Scripts
What to say
53 ready-to-use lines for boundaries, repair, asking for help, supporting a friend and talking to your therapist.
Boundaries
Saying no without over-explaining
- “I can’t take that on right now.”
- “Thanks for thinking of me. I’m going to pass.”
- “That doesn’t work for me, but here’s what I can do.”
- “I’m not able to this time.”
Boundaries
When someone pushes back on your boundary
- “I understand you’re disappointed. My answer is still no.”
- “I’ve made my decision.”
- “I’m not going to debate this, but I care about you.”
Family
Boundaries with parents
- “I know you care. I’ve got this handled.”
- “I’m not going to talk about my weight. Let’s talk about something else.”
- “We’ll come for dinner and head home by 7.”
- “Please call before stopping by.”
Relationships
Asking for reassurance, directly
- “I’m feeling insecure today. Could you tell me we’re okay?”
- “I noticed I got anxious when we didn’t talk. Can you text when you’re running late?”
Relationships
Asking for space kindly
- “I’m overwhelmed. I need 30 minutes, and then I want to come back to this.”
- “I love you, and I need a quiet evening to recharge.”
Communication
Starting a hard conversation
- “Is now a good time to talk about something that’s been on my mind?”
- “I want to understand your side. Can we talk about Tuesday?”
- “This is hard for me to say, and it matters to me.”
Communication
Mid-argument repair
- “Can we slow down?”
- “You’re right about that part.”
- “I’m on your side. Let’s figure this out.”
- “Let me try saying that again.”
Communication
An honest apology
- “I’m sorry I interrupted you. That made it seem like what you said didn’t matter. That’s on me, and I’ll be more mindful.”
- “I was wrong. What can I do to help make it right?”
Support
Supporting a friend who is struggling
- “That sounds really hard.”
- “Do you want ideas, or do you want me to listen?”
- “You don’t have to go through this alone.”
- “Are you thinking about suicide?” (If yes: “Let’s call or text 988 together.”)
Support
Telling someone you’re struggling
- “I haven’t been doing well lately, and I wanted you to know.”
- “I don’t need advice. I just need someone to listen.”
- “Could you check in on me this week?”
Therapy
In therapy: when something didn’t land
- “What you said last week didn’t sit right with me.”
- “I feel like we’ve been circling. Can we review where we are?”
- “I want help doing something different, not just understanding it.”
Therapy
In therapy: when you don’t know what to say
- “I don’t know where to start today.”
- “I notice I don’t want to talk about it, and I think that matters.”
- “What patterns are you noticing?”
Therapy
Calling a therapist for the first time
- “I’m looking for help with anxiety and wondered if you’re taking new clients.”
- “Do you offer a sliding scale?”
- “What does a typical session with you look like?”
Work
At work: protecting your time
- “I can do that by Friday, or I can drop something else to do it sooner. Which matters more?”
- “I’m offline after 6. I’ll pick this up first thing tomorrow.”
Self-worth
Receiving a compliment
- “Thank you.”
- “Thank you, that means a lot.”
Self-worth
Talking back to the inner critic
- “I made a mistake. That doesn’t make me a failure.”
- “I’m learning.”
- “What would I say to a friend right now?”
Self-soothing
During an emotional flashback
- “This feeling is old. I’m an adult now.”
- “I’m safe in this room.”
- “It will pass. I can wait it out.”
Self-soothing
When guilt shows up after a boundary
- “Guilt isn’t proof I did something wrong.”
- “Disappointing someone isn’t the same as harming them.”
- “I’m allowed to have limits.”
Make them yours: change the words until they sound like you. Build a custom boundary with the boundary script builder.
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One therapist word, one idea, one small practice
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