Case Formulation Sheet

A case formulation is a tool for making sense of a client’s story. It turns the many pieces of an
assessment into a single narrative, or a hypothesis. The case formulation bridges the assessment and
treatment plan, and informs a clinician’s treatment choices.

In the Case Formulation worksheet, a client’s vulnerabilities (e.g. risk factors), problems, and triggers
are used to generate a single hypothesis that makes sense of their unique case.

Many therapies, such as CBT, recommend involving clients in their case formulation. This allows
clients to have input and gain perspective on their situation, while ensuring the client and clinician are
on the same page. A case formulation is not set in stone—It should evolve as you get to know the
client, and as therapy progresses.