•
	
Behave	uncharacteristically	in	anxiety-provoking	situations,	e.g.,	you	don’t
approach	or	talk	to	your	friends	when	you’re	at	a	party
Section	III:	
Thoughts
Starting	
here
	
,	you’ll	find	strategies	to	help	diminish	the	inaccurate	or
unhelpful	thinking	that	preoccupies	the	mind	when	you’re	caught	up	in
anxiety.	These	thought-focused	strategies	will	help	if	you’re	experiencing:
•
	
Chronic	worry
•
	
Repetitive	or	racing	thoughts
•
	
Catastrophic	(worst-case	scenario)	thinking
•
	
Self-defeating	thoughts	(e.g.,	“I	suck	at	this,	so	I	might	as	well	give	up.”)
•
	
Irrational	beliefs	(e.g.,	“If	I	don’t	drive	back	home	to	check	the	oven,	my
house	will	burn	down.”)
Welcome
Everyone	feels	anxious	at	some	point!	I	have	worked	with	anxious	clients	for
the	past	15	years	in	my	practice	as	a	clinical	psychologist.	Some	come	to	me
believing	that	their	anxious	feelings	can	improve.	Others	enter	therapy
reluctantly,	mostly	convinced	that	nothing	will	ever	reduce	their	panic
symptoms,	avoidance	behavior,	or	worried	thoughts.	People	who	improve
typically	have	two	things	in	common:
1.