Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Worksheet

Phase	Exploration
Fact Phase	What happened? Describe the incident in your own words.	📖
Thought Phase	What was your first thought when the incident occurred?	💭
Reaction Phase	What was your emotional and physical reaction following the incident?	❤️️
Symptom Phase	What symptoms have you noticed since the incident? Note any changes in your feelings, thoughts, behaviors, or physical well-being.	🌀
Teaching Phase	What coping strategies can help manage these symptoms? Consider strategies such as deep breathing, talking to someone, or engaging in a hobby.	🛠️
Re-entry Phase	How can you apply these strategies in your daily life? Plan how you will use these strategies to help manage stress and symptoms.	🔁

References

Mitchell, J. T., & Everly, G. S., Jr. (1996). Critical Incident Stress Debriefing: An Operations Manual for CISD, Defusing and Other Group Crisis Intervention Services. Ellicott City, MD: Chevron Publishing.

Everly, G. S., & Mitchell, J. T. (2000). The debriefing “controversy” and crisis intervention: a review of lexical and substantive issues. International Journal of Emergency Mental Health.

You can download more Mental Health worksheets here.

Please note: There may be a more up-to-date and editable version of this worksheet available here which may be more suitable to present to clients if you are a therapist or to use in a classroom as a teacher or guidance counsellor.