5 Free Self-Esteem Worksheets to Help Teens Challenge Negative Core Beliefs [DOWNLOADABLE FREEBIE]
- Monique McNamara
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
When a Teen Believes “I’m Not Good Enough”
You know that moment in session—when a teen shrinks into their hoodie after a single low grade, or when they quietly say, “I’m just not good at anything”? Sometimes it’s spoken out loud, other times it’s written between the lines of a journal prompt. Either way, it lands like a weight in the room.
That feeling of “not being good enough” is more than just a passing thought. For many teens, it’s a deeply rooted belief that shapes how they interpret almost everything—from friendships to school performance to how they handle feedback.
You’ve probably seen it show up in phrases like:
“They’re probably mad at me.”
“Everyone else has it together.”
“I knew I’d mess it up.”
These aren’t just moments of low mood—they’re clues to something deeper. And when those thoughts keep circling back, it’s often because a core belief is sitting quietly underneath, reinforcing the story.
The good news? Core beliefs can be uncovered. And once they’re seen clearly, they can be reshaped.
That’s what this blog is here to help you do—using a set of free, engaging worksheets that speak your teen client’s language and give you a framework to guide meaningful, self-esteem-boosting conversations.
Why Core Beliefs Deserve a Spotlight in Self-Esteem Work
At the heart of almost every self-esteem struggle is a quiet but powerful story a teen tells themselves. Not out loud, but internally—on repeat.
It’s the belief that they’re not enough. That they’ll mess things up. That people can’t be trusted, or that their future is already set in stone (and not in a good way).
These aren’t just negative thoughts—they’re core beliefs. And they matter.
Core beliefs are the lens through which teens interpret their world. They influence how they handle failure, how they relate to others, and how they see their own potential. A single moment—a missed assignment, a harsh comment, a social rejection—can feel overwhelming when it reinforces a belief that’s already settled in beneath the surface.
You might hear it in session when a teen says:
“It’s no use, I’ll fail anyway.”
“I’m not the kind of person who can do that.”
“That compliment doesn’t mean anything—they were just being nice.”
And the challenge? Many teens don’t even realize these thoughts are beliefs—they feel like facts.
That’s why working with core beliefs is such a valuable part of self-esteem work. When teens begin to identify these beliefs, they can start to question them. And when they start to question them, you create space for new, more empowering beliefs to take root.
The free Core Beliefs Worksheets help guide that process—turning something abstract into something visual, tangible, and processable. In the next section, we’ll walk through exactly how to use them in your sessions.
Using the Free Core Beliefs Worksheets with Your Teen Clients
The Core Beliefs Worksheets are designed to help teens slow down and really see the beliefs shaping their self-perception. The language is friendly, the format is visual, and the activities are flexible enough to adapt to different client needs.
Here’s how you can guide your teen clients through each section:
🧠 What Are Core Beliefs?
Start here by introducing core beliefs in a way that makes sense to teens: “They’re like the glasses we wear to see the world—even if we don’t know we’re wearing them.” This page defines core beliefs in accessible language and offers two side-by-side examples—one positive, one negative—showing how different beliefs can shape thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
Therapist Tip: Use the examples to start a conversation:
“Which one sounds more like you right now?”
“What do you notice about the chain reaction that followed each belief?”
✍️ Identify Your Personal Core Beliefs
This page uses sentence completions to help teens surface their own beliefs, such as:
“Deep down, I believe I am…”
“When someone compliments me, I think…”
Let them fill these out naturally—some responses may be light or humorous, others might hold surprising vulnerability.
Therapist Tip: After they finish, read them together. Highlight recurring themes or emotional patterns.
You might ask:
“Do any of these surprise you?”
“Which ones feel strongest—or hardest to read back?”
❓ The “Why?” Chain
This simple but powerful exercise invites teens to take one belief and dig five layers deep with the question, Why do I believe that? The worksheet provides a sample (“I’m not good at sports”) that shows how early memories and past feedback often shape current beliefs.
Therapist Tip: Sit beside them—literally or metaphorically—as they work through this. Gently prompt if they get stuck. Remind them, “You’re not looking for a ‘right’ answer—just your real answer.”
🪞 Reflective Zone
This page helps teens reflect on the beliefs they’ve uncovered. It offers prompts like:
“How have these beliefs shaped your actions and thoughts?”
“Do they empower you or hold you back?”
It’s an ideal bridge between awareness and action.
Therapist Tip: Ask them to circle one belief they’d like to believe more strongly. Then together, brainstorm a small step or affirmation that moves them toward it.
⚡ Challenging Negative Self-Talk & Core Beliefs
This final worksheet encourages teens to flip their inner dialogue. On one side, they list negative thoughts; on the other, they create balanced or affirming alternatives.
Therapist Tip: Use this page to help teens create a personal library of go-to affirmations. Practice them out loud in session, and tie them back to the beliefs uncovered earlier.
These pages don’t just help teens name their core beliefs—they help them challenge them. And that’s where self-esteem work starts to shift.
Where This Work Fits in the Bigger Picture
Once a teen starts identifying and exploring their core beliefs, a new door opens in therapy. It’s not just about boosting self-esteem in the moment—it’s about helping them understand why they think and feel the way they do.
These free worksheets are a great starting point. But they’re just the beginning.
The full Self-Esteem Workbook for Teens was created to expand on this foundation. It helps you build a process that moves from insight to action—from understanding their beliefs to celebrating their strengths, setting boundaries, tracking emotional shifts, and creating confidence in everyday situations.
If the core beliefs work reveals, “This is how I see myself,” the rest of the workbook supports the question, “Now what can I do with that?”
It’s especially helpful for:
Teens who need more structure to stay engaged between sessions
Clients who benefit from visual or interactive activities
Sessions where you want tools that spark insight without becoming too overwhelming
And best of all, it keeps things grounded in real teen life—not overly clinical, not too abstract. Just practical tools that help them get to know themselves better, one step at a time.
If you’ve found these Core Beliefs Worksheets helpful, you’ll want to check out these two blog posts that go hand-in-hand with this work.
15 Self-Esteem Activities for You to Do with Your Teen Clients This post gives an overview of practical, hands-on exercises you can use in session to help teens explore their strengths, reflect on their self-image, and build confidence. It’s a great resource if you’re just getting started with self-esteem work or want new ways to keep teens engaged.
Practical Tools to Set and Track Teen Self-Esteem Goals in Therapy This one dives into how to set goals that feel realistic and motivating for teens. It walks you through how to personalize the workbook’s tools to support ongoing growth—and how to track small wins in a way that makes a big impact.
Your Free Resource: Core Beliefs Worksheets for Teens
If you're ready to bring these insights into the therapy room, you can download the Core Beliefs Worksheets for free.
These pages were designed with real therapy in mind—no filler, no fluff. Just thoughtful, structured prompts that help teens uncover, question, and reflect on the beliefs that shape how they see themselves.
Whether you're introducing the concept of core beliefs for the first time or circling back to deepen previous work, these worksheets can make a big difference in how teens understand themselves—and how they begin to grow.
You can use them:
As a standalone activity during a session
As a reflective homework piece between sessions
As part of a longer self-esteem plan built around the full workbook
To download the free Core Beliefs Worksheets, just click here. They’re printable, digital-friendly, and ready to use in your next session.
Gentle Observation: There’s something powerful about the moment a teen recognizes that the belief they’ve been holding onto—maybe for years—isn’t actually a fact.
Sometimes it’s just a flicker: a pause after writing something down, a surprised look, a quiet “huh” under their breath. But in that moment, something shifts. The grip of the belief loosens, just a little. And that little bit of space? That’s where growth begins.
I’ve seen teens go from “I’m just not good at anything” to “Maybe… I’ve been a little too hard on myself.” That may be everything.
These worksheets aren’t magic. But they are a gentle, accessible way to help teens begin rewriting the stories they tell themselves. And that’s work worth doing—slowly, patiently, and with plenty of compassion.
Jemma (Gentle Observations Team)
P.S.
If you're a member of the Therapy Resource Library, you already have access to both the Core Beliefs Worksheets and the full Self-Esteem Workbook for Teens as part of your membership.
You can grab them here:
These tools are ready to use with your clients today—whether you're starting a new conversation or building on work you've already begun.
Not yet a member? Learn more about the Therapy Resource Library here.