Substance use recovery / SUR-A11-2
Refusal with an Exit — Practice worksheet
Rehearse a brief decline, an exit line, and an alternative plan for a low-stakes invitation.
15 minutes · Worksheet · Adults; supported use as appropriate
Fictional example: Jordan is invited to an event where returning to use feels more likely.
Use an ordinary or fictional example, with a clinician when appropriate. A refusal works best when it includes a realistic way to leave or get support.
1. Choose a workable example
Use the fictional example below or an ordinary situation of your choosing. Keep identifying details out of shared copies.
2. Try the practice
Rehearse a brief decline, an exit line, and an alternative plan for a low-stakes invitation.
3. Compare possibilities
Generate at least two interpretations or options. Mark what you know, what you are guessing, and what remains outside your control.
4. Decide together
What makes leaving feasible rather than just a sentence on paper? Choose one small action, a support request, or no action. Review the fit with your clinician when relevant.
Prompts for this resource
- My chosen or fictional situation, and what I know about it:
- My response to the practice task above:
- What makes leaving feasible rather than just a sentence on paper?
- An optional next step, support, adaptation, or reason to stop:
Conceptual background
Substance Use Disorders — National Institutes of Health
Background on the approach only. Original exercises and wording are by More Than Therapy with AI assistance; the source does not validate or endorse these materials.