A practical worksheet designed to teach clients about the reasons for certain body sensations, reducing their potential for triggering panic.
Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
Includes client-friendly guidance. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
An editable Microsoft PowerPoint version of the resource.
A critical driver of panic reactions is the catastrophic misinterpretation of body sensations. This often occurs when individuals perceive normal physiological responses (such as increased heart rate or shallow breathing) as signs of a serious threat or impending doom. This worksheet is designed to assist therapists in educating clients about the various reasons for specific body sensations. This understanding reduces the likelihood that clients will interpret these sensations as dangerous, thereby diminishing their potential to trigger panic.
Taking Panic Out of the Body helps clients change their understanding of the physical sensations that trigger panic.
Recurrent, unexpected panic attacks and ongoing fear of having additional attacks or their consequences.
Help clients pinpoint specific bodily symptoms that occur during panic episodes.
Discuss the biological causes and purposes of each symptom as part of the fight-or-flight response.
Assist clients in developing a non-threatening understanding of these sensations.
Encourage clients to document their sensations and their new understanding of these experiences on the diagram.
Taking Panic Out Of The Body is from the book Psychology Tools For Overcoming Panic. The Taking Panic Out Of Your Body exercise tests how well you understand the fight or flight response.
Ask clients to identify a specific bodily symptom they experience when anxious, and then record their current understanding of that symptom, their beliefs about why it occurs, and what function the body might be trying to serve through that response (e.g., protection, preparation for action).
