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Anxiety

Fear and its associated reactions (freeze, flight, fight) can be useful responses to a dangerous or threatening situation. However, clients suffering from anxiety disorders experience these reactions too strongly, too often, or in inappropriate situations - and they can be distressing and exhausting. Psychology Tools can help you with CBT for anxiety - our anxiety worksheets are designed to help clients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), health anxiety (hypochondriasis), panic disorder, phobias, and social anxiety. Read more

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Mindful Attention (Audio)

Mindful Attention is a technique for becoming aware of one’s thoughts and experiences, and being able to observe these as transient mental events. ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/mindful-attention-audio/

Audio

Trauma, Dissociation, And Grounding

Trauma, Dissociation, and Grounding is a guide written for clients who have experienced trauma and who are troubled by dissociation. It provides clear ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/trauma-dissociation-and-grounding/

Guide

A Guide To Emotions (Psychology Tools For Living Well)

Cognitive behavioral therapy can help your clients to live happier and more fulfilling lives. Psychology Tools for Living Well is a self-help course ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/a-guide-to-emotions-psychology-tools-for-living-well/

Chapter

Anxiety Self-Monitoring Record

Self-monitoring is a fundamental tool in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This Anxiety Self-Monitoring Record is designed to help clients to bette ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/anxiety-self-monitoring-record/

Worksheet

Approach Instead Of Avoiding (Psychology Tools For Overcoming Panic)

Psychology Tools for Overcoming Panic takes a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach to this common anxiety problem. This chapter discusses avoi ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/approach-instead-of-avoiding-psychology-tools-for-overcoming-panic/

Chapter

Assertive Communication

Communicating assertively is an essential skill for maintaining healthy self-esteem and strong relationships. This information handout describes the k ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/assertive-communication/

Information Handout

Assertive Responses

Communicating assertively is an essential skill for maintaining healthy self-esteem and strong relationships. The Assertive Responses exercise helps c ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/assertive-responses/

Exercise

Autonomic Nervous System

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) automatically regulates the function of body systems outside of voluntary control. The Autonomic Nervous System han ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/autonomic-nervous-system/

Information Handout

Avoidance Hierarchy

Avoidance and safety-seeking behavior serves to maintain anxiety, and exposure to the fear stimuli/situation is an effective treatment for anxiety. Th ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/avoidance-hierarchy/

Exercise

Behavioral Experiment (Portrait Format)

Behavioral experiments allow individuals to test the validity of their beliefs and assumptions. They are a core experiential technique for therapeutic ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/behavioral-experiment-portrait-format/

Worksheet

Behaviors In Panic (Psychology Tools For Overcoming Panic)

Psychology Tools for Overcoming Panic takes a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach to this common anxiety problem. This chapter discusses beha ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/behaviors-in-panic-psychology-tools-for-overcoming-panic/

Chapter

Body Sensations In Panic (Psychology Tools For Overcoming Panic)

Psychology Tools for Overcoming Panic takes a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach to this common anxiety problem. This chapter discusses body ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/body-sensations-in-panic-psychology-tools-for-overcoming-panic/

Chapter

Breathing To Calm The Body Sensations Of Panic (Psychology Tools For Overcoming Panic)

Psychology Tools for Overcoming Panic takes a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach to this common anxiety problem. This chapter discusses the ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/breathing-to-calm-the-body-sensations-of-panic-psychology-tools-for-overcoming-panic/

Chapter

CBT Appraisal Model

The CBT Appraisal Model worksheet is a transdiagnostic formulation tool. The centrality of appraisals underpins all of the disorder-specific cognitive ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cbt-appraisal-model/

Worksheet

CBT Thought Record

The CBT Thought Record is an essential tool in cognitive behavioral therapy. Thought challenging records help people to evaluate their negative automa ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cbt-thought-record/

Worksheet

Challenging Your Negative Thinking

A cornerstone of cognitive behavioral therapy is that an individual’s interpretation of an event determines how they feel and behave. We all experie ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/challenging-your-negative-thinking/

Guide

Classical Conditioning

Classical conditioning is a process by which stimuli become associated with responses. This information handout describes key principles of Classical ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/classical-conditioning/

Information Handout

Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Fear Of Bodily Sensations (2018)

Fear of bodily sensations is present in a number of conditions, most notably panic disorder. The Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Fear Of Bodily Sensatio ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-fear-of-bodily-sensations-2018/

Information Handout

Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) (1998)

Individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) report significant worry which they find difficult to control and experience as distressing. Numer ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad-1998/

Information Handout

Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Health Anxiety (2003)

Health anxiety is characterized by a preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness, and a high level of anxiety about health. People with h ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-health-anxiety-2003/

Information Handout

Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Health Anxiety (2018)

Information Handout

Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Panic (1986)

The Cognitive Behavioral Model Of Panic identifies catastrophic misinterpretation of body sensations as a criticial maintenance factor which serves to ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/cognitive-behavioral-model-of-panic-1986/

Information Handout

Combined Relaxation Exercise (Audio)

The Combined Relaxation Exercise is an audio track from the Psychology Tools For Relaxation Audio Collection. It is designed to help anyone experienci ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/combined-relaxation-exercise-audio/

Audio

Coping With Body Sensations (Psychology Tools For Overcoming Panic)

Psychology Tools for Overcoming Panic takes a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach to this common anxiety problem. This chapter discusses inte ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/coping-with-body-sensations-psychology-tools-for-overcoming-panic/

Chapter

Decatastrophizing

Catastrophic thinking (magnification) is characteristic of many anxiety problems. This CBT worksheet for decatastrophizing is a tool for cognitive res ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/decatastrophizing/

Exercise

Developing Psychological Flexibility

Developing Psychological Flexibility is a client information handout which can be used to familiarize clients with the ACT model. ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/developing-psychological-flexibility/

Information Handout

Emotions In Panic (Psychology Tools For Overcoming Panic)

Psychology Tools for Overcoming Panic takes a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach to this common anxiety problem. This chapter discusses the ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/emotions-in-panic-psychology-tools-for-overcoming-panic/

Chapter

Emotions Motivate Actions

Many clients find it helpful to recognize the range of actions that are motivated by different emotional states. This worksheet encourages clients to ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/emotions-motivate-actions/

Information Handout

Exercise For Mental Health

Exercise is an evidence-based treatment for depression and anxiety and research suggests that, in the treatment of depression, exercise interventions ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exercise-for-mental-health/

Information Handout

Exposure Practice Form

Exposure is an effective treatment for many forms of anxiety. The Exposure Practice Form is a CBT worksheet which guides therapists and clients throug ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exposure-practice-form/

Exercise

Facing Your Fears (CYP)

Graded or graduated exposure is a traditional way of overcoming fears and phobias. The therapist helps the client to draw up a list of feared situatio ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/facing-your-fears-cyp/

Worksheet

Fight or Flight (CYP)

The Fight Or Flight (CYP) information handout has been specifically designed for younger children and includes carefully simplified language. The full ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/fight-or-flight-cyp/

Information Handout

Fight Or Flight Response

The fight or flight response is an automatic physiological reaction to an event that is perceived as stressful or frightening. The perception of threa ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/fight-or-flight-response/

Information Handout

Grounding Statements (Audio)

Grounding techniques are used to help people to reorient themselves to the present moment and to safety. Grounding Statements are a form of cognitive ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/grounding-statements-audio/

Audio

Grounding Techniques

Individuals who have experienced trama often find it difficult to stay within the ‘window of tolerance’. Grounding techniques (which can b ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/grounding-techniques/

Exercise

Habituation

The Habituation information sheets are designed to help clinicians to explain the concept of habituation and its role in exposure therapy. The handout ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/habituation/

Information Handout

Health Anxiety Thought Monitoring Record

Individuals with health anxiety experience clinically significant distress associated with health concerns. This thought-monitoring record enables cli ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/health-anxiety-thought-monitoring-record/

Worksheet

Health Anxiety Thought Record

Individuals with health anxiety experience clinically significant distress associated with health concerns. This thought-challenging record enables cl ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/health-anxiety-thought-record/

Worksheet

How Breathing Affects Feelings

Normal, anxious, and exercise breathing have significant effects upon our physiology and our emotions. This information handout explains the physiolog ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/how-breathing-affects-feelings/

Exercise

How Does This All Add Up To A Panic Attack? (Psychology Tools For Overcoming Panic)

Psychology Tools for Overcoming Panic takes a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach to this common anxiety problem. This chapter discusses the ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/how-does-this-all-add-up-to-a-panic-attack-psychology-tools-for-overcoming-panic/

Chapter

How Is Panic Disorder Different From A Panic Attack? (Psychology Tools For Overcoming Panic)

Psychology Tools for Overcoming Panic takes a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach to this common anxiety problem. This chapter disambiguates ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/how-is-panic-disorder-different-from-a-panic-attack-psychology-tools-for-overcoming-panic/

Chapter

How Much Do You Know About Panic? (Psychology Tools For Overcoming Panic)

Psychology Tools for Overcoming Panic takes a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach to this common anxiety problem. This chapter includes a qui ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/how-much-do-you-know-about-panic-psychology-tools-for-overcoming-panic/

Chapter

How Your Body Responds To Stress

Many clients identify with the concept of ‘stress’ more readily than ‘threat’ and the The How Your Body Responds To Stress information handou ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/how-your-body-responds-to-stress/

Information Handout

Identifying The Meaning Of Body Sensations

Some anxiety disorders (including panic and health anxiety), are concerned with body sensations and symptoms. The Identifying The Meaning Of Body Sens ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/identifying-the-meaning-of-body-sensations/

Worksheet

Interoceptive Exposure

Misappraisals of body sensations trigger emotional and physiological reactions of fear and heightened arousal. These feelings motivate behavioral resp ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/interoceptive-exposure/

Exercise

Introduction To CBT (Psychology Tools For Overcoming Panic)

Psychology Tools for Overcoming Panic takes a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach to this common anxiety problem. This chapter includes a bri ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/introduction-to-cbt-psychology-tools-for-overcoming-panic/

Chapter

Intrusive Memory Record

Intrusive (unwanted, involuntary) memories are a common feature of PTSD, but also depression and other conditions. This Intrusive Memory Record is des ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/intrusive-memory-record/

Worksheet

Intrusive Thoughts Brain Metaphor

Intrusive thoughts are a common but sometimes distressing cognitive phenomenon. This information handout uses a simple metaphor to explain why we expe ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/intrusive-thoughts-brain-metaphor/

Information Handout

Learning To Relax (CYP)

Stress and tension are prevalent complaints amongst children and young people. Teaching relaxation exercises can engender a beneficial sense of contro ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/learning-to-relax-cyp/

Exercise

Making Sense Of Your Panic (Psychology Tools For Overcoming Panic)

Psychology Tools for Overcoming Panic takes a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach to this common anxiety problem. This chapter brings togethe ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/making-sense-of-your-panic-psychology-tools-for-overcoming-panic/

Chapter

Maximizing The Effectiveness Of Exposure Therapy

Despite its position as the leading treatment technique for anxiety disorders, not all clients respond to exposure therapy and some individuals relaps ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/maximizing-the-effectiveness-of-exposure-therapy/

Information Handout

Monitoring Your Panic (Psychology Tools For Overcoming Panic)

Psychology Tools for Overcoming Panic takes a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach to this common anxiety problem. This chapter introduces tec ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/monitoring-your-panic-psychology-tools-for-overcoming-panic/

Chapter

Motivational Systems (Emotional Regulation Systems)

At the heart of Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) is an evolutionary model of human motivational systems. Developed by Paul Gilbert it is a helpful len ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/motivational-systems-emotional-regulation-systems/

Information Handout

Panic Attack Progress Record

Recovery often has a fluctuating course and it is important to monitor progress in cognitive behavioral therapy. Clients can use the Panic Attack Prog ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/panic-attack-progress-record/

Worksheet

Panic Attack Record Form

Self-monitoring of thoughts, feelings and symptoms is an essential skill for clients engaged in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The Panic Attack R ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/panic-attack-record-form/

Worksheet

Panic Diary

The Panic Diary is a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) diary for panic symptoms. Clients can record panic attack frequency along with information abo ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/panic-diary/

Worksheet

Panic Symptom Tracker

Self-monitoring of thoughts, feelings, and symptoms is an essential skill in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This symptom tracker helps clients to ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/panic-symptom-tracker/

Worksheet

Peaceful Place (Audio)

The Peaceful Place exercise guides the listener through a short imagery exercise designed to facilitate the visualization of soothing imagery and noti ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/peaceful-place-audio/

Audio

Problem Solving (CYP)

Effective problem solving is an essential life skill and this Problem Solving worksheet is designed to guide children and adolescents through steps wh ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/problem-solving-cyp/

Worksheet

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive relaxation training originated in the 1930’s as a treatment for tension and anxiety. Edmund Jacobsen developed a systematic and lengthy ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/progressive-muscle-relaxation/

Exercise

Progressive Muscle Relaxation (Audio)

The Progressive Muscle Relaxation exercise guides the listener through a sequence in which muscle groups are tensed and relaxed. ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/progressive-muscle-relaxation-audio/

Audio

Progressive Muscle Relaxation (Edition 1)

Muscle tension is one reaction to stress and anxiety. This exercise includes instructions for Progressive Muscle Relaxation, a technique for promoting ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/progressive-muscle-relaxation-edition-1/

Exercise

Psychology Tools For Living Well

eBook

Rumination Self-Monitoring Record

Rumination-Focused CBT (RF-CBT) takes a functional-analytic approach to rumination and aims to help depressed clients to identify the contexts in whic ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/rumination-self-monitoring-record/

Worksheet

Safety Behaviors

Safety behaviors are actions carried out with the intention of preventing a feared catastrophe. In the short-term they often give a sense of relief, b ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/safety-behaviors/

Information Handout

Assessment

Brief Fear Of Negative Evaluation Scale | Leary | 1983
- Scale download archived copy
Fear Questionnaire (FQ) (Phobia) | Marks, Matthews | 1979
- Scale download archived copy
- Marks, I. M., & Mathews, A. M. (1979). Brief standard self-rating for phobic patients. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 17(3), 263-267.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) | Spitzer, Kroenke, Williams, Lowe | 2006
- Scale download
- Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JBW, Lowe B. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder. Arch Inern Med. 2006;166:1092-1097.
Hamilton Rating Scale For Anxiety (HAM-A) | Hamilton | 1959
- Scale download archived copy
- Hamilton, M. (1959).The assessment of anxiety states by rating. British Journal of Medical Psychology 32, 50-55.
Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI) | Salkovskis, Rimes, Warwick, Clark | 2002
- Scale download
- Salkovskis, P. M., Rimes, K. A., Warwick, H. M. C., & Clark, D. M. (2002). The Health Anxiety Inventory: development and validation of scales for the measurement of health anxiety and hypochondriasis. Psychological Medicine, 32(05), 843-853.
Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS-SR) | Liebowitz | 1987
- Scale download archived copy
Mobility Inventory For Agoraphobia (MIA) | Chambless, Caputo, Jasin, Gracely, Williams | 1985
- Scale outcometracker.org archive.org
- Chambless, D. L., Caputo, G. C., Jasin, S. E., Gracely, E. J., & Williams, C. (1985). The mobility inventory for agoraphobia. Behaviour research and therapy, 23(1), 35-44.
Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) | Shear, Brown, Barlow, Money, Sholomskas, Woods, Gorman, Papp | 1997
- Scale download archived copy
- Shear, M. K., Brown, T. A., Barlow, D. H., Money, R., Sholomskas, D. E., Woods, S. W., … & Papp, L. A. (1997). Multicenter collaborative panic disorder severity scale. American Journal of Psychiatry, 154(11), 1571-1575.
Penn State Worry Questionnaire | Meyer, Miller, Metzger, Borkovec | 1990
- Scale outcometracker.org archive.org
- Meyer, T. J., Miller, M. L., Metzger, R. L., & Borkovec, T. D. (1990). Development and validation of the penn state worry questionnaire. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 28(6), 487-495.
Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale | Spence | 1998
- Scale download archived copy
- Scale website link archived copy
- Spence, S. H. (1998). A measure of anxiety symptoms among children. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 36 (5), 545-566.
Severity Measure For Agoraphobia | Craske, Wittchen, Bogels, Stein, Andrews, Lebu | 2013
- Scale – Adult download archived copy
Severity Measure For Generalized Anxiety Disorder | Craske, Wittchen, Bogels, Stein, Andrews, Lebeu | 2013
- Scale – Adult download archived copy
- Scale – Child Age 11-17 download archived copy
Severity Measure For Panic Disorder | Craske, Wittchen, Bogels, Stein, Andrews, Lebeu | 2013
- Scale – Adult download archived copy
Severity Measure For Social Anxiety Disorder | Craske, Wittchen, Bogels, Stein, Andrews, Lebeu | 2013
- Scale – Adult download archived copy
- Scale – Child Age 11-17 download archived copy
Severity Measure For Specific Phobia | Craske, Wittchen, Bogels, Stein, Andrews, Lebeu | 2013
- Scale – Adult download archived copy
- Scale – Child Age 11-17 download archived copy
Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) | Connor, Davidson, Churchill, Sherwood, Weisler, Foa | 2000
- Scale download archived copy
Social Phobia Scale | Mattick, Clarke | 1995
- Scale download archived copy

Intervention

Treatment guidelines

NICE guidelines for GAD and panic | 2011 download
NICE guidelines for social anxiety disorder | 2013 download

Treatment manuals

Comprehensive cognitive behavior therapy for social phobia: a treatment manual | Ledley, Foa, Huppert, Clark | 2006 download
Treatment manual for panic disorder (IAPT treatment manual for high intensity CBT therapists) | Clark, Salkovskis | 2009 ~~download~~ archived copy
A brief cognitive-behavioural treatment for social anxiety disorder | Morris, Mensink, Stewart ~~download~~ archived copy

Useful resources

Assertive defense of the self | Padesky | 1985 ~~download~~ archived copy
Interoceptive exposure definition | White, Basden, Barlow ~~download~~ archived copy
Task concentration training definition | Bögels download archived copy
Task concentration training and fear of blushing | Bögels, Mulkens, De Jong | 1997 ~~download~~ archived copy

Information Handouts

Generalized anxiety and mindfulness

What is generalised anxiety disorder? download archived copy
What is mindfulness? download archived copy
Mindfulness and letting go download archived copy
How worry works download archived copy
Accepting uncertainty download archived copy
Postpone your worry download archived copy
Coping with stress download archived copy

Health anxiety

Health anxiety – a self-help guide ~~download~~ archived copy

Panic

What is panic? download
Biology & Psychology of Panic download
Vicious Cycle of Anxiety download
Calming Technique download
Progressive Muscle Relaxation download
Behavioural Experiments download
Situational Exposure download
Physical Sensations and Panic download

Panic

Panic self-help booklet by Dr Charles Young download archived copy
Panic self-help booklet from Glasgow STEPS including information about panic and self-help interventions ~~download~~ archived copy

Phobia

Phobia self-help booklet from Glasgow STEPS including information about phobia and self-help interventions ~~download~~ archived copy

Social anxiety

What is social anxiety? download
What can be done about social anxiety? download
Calming technique: breathing download
Progressive muscle relaxation download
Improving how you feel download
Thinking and feeling download
Analysing your thinking download
Changing your thinking download
Unhelpful thinking styles download
What are core beliefs? download
Situational exposure download
Staying healthy download

Social anxiety

‘Shyness and social anxiety – a self help guide’ is an excellent resource ~~download~~ archived copy

Worksheets

Generalized anxiety and mindfulness

Postpone your worry download
Letting go with mindfulness download
Accepting uncertainty download
Challenging intolerance of uncertainty download

Panic

Breathing Rate Record download
Anxiety Symptoms Record download
Monitoring Relaxation download
Sitational Exposure Diary download
Internal Exposure Record download

Social anxiety

Anxiety symptoms record download
Breathing rate record download
Monitoring your relaxation level download
Weekly activity schedule download
Weekly goals record download
Making the connection download
Thought diary 1 download
Thought diary 2 download
Thought diary 3 download
Thought diaries (Tri-fold) download
Core beliefs worksheet download
Situational exposure download
Situational exposure diary download
Healthy me download
Goal setting download

Self-Help Programmes

Self-help programme for anxiety

Introduction to the pack ~~download~~ archived copy
Introduction to anxiety ~~download~~ archived copy
Physical effects of anxiety ~~download~~ download
Recognizing anxious thinking ~~download~~ archived copy
Dealing with our anxious thinking ~~download~~ archived copy
Effects of anxiety on mood and behavior ~~download~~ archived copy
Dealing with setbacks and final thoughts ~~download~~ archived copy

Self-help programme for generalized anxiety and mindfulness

Overview of generalised anxiety download
Overview of worrying download
Challenging uncontrollability beliefs download
Attention training download
Challenging danger beliefs download
Challenging positive beliefs download
Problem solving download
Helpful thinking download
Accepting uncertainty download
Self-management plan download

Self-help programme for health anxiety

Understanding health anxiety download
How health anxiety develops download
What keeps health anxiety going? download
Reducing your focus on health anxiety symptoms and worries download
Re-evaluating unhelpful health-related thinking download
Reducing checking and reassurance seeking download
Challenging avoidance and safety behaviors download
Adjusting health rules and assumptions download
Healthy living and self-management planning download

Self-help programme for panic

Overview of panic download
More about panic download
The thinking-feeling connection download
The ABC’s of thinking and feeling download
Unhelpful thinking styles download
Detective work and disputation download
Evaluation and balanced thinking download
Core beliefs download
Coping with physical alarms – Exposure part 1 download
Coping with physical alarms – Exposure part 2 download
The calming technique download
Self management download

Self-help programme for social anxiety

Overview of social anxiety download
The calming technique: breathing download
Progressive muscle relaxation download
The thinking-feeling connection download
The ABCs of thinking and feeling download
Unhelpful thinking styles download
Detective work and disputation download
The end result download
Core beliefs download
Graded exposure 1 download
Graded exposure 2 download
Self management download

Presentations

New developments in exposure therapy for anxiety and related disorders: the inhibitory learning approach | Blakey, Abramowitz | 2018 download archived copy
Desirable difficulties: optimizing exposure therapy for anxiety through inhibitory learning | Abramowitz, Jacoby, Blakey | 2018 download archived copy
GAD – a cognitive model and treatment download archived copy

What Is Anxiety?

Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders

Different anxiety disorders are characterized by various foci of concern.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive worry about hypothetical future events.
Health anxiety is characterized by concern about one’s health or illness.
Panic attacks are characterized by an abrupt surge or intense fear.
Specific phobia is characterized by the ability for a specific object or situation to provoke marked fear or anxiety.
Social anxiety disorder is characterized by a fear of social situations in which the individual may be exposed to possible scrutiny.

In addition to disorder-specific cognitive content, individuals experiencing anxiety disorders are likely to experience physical symptoms of anxiety including:

palpitations or accelerated heart rate
sweating
trembling or shaking
dry mouth
difficulty breathing
a feeling of choking
nausea or abdominal discomfort
dizziness
derealization or depersonalization
fear of losing control or passing out
fear of dying
hot flushes or cold chills
numbness or tingling
blushing
fear of vomiting
urgency or fear of urination or defecation

Psychological Models and Theories of Anxiety

One broad conceptualization of anxiety can be summarized by an ‘anxiety equation’ (Beck, Emery, & Greenberg, 1985; Salkovskis, Forrester, & Richards, 1998):

Anxiety = (perceived probability of therapy × perceived cost or awfulness of danger)

÷ (perceived ability to cope + perceived ‘rescue factors’)

Disorder-specific ‘CBT for anxiety’ cognitive models have been developed for all of the anxiety disorders. These are helpful in that they direct the therapist’s attention toward key interpretations and behaviors that act to perpetuate the anxiety disorders. For example, the critical mechanism that Clark identified in the cognitive model of panic (1986) is that body sensations are misinterpreted catastrophically as signs of danger, with concomitant effects upon emotions, behavior, and secondary cognitions.

Evidence-Based Psychological Approaches for Working with Anxiety

Cognitive behavior therapy has a strong evidence base for treating all of the anxiety disorders. Key components of CBT for anxiety interventions include exposure to the feared situations or stimulus, and an experimental approach to test the accuracy of beliefs.

Resources for Working with Anxiety

Psychology Tools resources available for working therapeutically with anxiety may include:

psychological models of anxiety
information handouts for anxious patients
exercises for anxiety
CBT worksheets for anxiety
self-help programs for anxiety including a guide to overcoming panic attacks and panic disorder

References

Beck, A. T., Emery, G., & Greenberg, R. L. (1985). Anxiety disorders and phobias: A cognitive perspective. New York: Basic Books.
Clark, D. M. (1986). A cognitive approach to panic. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 24(4), 461–470.
Salkovskis, P. M., Forrester, E., & Richards, C. (1998). Cognitive–behavioral approach to understanding obsessional thinking. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 173(S35), 53–63.

Anxiety

Problem

Therapy tool

Language

Assessment

Intervention

Treatment guidelines

Treatment manuals

Useful resources

Information Handouts

Generalized anxiety and mindfulness

Health anxiety

Panic

Panic

Phobia

Social anxiety

Social anxiety

Worksheets

Generalized anxiety and mindfulness

Panic

Social anxiety

Self-Help Programmes

Self-help programme for anxiety

Self-help programme for generalized anxiety and mindfulness

Self-help programme for health anxiety

Self-help programme for panic

Self-help programme for social anxiety

Presentations

Recommended Reading

General

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Health Anxiety

Panic disorder

Social Anxiety Disorder

What Is Anxiety?

Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders

Psychological Models and Theories of Anxiety

Evidence-Based Psychological Approaches for Working with Anxiety

Resources for Working with Anxiety

References