Baseer Maroof, LCSW · Raleigh, NC · Adults 21+
Stuck point worksheet
The core move of cognitive processing therapy: catch the belief the trauma left behind, question it, and see how true it still feels.
In short
- A stuck point is a belief the trauma left behind that keeps you stuck, like “it was my fault” or “no one can be trusted”.
- CPT works on two kinds: beliefs about why the trauma happened, and beliefs about now in five areas: safety, trust, power and control, esteem, and intimacy.
- You test them with questions, then write a more balanced version.
- Rating how much you believe it, before and after, shows what’s moving.
The worksheet
Stuck point worksheet
Saves on this device only. Write the belief, not the details of what happened.
Add a stuck point
Theme:
Examples (tap to use):
How CPT works
Stuck points
Trauma can shake beliefs about safety, trust, power, esteem and intimacy. When the beliefs that come out of it are inaccurate, they interrupt normal recovery. CPT calls these stuck points. (National Center for PTSD)
Two ways beliefs bend
Assimilation twists the event to fit what you already believed: “bad things happen to bad people, so I must have deserved it.” Over-accommodation swings too far the other way: “all men are dangerous.” The goal is a balanced middle: some people are dangerous, most are not. (National Center for PTSD)
The format
Originally 12 sessions, now flexible: ending when symptoms have improved enough worked better than a fixed count in several studies. Writing an account of the trauma is optional; CPT with and without it work about equally well. Individual sessions tend to work best. (National Center for PTSD)
Guideline status
Strongly recommended by both VA/DoD 2023 and APA 2025. (VA/DoD 2023; APA 2025)
Using it well
Start with the why
CPT tackles beliefs about why it happened first: self-blame, “I should have known”, “I should have stopped it”. Hindsight makes the past look more predictable than it was.
Balanced isn’t positive
“It was all my fault” doesn’t become “everything is fine.” It becomes something accurate: “I did what I could with what I knew at the time.”
Bring it to your therapist
This page is a companion to CPT, not a replacement. Copy your work and take it to your next session.
Sources
All sources, linked3 references⌄
- National Center for PTSD. Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD (for providers). www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/txessentials/cpt_for_ptsd_pro.asp
- Schnurr PP et al. (2024). The Management of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Stress Disorder: synopsis of the 2023 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guideline. Annals of Internal Medicine (2024). doi:10.7326/M23-2757. www.healthquality.va.gov/guidelines/MH/ptsd/PTSD-in-Annals-2024.pdf
- American Psychological Association (2025). Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Adults. www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline
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