When you’re working through depression or struggling with intrusive thoughts, it can sometimes feel like you’re caught in a whirlwind you can’t step out of. One of the kindest things you can do for yourself is to pause, notice, and gently make sense of what’s happening inside. That’s exactly what a thought and mood log helps you do.
These tools, inspired by Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), give you a way to slow down your inner world and bring more awareness to the patterns that often go unnoticed.
Intrusive Thought Tracker
Intrusive thoughts can be unsettling, repetitive, and hard to shake. But writing them down helps take away some of their power.
The tracker is simple:
Notice the trigger or situation – What was happening when the thought showed up?
Write down the intrusive thought – Putting it on paper helps create distance.
Name the urge or compulsion – Did you feel like you had to act on it?
Practice an alternative response – What might you say to yourself that’s gentler or more balanced?
Check in with your distress level before and after – You may notice that simply acknowledging and reframing the thought lowers the intensity.
Over time, you may start to see that thoughts are just thoughts—they come and go, and you can choose how to respond.
Depression Mood Log
Depression can make days blur together, making it difficult to see progress. A mood log helps you gently track where you are and what helps.
Each entry invites you to:
Rate your mood and energy – A simple 1–10 scale makes it easy to notice fluctuations.
Spot self-critical thoughts – These can creep in quietly, shaping your mood.
Balance with a helpful thought – Ask yourself, “What would I say to a friend feeling this way?”
Record actions you took – Even small steps like “went for a short walk” or “texted a friend” matter.
Reflect later – Sometimes looking back after a day or two helps you notice shifts you couldn’t see in the moment.
By practicing awareness and reflection, the log can help you recognize small victories and patterns that support healing.
Bringing It All Together
Both tools share the same purpose: to help you move from feeling overwhelmed by your thoughts and moods to feeling like you have some gentle control.
They’re not about judging yourself or doing things “perfectly.” Instead, they’re about cultivating curiosity:
What do I notice?
What changes when I pause and reflect?
How can I respond to myself with more compassion?
A Gentle Invitation
If you’re curious, try setting aside a few minutes each evening to fill in one of these logs. Think of it as a way to check in with yourself, the same way you’d check in with a loved one.
These logs aren’t meant to replace therapy, or engagement with another person, they’re a support along the way. If you find them helpful, consider sharing your reflections with your therapist so you can explore them together.
Healing and changing is not about fixing everything at once. It is about noticing, reflecting, and taking one step at a time. Download the worksheet below if you would like to give it a try.
