At times there are multiple thoughts which can cross our mind at a racing speed and focusing on each of these thoughts simultaneously becomes a tedious task and quite taxing for our brain to process. During this process it becomes difficult for our brain to focus on the solutions and the options that we might have to tackle the issue and make a concrete decision pertaining to our problem. Hence during such times of immense confusion and chaos, we need to slow down our thoughts a bit by calming down and validate each thought and the emotions associated with it.

The Cease and Release worksheet is designed to help you slow down a little and think about each of your thoughts before you act on them by giving priority to each of them! You are required to accumulate all of your thoughts together that cause you stress and write them down on a piece of paper after which you can take up one thought at a time and ponder over the sub thoughts linking the original thought. After this process of thinking is done, pause for a moment and take a deep breath in and hold it for a few seconds before letting it out.

This way you get to think, process and release the burden and anxious feelings that accompany the stressful thought. Continue to practise the same activity when it comes to the rest of the thoughts until you feel relief.

We’d like our clients to know that this is not a formal assessment that we are carrying out to diagnose you with any mental health disorder. This is just a regular check-on activity done for your mental wellbeing. While solving this worksheet, you might encounter certain triggering emotions. We highly recommend you talk about them with your therapist as well as inform your therapist regarding the results of the activity and your overall experience solving it.

Team Ananda hopes that you find your way through tough and stressful times with the help of this activity which will help you sort out your thoughts and deal with them effectively.