High-risk situations and my coping plan
Plan and rehearse for high-risk situations, with support and a back-up.
Written by Tarun Vermani, Trainee Clinical Psychologist Last reviewed
Assign and Download open signup, then return you to this worksheet. No card required. Resource access depends on your plan or trial. Already have an account? Sign in
Worksheet preview
High-risk situations and my coping plan
PreviewLive preview — type in any field to try it. Nothing is saved here.
One situation: notice, plan and practise
Try it here — nothing you type is saved. Sign up to assign it and let clients complete it on any device.
When to use the High-risk situations and my coping plan
The High-risk situations and my coping plan is an interactive cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) worksheet, most often used in CBT for substance misuse.
It is designed to be used within therapy rather than as a standalone self-help tool: a therapist introduces it, works through it collaboratively, and helps make sense of what it surfaces. You can preview the full worksheet above, then assign it digitally for clients to complete between sessions on any device or download it as a print-ready PDF.
How it works
Most people work through it in around 10 minutes. It centres on one focused exercise:
- One situation: notice, plan and practise
Completed on the Formulate platform, your client's answers are saved automatically and shared straight back to you, so you can review them before the next session rather than waiting for a paper copy to come back.
The CBT approach behind it
In common with other CBT methods, the High-risk situations and my coping plan works by putting clear, personalised coping steps in place for difficult moments. The aim is not positive thinking but a clearer, shared understanding of what keeps a difficulty going and practical, testable ways to change it.
Because it is a CBT tool it stays focused on the here-and-now links between thoughts, feelings, the body and behaviour, and it works best as one part of a wider course of therapy rather than as advice or a diagnosis.
Evidence & sources
This worksheet is grounded in established cognitive behavioural therapy theory and practice. Key sources include:
- Marlatt, G. A. & Donovan, D. M. (eds.) (2005). Relapse Prevention: Maintenance Strategies in the Treatment of Addictive Behaviors. Guilford Press.
- Larimer, M. E., Palmer, R. S. & Marlatt, G. A. (1999). Relapse prevention: An overview of Marlatt's cognitive-behavioral model. Alcohol Research & Health.
For use alongside professional support
Formulate provides educational CBT resources for use with a qualified therapist. They are not a substitute for professional assessment, diagnosis, or crisis care.
If you need urgent help now:
- Emergency services: 999 — if you or someone else is in immediate danger
- NHS 111 (NHS 24 in Scotland): 111 — choose the mental health option for urgent help, in England, Scotland and Wales (in Wales, press 2)
- Lifeline: 0808 808 8000 — for urgent help in Northern Ireland, free, day or night
- Samaritans: 116 123 — free, day or night, 365 days a year
- Shout: 85258 — text SHOUT, free, day or night
- SANEline: 0300 304 7000 — 4pm–10pm, every day
More Substance Misuse worksheets
View all Substance Misuse worksheets →Substance Misuse
Functional analysis of substance use
Explore the triggers, thoughts, feelings and consequences linked to substance use, to understand what it does for you. Based on Marlatt and Donovan (2005): an episode-by-episode analysis, with a craving rating and a resisted-urge prompt added.
Substance Misuse
Decisional balance
Weigh up the pros and cons of continuing to use substances and of making a change. A structured way to explore mixed feelings about substance use. Based on Miller and Rollnick (2013): a four-box pros and cons exercise with a readiness ruler and follow-up questions; importance and confidence rulers are left out.
Substance Misuse
Urge surfing record
Record an urge to use a substance as you stay with it and watch it rise, peak and fade, and note whether you used. Practise riding the wave of craving. Based on Marlatt and Donovan (2005): urge surfing, with ratings across the urge and a place to record slips.
Substance Misuse
Substance use diary
Record what you use each day, what led up to it, and how you felt before, straight after and later, to find patterns and triggers. Based on Marlatt and Donovan (2005): a simple use diary with urge and later-effects ratings added; no relapse prevention plan is included.
Substance Misuse
Pros and cons of change
A simplified tool to explore your reasons for and against changing your substance use. Based on Miller and Rollnick (2013): a two-list version of the decisional balance with a reflection and one small step; the readiness and importance rulers are left out.
Substance Misuse
Substance misuse formulation (Beck et al.'s cognitive model)
Map how a situation sets off beliefs, thoughts and cravings that lead to use, and how the relief and the costs of using lead to the next time, with the early experiences behind them.
Want to assign this to a client?
Create a free therapist account to use the homework and library download tools. Clients can complete assigned homework online or use a blank PDF. See how the homework workflow works.
No card required. The Free plan includes 10 worksheet uses a month. Check plan access and limits.