You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
— Unknown
About this Activity
You will use a popular and current self-help book on cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety, "Mastery of Your Anxiety and Panic," by David Barlow and Michelle Craske, which was evaluated in a small randomized trial and its use was compared to the use of the book complemented by in-person sessions with a therapist, and the use of the book on its own was found to be nearly as effective. The book is available for purchase in numerous bookstores or online. Each week, you'll check back in here.
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health issues. There are now numerous treatment options that have proven effective and which include pharmacological treatments as well as different types of therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy, which is often considered the gold standard, focuses on changing the thought processes and behaviors that contribute to anxiety. While cognitive behavioral therapy is most often done with a therapist, there are now several self-help solutions.
The Practice
Getting Started
The first thing that we recommend is to select the one day of the week on which you want to do this activity. It's best to write down the days or add them to your calendar. This exercise involves reflecting on and writing down your thoughts. It's best to have a notebook or word document dedicated to this activity.
Instructions
This activity is focused on helping you work through a workbook that has proved effective in helping to alleviate and manage anxiety. The first step is to make sure that you have a copy (or will have a copy soon) of the book (Mastery of Your Anxiety and Panic). This activity does not have a specific first exercise that you must do at this time. Instead, you can complete an (optional) reflection entry next. We find it helps to write down your expectations, what you want from this.
First Entry
This activity has no specific baseline entry.
Weekly Practice
You've committed to working through the "Mastery of Your Anxiety and Panic" workbook during this activity. As part of your commitment you've scheduled today to return to this app and reflect upon your experiences. Please take a few moments to clear your mind and center yourself. When you are reading, please continue to the next paragraph. Think back over the past week. How have your worked through the workbook? What new insights, if any, into anxiety have you had?
The Science
This exercise is grounded in research on psychological well-being. Regular practice has been shown to increase positive emotion, enhance resilience, and deepen your sense of connection.