An avoidance worksheet examines one trigger, the action not taken, the alternative behavior, and a possible short-term payoff. The payoff is a hypothesis to test against real constraints, not proof of a hidden motive.
Work through these questions: Need to discuss payment
Completed fictional example — SAMPLE DATA
This example shows how to fill in the form. It is not a real person’s record, a diagnosis, a validated assessment or a promised outcome. Use your own observations and appropriate professional advice for actual health concerns.
| Question or field | Your entry |
|---|---|
| Trigger? | An unfinished event draft |
| Avoided action? | Opening the budget section |
| Alternative behavior? | Sorted unrelated files |
| Constraint? | A supplier estimate is missing |
| Available next step? | Open the file and mark the missing estimate |
Blank worksheet — copy or print
Copy the form into your own private document or print this page. Replace each “Your entry” cell with your own note; leave anything uncertain clearly marked as unknown. This page does not save or submit your entries.
| Question or field | Your entry |
|---|---|
| Trigger? | Your entry |
| Avoided action? | Your entry |
| Alternative behavior? | Your entry |
| Constraint? | Your entry |
| Available next step? | Your entry |
Completed example
| Question or field | Fictional completed example |
|---|---|
| Trigger? | Need to discuss payment |
| Avoided action? | Send the fee question |
| Alternative behavior? | Invoice redesign |
| Constraint? | Scope needs confirmation |
| Available next step? | Ask for the scope confirmation |
A worked situation: Need to discuss payment
Fictional example. A reader delays a fee conversation by redesigning an invoice. The delay may protect her from rejection, but she also needs to confirm the agreed scope before sending the fee.
Choose a test that respects a real constraint
The trigger and substitute fields describe the episode; the constraint field records what actually limited the task. Do not delete that constraint to make the worksheet look decisive. Choose a feasible next contact with the task or a request for information. This is an authored action reflection, not a treatment exercise or a requirement to face an unsafe situation.