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W O R K B O O K S

Working with
Problem Solving

Workbook Contents
1. Define, List and Prioritise
Define a problem, list solutions and prioritise action

2. Evaluating the Top 3 Solutions

Identify and compare the costs and benefits of the top 3 solutions

3. Putting a Solution into Action

Implement and revise a chosen solution
Acknowledgements
The worksheet/s contained in this document are visual aids designed to help qualified mental
health professionals deliver Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). CBT has been refined over
many decades by the research and practice of many dedicated mental health professionals.
For more information about CBT, visit The Beck Institute ([Link]).

Disclaimer
The worksheet/s contained in this document are designed to help qualified mental health
professionals deliver psychological treatments and are not intended to replace therapy
or guide clinical judgement. It is the responsibility of the treating clinician to decide if the
visual aids contained in this document are appropriate for his or her clinical practice and to
determine their appropriate use. Unified Clinical accepts no responsibility for any outcome or
effect arising from the use of these visual aids.

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1. Define, List and Rank
DESCRIBE THE PROBLEM
Make sure that you describe a specific problem and not a general concern or worry Is this problem solvable?
YES NO
If ‘no’, is there a part that you can solve?
DEFINE

How much responsibility do you want

to take for this problem?

NONE FULL

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS RANK

LIST AND RANK POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

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1. Define, List and Rank (Worked Example)
DESCRIBE THE PROBLEM
Make sure that you describe a specific problem and not a general concern or worry Is this problem solvable?

X YES NO
My child is being bullied at school. I am not satisfied with how the If ‘no’, is there a part that you can solve?

school is managing the situation, but I’m not sure how much I should
DEFINE

get involved.
How much responsibility do you want
to take for this problem?

I
NONE FULL

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS RANK

Leave the school to do their best and support my child as much as I can.
3

Do nothing and let the situation resolve itself. 5

LIST AND RANK POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

Complain to the department of education who oversee the school 2

Meet with the school principal and express my concerns. Possibly also the teacher ? 1

Move my child to a new school.

4

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2. Evaluating the Top 3 Solutions
SOLUTION 1 SOLUTION 2 SOLUTION 3

POTENTIAL COSTS POTENTIAL COSTS POTENTIAL COSTS

POTENTIAL BENEFITS POTENTIAL BENEFITS POTENTIAL BENEFITS

COST/BENEFIT BALANCE COST/BENEFIT BALANCE COST/BENEFIT BALANCE

GREATER COSTS GREATER

GREATER BENEFITS
BENEFITS GREATER COSTS GREATER
GREATER BENEFITS
BENEFITS GREATER COSTS GREATER BENEFITS
GREATER BENEFITS

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2. Evaluating the Top 3 Solutions (Worked Example)
SOLUTION 1 SOLUTION 2 SOLUTION 3

Meet with the school principal Complain to the department of Leave the school to do their best
and express my concerns. Possibly education who oversee the school and support my child as much as I
also the teacher . can.

POTENTIAL COSTS POTENTIAL COSTS POTENTIAL COSTS

Awkward conversation. I really School might be annoyed that I Child gets more distressed
don’t like confrontation. didn’t go directly to them.
Nothing is resolved - nothing is
Could come to nothing. Might be told to speak to the happening so far !
school first - back to square one.
Could make the bullying worse if Problem gets worse, or the
the bully finds out. Might make the situation bigger damage gets worse.
than it is?
Bullying escalates to violence.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS POTENTIAL BENEFITS POTENTIAL BENEFITS
School will know the situation. Don’t have to have an awkward Don’t have to interact with
conversation with the principal. school.
SChool has a clear bullying
procedure that they can use - More power to act ? Can keep it quiet - won’t alert the
could be resolved this way? bully.
Might alert authorities to bigger
I will have established a problems at the school? More Child might learn how to cope wth
relationship with the principal bullying that isn’t being dealt difficult situations.
and teacher . with?

COST/BENEFIT BALANCE COST/BENEFIT BALANCE COST/BENEFIT BALANCE

I I I
GREATER COSTS GREATER
GREATER BENEFITS
BENEFITS GREATER COSTS GREATER
GREATER BENEFITS
BENEFITS GREATER COSTS GREATER BENEFITS
GREATER BENEFITS

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3. Putting a Solution into Action
CHOSEN SOLUTION
DEFINE

ACTIONS LOCATION AND TIME RESOURCES

PLAN

PREDICTIONS
PREDICT

OUTCOMES REFINEMENTS (IF NECESSARY)

EVALUATE

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3. Putting a Solution into Action (Worked Example)
CHOSEN SOLUTION
DEFINE

Meet with the school principal and express my concerns. Possibly also the teacher .

ACTIONS LOCATION AND TIME RESOURCES

Talk to child about the meeting. This afternoon Notes from my diary

Book appointment with school. Tomorrow at 9am Child’s notes about what happened

Prepare for meeting by making list Tomorrow at 12pm

PLAN

Report cards from school

of points to make, questions to be
answered and goals for resolution.

PREDICTIONS
PREDICT

The principal will be reluctant to act and say something like “these things happen”. The teacher may
not be aware of the problem.

OUTCOMES REFINEMENTS (IF NECESSARY)

The principal was abrupt but told me about how these Possibly worth doing sooner next
situations are normally dealt with, and explained the steps time?
that would be taken. I was satisfied with this.
EVALUATE

Teacher said he was aware of the problem but didn’t realise it

was that severe. Said he would call next week with an update.

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