Diary of thoughts and emotions is a standard technique used in CBT. The point of this technique is to record in what situations you feel bad and what thoughts influence this. This really helps to get to the heart of the problem. Because, remembering a situation after a while, there is a risk of forgetting or distorting the information. A thought diary is also sometimes called SMER. This is an abbreviation of the main columns: situation, thoughts, emotion, reaction. Briefly about what a standard SERM diary looks like: If you come to a CBT therapist, then with a very high probability he will give you this task. I do not always recommend a thought diary to my clients, but only when I see a need for it. At the beginning of work, when there are not yet sufficient self-support skills, clients fill out only the first four columns. As we work, we study the main cognitive distortions and learn to counter them with the help of an alternative response, or, also called, a rational response. * * *I have templates for recording in my office, but I still think using applications is a more convenient way. Therefore, today I have prepared a review of three of the most convenient, in my opinion, applications for a thought diary. Convenient means without unnecessary functionality that will only confuse and confuse, with the ability to upload records for a psychologist and a completely understandable interface. By the way, the article will be useful for both those who have Ipnone and those who have Android. CBT Diary (Iphone) Now I use it myself when I need to write down something to track irrational thoughts. When you open the application, you immediately get to your records, where they are organized by month. You don’t need to log in, which is both a plus and a minus, since your data cannot be transferred. Pros: convenient display of all entries, there are unobtrusive prompts with examples, entry fields correspond to the standard SERM diary, without unnecessary items, it is possible to upload your entries and send directly to a psychologist). Disadvantages: there is no column for recording your behavior, that is, reactions, there is no way to indicate the intensity of emotions. Diary: CBT notes (Iphone) Another application for Iphone. In some ways it is a little better than the previous one, but in others it is inferior. The application offers to create an account, so that your records will be carefully stored. Pros: there is a knowledge base where you can read about the rules for filling out a diary, uploading records for a psychologist even in several formats, for example, you can scan the qr code; the fields for the record correspond to the standard SERM diary, without unnecessary points, there is a scale for the intensity of emotions. Cons: you need to fill out all the fields, and they are displayed step by step, and not all at once, emotions must be selected from the list, which can be a minus, but also a plus for those who are still poorly versed in their feelings, And in my opinion, the most important disadvantage, why I don’t use this wonderful application, is the character limit in the free version. That is, you will have to express your thoughts briefly and succinctly, which will not allow you to indulge in philosophical discussions about your situation. OpenCBT (Android) This is my favorite app and I enjoyed using it while I had another phone. In my opinion, this is the best option for a thought diary with a simple and intuitive interface. So, Android users, you are very lucky, because this application is not available in the App Store. Pros: there is a knowledge base where you can read about the rules for filling out a diary, the entry fields correspond to the standard SERM diary, without unnecessary items, more freedom: you can leave some fields are empty, you can add and remove fields for entries in the settings, statistics on time and the most common cognitive distortions are available, there is a scale for the intensity of emotions. Cons: uploading data for a psychologist is not the most convenient, in my opinion, so I usually just did screenshot. I think this material will be useful both for my fellow psychologists and for clients who want to learn how to control their mood and behavior. If you want to.