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Pain Diary

Self-monitoring of thoughts, feelings, and symptoms is an essential skill for clients engaged in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). In this Pain Diary, clients can record activity and pain intensity. The results can be examined to look for any patterns in how the pain changes over the course of the day and the week, and how it relates to activity.

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A PDF of the resource, theoretical background, suggested therapist questions and prompts.

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A PDF of the resource plus client-friendly instructions where appropriate.

Fillable version (PDF)

A fillable version of the resource. This can be edited and saved in Adobe Acrobat, or other PDF editing software.

Editable version (PPT)

An editable Microsoft PowerPoint version of the resource.

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Languages this resource is available in

  • English (GB)
  • English (US)
  • Greek
  • Hebrew
  • Italian
  • Korean
  • Spanish (International)

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Introduction & Theoretical Background

Diaries are a crucial information-gathering tool. They can be used for symptom monitoring during an assessment phase of therapy, symptom monitoring during therapy, or correlating activity with symptoms. This Pain Diary includes spaces to record pain location, intensity, and activities associated with increases or decreases in pain.

References And Further Reading

  • Winterowd, C., Beck, A. T., Gruener, D. (2000). Cognitive therapy for chronic pain patients. Springer.