Why Did My CBT Therapist Assign Me Homework?

Your CBT therapist may give you homework because much of the progress in CBT happens between sessions, as you practise new skills in your everyday life. These tasks are usually small—for example, writing down an upsetting thought or planning one activity for the week. Across 17 studies involving more than 2,300 clients, people who completed more of their homework, and did it thoughtfully, tended to see better results.

Last updated: October 2026

Why does CBT include homework?

If the word "homework" brings back memories of high school, you're not alone. CBT homework is different. There's no grade, and every task is built around the goals that brought you to therapy.

That’s because CBT is all about building skills, and skills grow stronger with practice. Think of learning a language: one lesson a week won't make you fluent if you don’t practice in between. CBT helps you develop the skills to become your own therapist over time, and much of the progress happens between sessions as you practice in your everyday environment. (CAMH guide to CBT). Some therapists call it an action plan or between-session practice, but the idea is the same.

At Trillium, homework is part of how our therapists provide CBT in Kitchener-Waterloo and online across Ontario. You and your therapist plan it together, so it fits your week instead of taking it over.

Does CBT homework really help?

Yes, and the research is fairly consistent. A large review of 17 studies with more than 2,300 clients found that both how much homework people did and how well they did it were linked to better results in CBT (Kazantzis et al., 2016).

A smaller study of 53 adults in therapy for depression looked at this week by week. Weeks with more homework were followed by more improvement at the next session, though a single study can't prove that one caused the other (Conklin and Strunk, 2015). Put simply, the practice you do between appointments is often where the progress shows up.

What does CBT homework usually look like?

CBT homework isn't just busywork. At first, your therapist may suggest activities like tracking your thoughts and behaviours, taking small steps to reduce avoidance, testing your predictions, and completing worksheets. Over time, you’ll learn how to set your own goals (CAMH guide to CBT). These are the types of tasks you're likely to encounter.

A thought record

You write down an upsetting moment, the thoughts that went through your mind, and how strong your feelings were, then weigh the evidence for and against those thoughts. Our guide to CBT skills for everyday life walks through a thought record step by step.

Activity and mood tracking

You note what you do through the day and rate how much enjoyment or sense of achievement each activity gave you, often on a scale from 0 to 10. When your mood is low, this can show you that doing things, even small things, helps you feel better than doing nothing.

A behavioural experiment

You test a prediction to see what actually happens. For example, if you worry that everyone will laugh when you make a mistake, you could gently test that belief by dropping some change in a store line and noticing how people respond. Choose only experiments you feel ready for, and plan ahead for how you’ll handle whatever happens (CAMH guide to CBT).

A step toward something you've been avoiding

If fear or anxiety is part of what you're working on, you might practice one small step from a fear ladder you've built with your therapist. You usually try these steps together in session first, then on your own once you're ready.

Practicing a calming skill

Slow breathing or progressive muscle relaxation works better in a hard moment if you've practiced it when you're calm. Your therapist may ask you to try one for a few minutes each day.

What if you don't finish your CBT homework?

It happens, and it isn't a failure. Not completing homework is one of the common barriers in CBT, and your therapist will work with you to reduce barriers and find strategies to get past them (CAMH guide to CBT).

Bring what you did, even if it's half finished. Each CBT session usually starts with a review of last week's practice, to note progress and sort out anything that got in the way (CAMH guide to CBT). You can see how the rest of the hour usually runs in what happens in a CBT session.

What made the task hard is useful to talk about. Maybe it was too big, the timing was wrong, or it stirred up more than you expected. Be honest about it, because your therapist can only adjust the plan if they know what didn't work.

How can you make CBT homework easier to stick with?

• Decide when and where. If you decide in advance when you'll do something, you're more likely to do it than if you wait to see how you feel that day (CAMH guide to CBT).
• Keep it small. A five-minute task you actually do will help more than a big one you keep putting off.
• Write things down soon after they happen. Thought records are easier while the details are fresh, or later the same day if you can't stop in the moment.
• Keep a running list of questions. Bring them to your next session.
• Notice what changes. Small shifts, such as catching a thought sooner, are signs the practice is working.

Who would help me plan CBT homework at Trillium?

At Trillium Counselling, CBT is provided by Registered Social Workers (RSWs) and Registered Psychotherapists (RPs). We offer a free consultation where our intake team matches you with a therapist whose experience and approach fit what you're looking for. You can meet in person at our Waterloo office or online by video from anywhere in Ontario. You and your therapist plan each week's homework together and adjust it as you go. Fees, insurance, and the current team are on our CBT therapy page.

If you're curious about CBT, or wondering whether a structured, skills-based approach suits you, reaching out is easy. A free 20-minute consultation with our intake team is a low-pressure way to share what you're looking for and get matched with a therapist whose approach fits you.

Learn more about CBT therapy at Trillium

Crisis Resources

If you or someone you know needs support right now, help is available:

• 988 Suicide Crisis Helpline (Canada-wide): call or text 9-8-8 — free, confidential, 24/7.
• Here 24/7 (Waterloo–Wellington crisis & mental health line): 1-844-437-3247.
• If someone is in immediate physical danger, call 911.