A thought record app that walks you through every column.
When a thought takes over, Conviction's Reframe exercise takes you through a full CBT thought record: what a camera would have seen, the feeling and how strong it is, the hot thought, the thinking traps in it, evidence for and against, a balanced thought, and a re-rating at the end. Talk or type. Free. On your iPhone. Not therapy. iPhone 15 Pro or later.
Download FreeThe worksheet is in the folder. The thought is happening now.
Your therapist handed you a thought record. It works when you fill it in. The trouble is when: the thought fires at 11pm, on the train, in the bathroom at work, and the sheet is at home in a binder.
So you tell yourself you will do it later. Later, the feeling has cooled, the hot thought has become a vague mood, and the evidence column fills itself with "I don't know, it was fine."
Most thought record apps solve the paper problem. Some then ask for a subscription to keep your own entries useful, or send the text to a cloud model. Neither is what you signed up for when you started writing your worst sentences down.
The columns have to be on the phone you already carry. And the record has to stay yours.
The same columns, in the order a clinician would teach them.
Conviction is a private iPhone journal. Its Mirror tool includes Reframe, a step-by-step CBT thought record, plus DBT Check the Facts and Opposite Action.
Open Integration, tap Mirror, choose Reframe. Step one is a Camera Check: only what happened, then the emotion and its intensity from 0 to 10. Step two is the hot thought, how much you believe it, and which of ten common distortions it sounds like (on Apple Intelligence devices the app suggests a few based on your words; you decide). Step three weighs evidence for and against, asks what you would tell a close friend, and has you write a balanced alternative. Then you re-rate belief and emotion. I'm Phillip, an independent developer in Berlin, not a clinician. This is a practice tool, not CBT treatment and not affiliated with the Beck Institute.
How a thought record works in Conviction
Camera Check
Describe only what a video camera would have seen. Name the emotion. Rate it 0–10.
Hot thought and distortions
Write the first automatic thought, rate your belief 0–10, and tag the thinking traps: catastrophizing, mind reading, black-and-white thinking and more.
The balanced view, then re-rate
Evidence for, evidence against, what you'd tell a friend, a balanced thought. Then rate the old belief and the emotion again.
What the thought record app actually does
Reframe lives in The Mirror.
Integration → Mirror → Reframe. Five to ten minutes. You can also start it from a journal entry, so the situation is already written in your own words.
- Find it in two taps Integration holds Mirror, Harbor, Council and Pattern Lab. Mirror is where the thought work happens.
- Four exercises in Mirror Reframe (thought record), Check the Facts, Opposite Action, ABC PLEASE. Pick the one that fits the moment.
- Free, not a trial The Integration workshops, including Reframe, are in the free app. No account needed to start.
Patterns the paper sheet can't keep.
A worksheet does not remember that the same hot thought showed up four times since March. Your entries stay searchable by keyword and filter, and Magic Mirror looks across recent entries for recurring themes.
- Magic Mirror Pattern insights across recent entries. Free up to three times a week; unlimited with Pro.
- Bring it to session Export or screenshot the record you want your therapist to see. Keep the rest.
- Not an oracle The app will not catch every distortion and will not tell you what's true. You still weigh the evidence.
Private by architecture.
Entries are stored in an encrypted database on your iPhone. Transcription and the AI features run on the device with Apple Intelligence rather than a cloud language model.
- No account to start Optional Apple Sign-In only for encrypted iCloud backup or Apple Health.
- Talk instead of type Voice transcription runs on the iPhone. Useful when writing the hot thought feels like homework.
- Export and delete anytime Your records, your call.
And so much more.
DBT alongside CBT.
Check the Facts and Opposite Action sit next to Reframe, for when the question is whether the emotion fits the facts rather than whether the thought is accurate.
No streaks.
Momentum cools when you take a break. It does not reset you to zero.
English and German.
The app UI ships in English and German. Auf Deutsch: the Gedankentagebuch guide at /de/gedankentagebuch.
The thought record is free. Pro is $3.99, once.
Complementary choices for different needs
Best for acute needs, diagnosis, and deep clinical work
Great for accountability and structured goal-setting
Daily self-reflection practice that supports both
- Talk or type. Your voice becomes entries on your device.
- 27-emotion tracking with Mood Flow visualization.
- Safe Harbor: guided somatic grounding exercises.
- Structured CBT and DBT journaling frameworks.
- Momentum System that never resets your progress.
- Encrypted on-device storage. Everything stays on your phone.
Pro
- All from free tier without limits
- Automatic mood detection of your thoughts
- Shadow pattern detection with goal tracking (Shadow Work)
- Personalized shadow pattern journaling prompts based on your pattern
- One-click in-depth analysis of your entries to help you spot recurring themes (Magic Mirror)
- Native Apple integration for iCloud backup and Apple Health
Free to start, including Reframe. Pro is a $3.99 one-time purchase, not a subscription: unlimited Magic Mirror and mood detection, Shadow Work analysis, optional encrypted iCloud backup. iPhone 15 Pro or later.
Questions about the thought record app
Is there a free thought record app for iPhone?
Conviction's Reframe exercise is a free, step-by-step CBT thought record. It is part of the free Integration workshops; you don't need Pro or an account to use it. Pro ($3.99 one-time) removes limits on pattern insights and mood detection.
Which columns does it cover?
Situation (as a Camera Check), emotion and intensity, the hot thought and how much you believe it, cognitive distortions, evidence for, evidence against, what you would tell a friend, a balanced alternative thought, and a re-rating of belief and emotion.
Does it work on my iPhone?
Conviction requires Apple Intelligence, which means iPhone 15 Pro or later, on a current iOS version. If you have an older iPhone, use the free printable thought record PDFs instead.
Can a thought record app replace therapy?
No. A thought record is a worksheet. CBT is a relationship and a treatment plan with a trained clinician. Conviction is for practice between sessions or on your own, and it is not a crisis service. If you are in danger, call your local emergency number.
Is it the Beck Institute thought record?
No. Conviction is not affiliated with the Beck Institute. Reframe follows the familiar 7-column structure popularised by Mind Over Mood, split into guided steps. The Beck Institute publishes its own free worksheet.
Where is my data stored?
In an encrypted database on your iPhone. AI features run on-device with Apple Intelligence. Optional encrypted iCloud backup is a Pro feature and requires Apple Sign-In.
Thought records, on paper and on the phone
Free worksheets and guides. No email needed.
The next time the thought fires, the columns are on your phone.
Reframe is free. On-device. No account. iPhone 15 Pro or later.
Download FreePro is $3.99 once. Not a subscription. Not therapy.