Universal · Identity
Who Am I? — Identity Worksheet
A set of angles on identity for chapters when the old answer no longer fits
About this worksheet
For identity work — the chapter after a role ends, a relationship ends, recovery begins, kids leave, a diagnosis lands, or the person the client has been performing no longer fits. Not one answer; a set of angles. Ten fast 'I am ___' statements written without editing (speed bypasses the internal editor), roles the client currently holds and which feel like a costume, values they'd hold even if no one was watching, strengths they take for granted, what they're still figuring out, a part they've been hiding and why, what the 80-year-old version would want them to know, and — after all the angles — one sentence naming who they are in this chapter. Not final. Just this chapter.
When to use it
- Life transitions — career change, divorce, retirement, empty nest.
- Early recovery when the addicted identity is leaving and the new one isn't set.
- Coming out, gender transition, cultural identity work.
- Chronic illness diagnosis where identity has to include the new reality.
- Post-caregiving, post-parenting, post-military transitions.
How to use it
- 1Do the 'I am' statements fast
60 seconds, ten items, no editing. Speed matters — it bypasses the curated self.
- 2Sort roles from costumes
Not 'which roles do I like' — which feel like me and which feel like performance. That distinction is the material.
- 3Find values that don't need an audience
'What would I still care about if no one was watching?' Strips performance from identity.
- 4Meet the hidden part
'A part of me I've been hiding is ___, because ___.' Gentle. This is the field clients most often skip; it's usually the most useful.
- 5The chapter sentence
One sentence. Not final. Just this chapter. Clients often return to this sentence months later and rewrite it — that's the point.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a values worksheet?+
Related but distinct. Values worksheets ask what matters. This worksheet asks who I am, which includes values plus roles, strengths, hidden parts, and self-narrative. They pair well.
When shouldn't I use this?+
Not for acute crisis, active psychosis, or dissociative presentations without stabilization. Identity work presupposes enough regulation to hold multiple selves without fragmenting.
Is this the same as parts work?+
It's a lighter-touch cousin. Real IFS parts work meets each part in dialogue; this worksheet surfaces which parts and roles exist so the client and clinician know what to work with next.
Is this worksheet free?+
Yes. Free printable PDF. Sign in to TherapistAssist to send as a secure client link.
Related worksheets
Worksheet — Who Am I? — Identity Worksheet — provided by TherapistAssist for clinical use. Not a substitute for assessment or treatment.