SICER Log: A tool to understand your reactions

The SICER Log (Situation – Image – Cognition – Emotion – Physical Response) is a simple way to write down and observe situations that cause discomfort or intense emotional reactions. It helps to discover patterns and recognize connections between what you feel today and past experiences that might be influencing you—especially those that happened in childhood.

How to use it:
Draw five columns in your notebook and write the letters S – I – C – E – R at the top. Then, fill each one following these guidelines:

• S – Situation: The event that triggered your reaction. It can be an argument, a comment, a gesture, a look, or any situation that activated your discomfort.

• I – Image: The most intense moment of the event you remember. Usually, it’s the part that is most uncomfortable, embarrassing, or upsetting.

• C – Cognition: The automatic negative thought or belief that appears when you think about the event. For example: “I can’t handle this,” “I’m not worth anything,” “I’m always rejected.”

• E – Emotion: The feelings that appear in that moment, such as sadness, fear, anger, shame, frustration, or insecurity.

• R – Physical Response: Where you feel it in your body and how intense it is, using a scale from 0 to 10.

Example explained

• S – Situation: In a work meeting, someone interrupts me while I’m speaking.

• I – Image: The serious face of the person who interrupted me.

• C – Cognition: “They don’t take me seriously.”

• E – Emotion: Frustration and sadness.

• R – Physical Response: Tension in my throat and shoulders – 7/10.

What this example means:
The person felt bothered by the interruption, but by logging it in SICER, they noticed the reaction was more intense than expected. Upon reflection, they remembered that in childhood they were bullied at school, and even though they tried to tell their parents what was happening, they were not allowed to talk about it. This prohibition against expressing their problems left them with a deep sense that their voice had no value. Experiencing an interruption in adulthood reactivated that old wound, intensifying the present discomfort.

How to use the log to get to know yourself better

• Detect patterns: By filling out the SICER regularly, you will notice if your negative reactions repeat themselves in certain situations or with certain people.

• Observe connections: Ask yourself if your current emotions feel similar to ones you experienced at other stages of your life, especially during childhood or adolescence.

• Identify frequent beliefs: You may see if certain negative thoughts appear again and again in different contexts.

• Recognize your main triggers: Knowing which situations tend to activate you will help you be prepared and respond more consciously.

Benefits of doing it

• Puts into writing what happens, instead of leaving it only in your mind.

• Helps you understand that many reactions follow a pattern and are not random.

• Makes it easier to detect emotions and beliefs that previously went unnoticed.

• Gives you a basis to change unhelpful responses and reduce the weight of reactions that once felt inevitable.