place is where you will actually see the gains and progress being made is in your every day life.

This is where homework comes in. To maximize the value of therapy, homework helps you to implement the strategies being learned in your life so you can actually see changes. Homework is usually skills oriented, though not always. When it is skills oriented, it teaches the person how to deal with their problems on their own and not have to rely on their therapist. (Bonus: Any ethical therapist will approach treatment in this way. However, not all therapies are intended to be skills building so this is not to say that those therapist to don’t assign homework are unethical!).

Benefits of Homework

Remember, this is not school. Homework being assigned is not being given to you to keep you busy. If your therapist assigned the homework, it is with the best intentions that what they are asking you to do is going to help you. It is also likely to lead to shortened treatment times, which means overall reduced costs related to treatment and less time dedicated to the therapy process in the long run.  

A Strong Indication of your commitment to Therapy, and to yourself

Finally, completing your homework is an indication of your commitment to therapy, which is a greater indication of your commitment to yourself. When you do not follow through and complete your homework, the message that you are sending is that you really don’t care. And a therapist cannot truly help you if you do not care.

So the next time you want to skip that homework assignment your therapist gave you, remember what the true purpose of it is and how much you want that change in your life.

We are here to help

Contact us today to schedule an appointment. Whatever the reason, give us a call.  Remember, there are many reasons why people seek therapy. Professional mental health assistance can greatly benefit you in many ways, including making important changes in your life.

We are committed to providing therapy and counseling services in a comfortable, relaxing, encouraging, and non-judgmental environment to yield the most realistic and best outcomes.   Give us a call or email us today to schedule an appointment.

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Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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75+ Free Mental Health Worksheets & Handouts

75+ free mental health worksheets, handouts, and forms for mental health professionals or self-help.

(Updated 2/13/24) This is a list of nearly 100 mental health worksheets, handouts, forms, and more for substance use, mental health, and wellness.

Please repost and share with anyone who might benefit! New resources are added on a regular basis.

For more free downloads, click here for a list of PDF workbooks, manuals, and self-help guides.

For free mental health worksheets and resources from other sites, check out TherapistAid , GetSelfHelpUK , and Taking the Escalator .

Mental Health Worksheets & Handouts

Group ideas & topics.

A 3-page handout for group facilitators with strategies for managing resistance, disruptive behaviors, and a lack of engagement in group therapy.

A list of topics for substance use groups.

A 2-page handout for clinicians who facilitate group therapy with (adult) clients and their families. The questions were developed for an inpatient SUD setting.

A list of specific topics for substance use groups, such as refusal skills, the difference between a lapse and a relapse, and fun in recovery.

A list of group openers for substance use groups; can also be used in individual counseling sessions.

A list of questions for exploring the following topics: Conversation starters, mental health, addiction, personal development, values, family, relationships, and emotions. These questions can be used in a group setting, individually, or as journal prompts.

Group Activities

A worksheet with prompts for writing a short autobiography to be presented to the group.

Intended audience: Adults

A worksheet for clients to pass around to group members so each person can write a positive affirmation.

Intended audience : Adolescents, Teens, Adults

Good for newly formed groups. Each group member writes down their “first impression” of other group members. The facilitator then reads off the different categories and group members have the opportunity to share their answers.

Intended audience : Adults

An icebreaker activity, good for new groups. Give group members 15-20 minutes to collect signatures. The first person to collect all signatures wins.

Clinical Film Discussion Questions

• Ben Is Back -Discussion Questions
• Girl, Interrupted -Discussion Questions
• Pay It Forward -Discussion Questions
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower -Discussion Questions
• Rachel Getting Married -Discussion Questions
• When a Man Loves a Woman -Discussion Questions

A printable deck of cards with 128 coping skills for managing stress, anxiety, and other difficult emotions. Each card includes one simple coping skill.

Print/cut the cards, fold, and place in a container. Group members take turns drawing the cards and answering the questions.

A printable deck of cards with 40 positive quotes that can be used as affirmations.

A printable card deck with 27 affirmations for healing and empowerment.

These cards can be used in a SUD inpatient or outpatient setting to facilitate group discussions about recovery. Group members take turns drawing a card and answering questions. The facilitator can vary things up by letting group members pick someone else to answer their question once they’ve finished sharing. Alternatively, group members can take turns drawing cards, but all group members are encouraged to share their answers. This activity works best with a working group.

This is a revised version of the Recovery Question Cards.

Rumi Quote Cards

25 cards with Rumi quotes on love, suffering, and healing.

A card deck with 104 cards with thought-provoking questions intended to promote discussion. Topics include goals, values, emotions, relationships, spirituality, and more.

These cards can be used in a group or individual setting. The last page of the PDF includes additional values exercises for journaling, clinical supervision, couples, and groups. Tip: Print the cards on patterned scrapbook paper (blank on one side).

Mental Health Handouts

4 ways to stay calm before a stressful event.

A 1-page handout with simple “in-the-moment” calming strategies for anxiety-provoking events.

A simple 1-page handout that shows the 6 basic emotions.

A comprehensive list of 12-step and other support groups , such as AA, NA, SMART Recovery, Dual Recovery Anonymous, NAMI, etc.

A 1-page DBT-based handout with 25 examples of dialectics (i.e., two things that seem opposite and are at the same time both true).

These journal prompts can also be used in a group setting. The prompts include questions about values, potential, expectations, and more.

Instructions for Living from the Dalai Lama

A 1-page handout with 25 quotes from the Dalai Lama on topics such as kindness and happiness. Can be used in a group setting.

A 1-page handout that debunks five common grief myths and provides the truth about each one.

A 2-page handout with nine creative and soothing outlets for grief , such as music, dance, light therapy, and aromatherapy.

A 2-page handout with journal prompts for recovery, based on material from The Sober Survival Guide (created with the author’s permission).

Kindness To-Do List

A to-do list of kind deeds with blank spaces to write in your own ideas for spreading kindness.

A colorful 3-page handout with ideas for hobbies that fall under the following categories: Animals/nature, arts/crafts, collections, cooking/baking, entertainment, home improvement/DIY, outdoor/adventure, self-improvement, sports, travel, and misc.

A list with links to online grief support groups, forums, and communities.

A 1-page handout on PTG and how it may impact a person’s life, and the factors that contribute to PTG.

A 1-page handout with resources for suicide , including recommended books, apps, crisis lines, and suicide warning signs.

A 2-page handout that describes seven uncommon grief experiences, such as delayed or disenfranchised grief.

A list of 38 unique coping skills for managing difficult emotions.

A 2-page handout that lists values. Can be used as a standalone handout or with the values card deck .

A 2-page handout with two exercise routines, one designed for beginners and the other for more advanced exercisers.

Mental Health Worksheets

A 1-page worksheet for identifying things to be grateful for in different life areas.

A 1-page checklist with 30 ideas for spreading kindness.

A 1-page worksheet for exploring what makes someone a good friend.

Art Activity: H-T-P Test

In the House-Tree-Person Test, the picture of the house is supposed to represent how the individual feels about their family. The tree elicits feelings of strength or weakness. The person represents how the individual feels about themselves. (Source: How Projective Tests Are Used to Measure Personality – Simply Psychology )

Art Activity: Outer & Inner Masks

This art activity can be done in a group setting or individually. Clients design both outer – what the world sees – and inner – the hidden self – masks. The third page has questions for discussion. This activity can be used to target all sorts of issues from body image to values to character defects (in addiction) and more.

Art Activity: Self-Portraits

This worksheet can be used in groups or as a homework assignment. Encourage clients to be creative; instead of just drawing or coloring, they can use magazine cutouts, stickers, photos, etc. Suggested questions for discussion: How did you decide which identities to portray? Which portrait best represents your true self? Which portrait do others see the most? What, if anything, would you like to change about your portraits?

A 2-page worksheet for exploring the consequences of addiction.

Coping with Cravings

A 3-page worksheet with DBT-based skills for coping with cravings.

Coping with Jealousy

A worksheet for understanding jealousy, its impact, whether it’s pathological, and how to manage jealous feelings.

Couples Exercise: Affirmations

A 3-page worksheet for sharing self-affirmations and partner affirmations, including suggested questions for discussion.

Couples Exercise: Our Bucket List

A 3-page worksheet for couples to create a shared list of meaningful “bucket list” items to do together.

Couples Exercise: Our Bucket List (with dates)

A shared bucket list that includes spaces to write in when an item was added to the list and when it was completed.

A 1-page worksheet for affirmations, positive self-talk, and problem-solving strategies for daily challenges.

A basic mood tracker with emoji faces.

A blank schedule with hourly slots starting at 6:00 a.m. and ending at 10:00 p.m. Can be used as part of a relapse prevention, for depression management, or as a planner.

A 3-page worksheet for substance use recovery for planning leisure activities and enhancing wellness/spirituality.

A letter template for individuals entering long-term residential treatment for substance use, to be opened and read at treatment completion.

An 8-page goal-setting worksheet for health/wellness, relationships/social health, emotional wellness, intellectual wellness, education/career, financial health, spirituality, and leisure.

A 3-page worksheet for identifying and managing substance use relapse triggers.

A 1-page worksheet for identifying things that promote addiction and ways to get rid of or avoid these things.

A 3-page goal-setting worksheet for short-term and long-term goals.

A 12-step-based worksheet for identifying and exploring resentments.

A worksheet for creating poetry; print, laminate, and cut out the words.

A 1-page worksheet for examining past substance use relapses and strategies for avoiding future relapses.

A 5-page template for creating a substance use relapse prevention plan.

A 1-page worksheet for exploring ways to resist urges to use in early recovery.

A 1-page checklist with quick tips, self-soothing, and indulgent ideas for self-care.

A 3-page worksheet for developing a colorful self-care “map” to explore patterns and identify new practices.

A 3-page template for creating a self-care “menu.”

A 2-page writing assignment for self-discovery and awareness.

A 2-page worksheet for developing self-esteem.

A 1-page worksheet for exploring motivation for substance use recovery.

A fun worksheet for creating a bucket list of things that are only possible in sobriety.

Stress Management Worksheet

This 6-page worksheet helps with identifying and exploring stressors. From there, the worksheet can be used to build a stress management plan.

7 pages of feelings words.

A 6-page worksheet for describing problem areas, identifying goals, and exploring what has (and has not) been helpful in the past. This worksheet can be used to develop a collaborative treatment plan.

A 2-page worksheet for identifying and exploring wants and needs.

A simple form for tracking daily meals and snacks for one week.

A 2-page worksheet for identifying things that are controllable versus things that can’t be controlled.

A 3-page narrative therapy worksheet for exploring a past substance use relapse.

Laminate and use with fine-tip dry erase markers.

Workbooks & Bonus Materials

100-page printable workbook for working through grief and loss.

A companion workbook meant to be used with the book Staying Sober Without God (created with the author’s permission).

Daily Self-Inventory for Mental Health Professionals

A 10th step-based inventory for self-reflection for counselors and other mental health workers.

Free Coloring Pages for Adults

Links to 15 websites with free printable coloring sheets for adults.

Miscellaneous Printables

A list of 20 openers for individual therapy sessions.

A 2-page form for case conceptualization with sections for demographics, key findings, background info, case formulation, interventions/plans, and requested feedback or suggestions.

A list of interventions (action words) for clinical documentation.

A template for tracking attendance, cases discussed, and any other group topics.

A foldable coloring book with eight different designs.

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28 thoughts on “75+ Free Mental Health Worksheets & Handouts”

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Thank you for giving away this valuable information. I am a Adult Mental Health Case Manager and I use things from here in my weekly group meetings!

I do also, but for juveniles. These tools are extremely helpful.

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Thank you so much for providing these free handouts. During these tough times, I find these handouts to be extremely useful. A million thank you’s!

These valuable materials are so much of a blessing, thank you so much for the gracious kindness!!!

I’m a drug and alcohol counselor and I find this site very helpful!

It is great to see that someone else wants to promote better care for clients and therapists alike using comprehensive resources (that are free!). Thank you!!!

I love this site i am a Mental Health Professional and I find these very helpful with my group sessions.

Thank you very much!! I have a son struggling with depression and suicide. This will help very much.

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This is a wonderful site. I deeply appreciate the effort and time it took to put this together. Thank you very much.

I can’t tell you how fortunate I am to have stumbled onto this. I am a Behavioral Health PSS in a drug and alcohol treatment facility and am looking forward to sharing some of these materials with our clients. I love the group activities and discussion prompts and will be using some in my next group. Fantastic resource! There is something for everyone here! Thank you so much for this. Be well 🙂

Hope you guys add a Domestic Violence section

Thank you for giving us free worksheets. It’s really helpful.

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Will less homework stress make California students happier?

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A bill from a member of the Legislature’s happiness committee would require schools to come up with homework policies that consider the mental and physical strain on students.

Lea esta historia en Español

Update: The Assembly education committee on April 24 approved an amended version of the bill that softens some requirements and gives districts until the 2027-28 school year. Some bills before California’s Legislature don’t come from passionate policy advocates, or from powerful interest groups.  

Sometimes, the inspiration comes from a family car ride. 

While campaigning two years ago, Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo ’s daughter, then nine, asked from the backseat what her mother could do if she won.

Schiavo answered that she’d be able to make laws. Then, her daughter Sofia asked her if she could make a law banning homework.

“It was a kind of a joke,” the Santa Clarita Valley Democrat said in an interview, “though I’m sure she’d be happy if homework were banned.”

Still, the conversation got Schiavo thinking, she said. And while Assembly Bill 2999 — which faces its first big test on Wednesday — is far from a ban on homework, it would require school districts, county offices of education and charter schools to develop guidelines for K-12 students and would urge schools to be more intentional about “good,” or meaningful homework. 

Among other things, the guidelines should consider students’ physical health, how long assignments take and how effective they are. But the bill’s main concern is mental health and when homework adds stress to students’ daily lives.

Homework’s impact on happiness is partly why Schiavo brought up the proposal last month during the first meeting of the Legislature’s select committee on happiness , led by former Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon .   

“This feeling of loneliness and disconnection — I know when my kid is not feeling connected,” Schiavo, a member of the happiness committee, told CalMatters. “It’s when she’s alone in her room (doing homework), not playing with her cousin, not having dinner with her family.” 

The bill analysis cites a survey of 15,000 California high schoolers from Challenge Success, a nonprofit affiliated with the Stanford Graduate School of Education. It found that 45% said homework was a major source of stress and that 52% considered most assignments to be busywork.  

The organization also reported in 2020 that students with higher workloads reported “symptoms of exhaustion and lower rates of sleep,” but that spending more time on homework did not necessarily lead to higher test scores.

Homework’s potential to also widen inequities is why Casey Cuny supports the measure. An English and mythology teacher at Valencia High School and 2024’s California Teacher of the Year , Cuny says language barriers, unreliable home internet, family responsibilities or other outside factors may contribute to a student falling behind on homework.

“I never want a kid’s grade to be low because they have divorced parents and their book was at their dad’s house when they were spending the weekend at mom’s house,” said Cuny, who plans to attend a press conference Wednesday to promote the bill.

In addition, as technology makes it easier for students to cheat — using artificial technology or chat threads to lift answers, for example — Schiavo says that the educators she has spoken to indicate they’re moving towards more in-class assignments. 

Cuny agrees that an emphasis on classwork does help to rein in cheating and allows him to give students immediate feedback. “I feel that I should teach them what I need to teach them when I’m with them in the room,” he said. 

The bill says the local homework policies should have input from teachers, parents, school counselors, social workers and students; be distributed at the beginning of every school year; and be reevaluated every five years.

The Assembly Committee on Education is expected to hear the bill Wednesday. Schiavo says she has received bipartisan support and so far, no official opposition or support is listed in the bill analysis. 

The measure’s provision for parental input may lead to disagreements given the recent culture war disputes between Democratic officials and parental rights groups backed by some Republican lawmakers. Because homework is such a big issue, “I’m sure there will be lively (school) board meetings,” Schiavo said.

Nevertheless, she says she hopes the proposal will overhaul the discussion around homework and mental health. The bill is especially pertinent now that the state is also poised to cut spending on mental health services for children with the passage of Proposition 1 .

Schiavo said the mother of a student with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder told her that the child’s struggle to finish homework has raised issues inside the house, as well as with the school’s principal and teachers.

“And I’m just like, it’s sixth grade!” Schaivo said. “What’s going on?”

Lawmakers want to help California be happy

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Lynn La is the WhatMatters newsletter writer. Prior to joining CalMatters, she developed thought leadership at an edtech company and was a senior editor at CNET. She also covered public health at The Sacramento... More by Lynn La

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‘Absolute b******s’ - Newey’s wife SLAMS Red Bull F1 claims

Adrian Newey is reportedly set to leave Red Bull due to being unsettled by the ongoing power struggle at the team – but previous social media posts from his wife suggest that his departure may have been on the cards for some time.

The Milton Keynes-based squad have been in complete turmoil off the track since February due to the situation surrounding team principal Christian Horner .

READ MORE: Newey tipped to POACH key Red Bull staff if he joins F1 rivals

The 50-year-old was subject to accusations of alleged ‘inappropriate behaviour’ towards a female colleague, which he continues to deny.

Horner was cleared of any wrongdoing following an internal investigation from the team’s parent company, but the matter is due to be revisited with fresh evidence being brought to the table .

READ MORE: Hamilton dealt major Newey blow as shock COMPLICATION revealed

Newey wife posts suggest rift with Red Bull

The saga has left several key figures’ futures in doubt, including Newey, with reports on Thursday announcing that the 65-year-old was set to leave the team .

It was reported by BBC Sport that Newey is dissatisfied by the power struggle in the team caused by the allegations against Horner, and it was suggested that he may be able to depart at the end of the season , but certain contract clauses may deny him from leaving sooner than anticipated .

To add to the drama, previous tweets from Newey’s wife Amanda have suggested that there has been a rift between the legendary engineer and Red Bull , even before his departure was revealed.

Back in January, there were media claims that the dominant RB19 and this year’s car, the RB20, were not designed by Newey and instead by technical director Pierre Wache, to which Amanda Newey responded on X: “Absolute b******s.”

READ MORE: Newey's wife 'scoping out properties' in MAJOR hint over next move

Absolute bollocks. — Amanda Newey (@amanda_newey) January 5, 2024

On the same day, she responded to claims suggesting that Red Bull’s technical leadership were not reliant on Newey with: “What a load of hogwash.”

Newey has been very vocal about her discontent towards various media outlets’ reports on her husband.

In March, she tweeted: “There should be a global organisation or ombudsman regulating journalistic content for accuracy and quality across all publications due to the prevalence of factually incorrect and click-baited content. It has been bothering me for a while now.”

There should be a global organisation or ombudsman regulating journalistic content for accuracy and quality across all publications due to the prevalence of factually incorrect and click-baited content. It has been bothering me for a while now. — Amanda Newey (@amanda_newey) March 23, 2024

READ MORE: Verstappen sent Horner CLEAR message before Newey bombshell

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Shawn Levy Reveals Deadpool & Wolverine ‘Is Built for Entertainment, No Obligation to Come Prepared with Prior Research’

Shawn Levy ensures moviegoers that MCU homework isn't required for viewers to enjoy this summer's Deadpool & Wolverine adventure.

• Director Shawn Levy says Deadpool & Wolverine " is built for entertainment, with no obligation to come prepared with prior research."
• While the film doesn't require any homework for moviegoers to enjoy it, fans of the other MCU movies and the Marvel comic books will obviously appreciate all the Easter Eggs which are certain to pop up.
• Levy also credits Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman's friendship with the creative choices made while making Deadpool 3.

Good news, summer school cinephiles: No homework is required going into director Shawn Levy’s upcoming Deadpool sequel. According to the filmmaker, moviegoers’ enjoyment of Deadpool & Wolverine won’t be predicated on past knowledge of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Levy insists that Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman’s superhero team-up “is built for entertainment, with no obligation to come prepared with prior research.” Levy said in an interview (per the Associated Press ):

“I was a good student in school. I’ll do my homework as an adult. But I am definitely not looking to do homework when I go to the movies. I very much made this film with certainly a healthy respect and gratitude towards the rabid fan base that has peak fluency in the mythology and lore of these characters and this world. But I didn’t want to presume that. This movie is built for entertainment, with no obligation to come prepared with prior research.”

Deadpool & Wolverine

Meanwhile, a healthy appreciation of the other films in the MCU will undoubtedly benefit those who have seen the other movies, or those diehards who are staunch supporters of the Marvel comic books. With the multiverse in play, any number of established characters and/or their variants could appear in Deadpool & Wolverine . Levy also said:

“The rumors around this movie are overwhelming. But so is the anticipation, which is a nice situation […] There was no way I was going to reinvent a wheel, a tonal wheel, that works so beautifully. Both Disney and Marvel, up and down the food chain, empowered Ryan and I to make this movie exactly as we dreamed.”

Prepare for a Buddy Film and Much More in Deadpool & Wolverine

Marvel definitely isn’t overusing Deadpool, at this point, and the Merc with a Mouth could very well save the Marvel Cinematic Universe — Marvel Jesus-style — if the sequel can right the recently struggling MCU moneymaking machine. It’s also worth noting that Deadpool & Wolverine is the only MCU entry scheduled for 2024. But, at the end of the day, director Shawn Levy is promising much more than just a hilarious, superhero buddy flick the likes of a Midnight Run or Planes, Trains and Automobiles , which just happens to traverse the vastness of the multiverse. Levy also said via the same AP story:

“It’s a really interesting duo. They’re built for huge conflict with each other because they’re so different individually. But that makes for a very interesting story, because the best two hander stories, whether it’s ‘Midnight Run’ or ‘48 Hours’ or ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles,’ yes, it’s littered with conflict. But it’s ultimately about something more as well and that’s what audiences will see.”

Deadpool & Wolverine Director Reveals Impact Hollywood Strikes Had on the MCU Movie

What’s also clear is the on-screen chemistry between stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, which clearly translates to Deadpool & Wolverine’s record-breaking trailer. And Levy couldn't help but comment on the “real benefit” Reynolds and Jackman’s authentic friendship played in making the chimichanga-eating Mutant's third big-screen adventure. Levy said:

“The real benefit of being friends off set is that you can try crazy stuff without fear of falling. Because some of it won’t work and that will be momentarily embarrassing, but if you’re among friends, it’s okay to make a fool of yourself in the pursuit of something surprising and something unexpected. This movie is filled with moments, both comedic and character based, that we didn’t expect and were the result of a freedom that that came from being friends.”

Deadpool & Wolverine opens in theaters on July 26.

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‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Doesn’t Require Prior Knowledge Of MCU, Director Says: “This Movie Is Built For Entertainment”

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Shawn Levy , the director of Deadpool and Wolverine , doesn’t like homework and does not require moviegoers to have prior knowledge of the MCU to enjoy his latest film.

The filmmaker revealed in a recent interview that the new Marvel movie starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman is meant to be entertaining.

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“I very much made this film with certainly a healthy respect and gratitude towards the rabid fan base that has peak fluency in the mythology and lore of these characters and this world. But I didn’t want to presume that,” he added. “This movie is built for entertainment, with no obligation to come prepared with prior research.”

During CinemaCon, Levy noted that although this is the third film featuring Deadpool, it’s not to be called Deadpool 3 .

“As far as crafting the Deadpool and Wolverine story, I just felt privileged every day because you’re talking about two massive movie stars in their most iconic roles,” Levy told Screen Rant during CinemaCon. “It also gave me an opportunity. It’s the third Deadpool movie, but it’s not Deadpool 3. It’s a different thing that’s very much Deadpool and Wolverine. And it’s not trying to copycat anything from the first two movies. They were awesome, but this is a two-hander character adventure.”

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N.F.L. Draft Had Some Style Winners

The next class of football stars has done some fashion homework, but the evening was pretty tame compared with the N.B.A. draft.

By Guy Trebay

“People want to sit around with the family and watch football,” Roger Goodell, the National Football League commissioner, said Thursday night before the 2024 N.F.L. draft. It is also increasingly the case that people want to sit around, alone or in groups, watching phenomenal athletes and physical specimens doing nothing more physically taxing than sauntering down a red carpet.

And, while the N.F.L. has a long way to go before it can stage a real challenge to the style dominance of N.B.A. tunnel-walk kings like Jerami Grant, Jarred Vanderbilt or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, it was clear that this year’s football draft prospects had done some fashion homework.

Take the No. 1 draft pick, Caleb Williams, the U.S.C. quarterback chosen — to the surprise of almost no one — by the Chicago Bears. Mr. Williams dressed for his big night in a sophisticated dark blue, double-breasted zippered suit by Chrome Hearts, worn over a darker blue T-shirt. It was a sleek tone-on-tone look that was only improved when he donned his new team’s logo snapback.

Or consider the L.S.U. star Jayden Daniels, who wore a handsome dove-gray single-breasted suit, tieless, as he was chosen by the Washington Commanders. A player known for his ever-changing hairstyles, Mr. Daniels accessorized his look, impromptu, with a Commanders team cap perched atop his current coiffure, a head full of ropy twists.

Maybe the New England Patriots’ choice Drake Maye, wearing a single-breasted suit with a skinny tie, all in pale gray, was not flaunting a look you’ll ever see on the social media entity LeagueFits, where, as its author says, men who “used to go to war now post fit checks before prime time games.” But he made a strong case for the value of playing conservatively and sticking to your own sartorial lane.

For this critic’s money, some of the more compelling looks of this evening in Detroit belonged to Malik Nabers, the L.S.U. wide receiver who touchingly had his double-breasted suit lined with photo prints of “all the legends, all the people that made Malik what Malik is”; Marvin Harrison Jr., the Ohio State wide receiver who was the fourth pick and wore a jeweled pendant with a gridiron image of his dad, Marvin Harrison (19th pick in 1996), and who was additionally clad in sunglasses, a black suit, dark shirt and tie; and, finally, Taliese Fuaga, the 334-pound Samoan-American Oregon State offensive lineman, who wore a print shirt and floral lei.

One knock on the N.B.A. tunnel-walk stars is that they seldom look as though they are wearing clothes they’d have chosen without the guidance of agents and stylists or were not paid to wear. In that sense, N.F.L. draft night remained an oddly innocent affair.

Of course, there were inevitably abundant commercial tie-ins underpinning this display of fanfare, a hype night for a multibillion-dollar business. Still, compared with most widely cross-platform events these days, and considered in the light of an attention economy that often guarantees celebrities — newly minted or otherwise — a fortune for each post, the draft seemed almost quaint. A good percentage of the draft picks did not even trek to Detroit to be nominated. Like the rest of us, they watched the hoopla from home.

Guy Trebay is a reporter for the Style section of The Times, writing about the intersections of style, culture, art and fashion. More about Guy Trebay

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