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Thought on Trial
When a thought feels like the whole truth, it helps to test it the way a fair court would — on the evidence, not the feeling. Your job here is to be the impartial judge: not the prosecutor piling on, not the defense making excuses.
The charge
The thought on trial
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How strongly I believe it right now
Rate from 0 (Not at all) to 10 (Completely): ____
Evidence FOR
Facts only — things that would hold up, not feelings or fears.
What genuinely supports this thought
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Evidence AGAINST
Facts that don't fit — including ones you'd easily accept about someone else.
What doesn't fit this thought
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The verdict
A fair, balanced statement that fits ALL the evidence
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How strongly I believe the original thought now
Rate from 0 (Not at all) to 10 (Completely): ____
Feelings aren't evidence: 'It feels true' is emotional reasoning, not proof. In this court, only facts you could show someone else count.
Go deeper
Ready for more? These lessons pick up where this worksheet leaves off.
- Perseveration, Rumination, and Thought Loops, from The Neurodivergent Brain. Why the neurodivergent mind gets stuck — monotropism, why 'just stop' fails, perseveration vs OCD, and exits that work.
- Anxiety and Intolerance of Uncertainty, from The Neurodivergent Brain. Why anxiety is so common in autism, ADHD & AuDHD — intolerance of uncertainty, the loops that keep it going, and tools that help.
- Therapy, Coaching, and Skills That Actually Help, from The Adult ADHD Course. Why willpower fails and scaffolding works: skills that fit the ADHD brain, coaching, and self-compassion.