How to track your mood between therapy sessions
Small, regular notes turn "how has it been?" into something you can actually answer — and show you patterns a busy week hides.
Step-by-step
- Check in once a day, at roughly the same time, with the mood journal. A mood from 1 to 10 is enough; add feelings and what you did when you can.
- Catch a hard moment with a thought record while you still remember what went through your mind.
- Every two weeks, take the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 so you and your clinician can see the trend.
- If sleep is a problem, keep the sleep diary for two weeks.
- Before each session, print the one-page summary with the things you want to talk about.
What makes a mood journal useful
- Regular beats detailed. Ten seconds every day tells you more than a long entry once a week.
- Log the ordinary days. Patterns only show against the days when nothing much happened.
- Tick what you did. Activities are how you find out what tends to go with better days.
- Read patterns gently. Two things happening together isn't proof one causes the other — a walk on good days may be because you felt better.
Thought records in brief
Cognitive behavioural therapy starts from the idea that how we interpret a situation shapes how we feel. A thought record slows that down: the situation, the feeling and how strong it was, the thought, the thinking traps in it, the evidence each way, and a fairer thought. The feeling usually eases, and over time you start spotting your own traps as they happen.
Symptom questionnaires
The PHQ-9 and GAD-7 are short, widely used questionnaires about depression and anxiety symptoms over the last two weeks. They can't diagnose anything on their own, but a series of scores gives you and your clinician a shared, objective picture of change. The guide to measuring progress in therapy explains what a change in score means.
Keeping it private
These tools keep your journal in your browser on your own device. Nothing is sent to Toolsfully. Add a passphrase if anyone else uses the device — the journal is then encrypted and locks when you step away. Download a backup now and then; clearing your browser data deletes the journal.
Make a safety plan while things are calm
If you've ever felt unsafe, a safety plan written ahead of time — ideally with your therapist — means you don't have to think from scratch in a crisis.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I journal?
A short check-in once a day works best. If that's too much, a few times a week still shows patterns over a month.
Should I share my journal with my therapist?
It's up to you. Many people bring a one-page summary with their average mood, notable days and the topics they want to cover, rather than every entry.
Can a mood tracker diagnose depression?
No. Trackers and questionnaires help you notice and describe what's happening; a diagnosis needs a qualified professional.
Is my journal private?
On these tools, yes: it's kept only in your browser and never sent anywhere. Add a passphrase to encrypt it on a shared device.
Open the mood journal →