Assertive Communication Worksheet (Free PDF Download)

Assertive Communication Worksheet example

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Download the worksheet (PDF)

What is the Assertive Communication worksheet?

The Assertive Communication worksheet is a two-page sheet that contrasts three ways of answering the same situation. Page one defines assertive communication, lists five characteristics, and works one scenario through an Assertive Response, a Non-Assertive Response and an Aggressive Response. Page two turns that into practice.

How to use the Assertive Communication worksheet

Use this sheet both in session and as homework. Read the five characteristics first, since clients often hear assertive as a synonym for blunt. Then work the meeting scenario, writing the Non-Assertive Response and the Aggressive Response before the assertive one, so the contrast is theirs rather than yours. Your clients can bring two real situations to page two, one where they went quiet and one where they overshot.

Assertive Communication Worksheet Download – What’s Included

The download is a two-page printable PDF. Page one carries a definition of assertive communication, five characteristics from Direct and Honest to Firm but Flexible, and a worked example of a colleague who interrupts. Page two gives two reflection blocks, each asking what the situation was and how the response could have been better.

Frequently asked questions

What is assertive communication?

Expressing your thoughts, feelings and needs clearly and directly, while respecting the same in other people. The sheet places it between passive communication, where you do not stand up for yourself, and aggressive communication, where you disregard how others feel. It is firm but still open to compromise.

Which is an example of assertive communication?

The sheet uses a coworker who keeps interrupting in meetings. The assertive reply is asking to finish your point before moving on, and saying you believe your input could be helpful. The non-assertive reply drops it as unimportant. The aggressive reply tells the coworker to keep quiet and let you speak.

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Your Author

Tracy Collins, LCP

Tracy Collins is a licensed clinical psychologist with over six years of direct clinical experience in outpatient and telehealth settings. She specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy, structured treatment planning, and measurable therapy outcomes. Tracy has extensive experience writing SOAP and DAP notes, developing insurance-compliant treatment plans, and aligning documentation with ICD-10 and DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria. Her clinical approach integrates cognitive behavioral therapy techniques, behavioral activation, exposure-based interventions, and mindfulness-based strategies to create structured and outcome-driven therapy plans. At Mentalyc, Tracy supports therapists by creating educational resources that simplify documentation workflows and improve treatment plan defensibility during audits.