Making a Plan for Change
85techniques described throughout this book. For example, you will get more out of 
the cognitive strategies described in chapter 6 if you complete the monitoring forms 
and diaries and frequently take advantage of opportunities to challenge your anxious 
beliefs.
To get the most out of exposure practices, it will be important to enter feared 
situations as frequently as possible and to stay in the feared situations until your fear 
has decreased, or until you learn that your feared consequences don’t occur. Many of 
your exposure practices can be conducted during the course of your everyday life (for 
instance, having lunch with coworkers instead of eating alone), but other practices may 
require you to set aside time just for the exposure exercises.
INCLUDING A HELPER OR CO-THERAPIST
It may be helpful to involve a helper or “co-therapist” in your treatment, for example, 
a friend, coworker, or family member. Your helper can provide you with opportunities 
to practice role-play exposures, such as presentations, simulated job interviews, making 
small talk, or asking another person out on a date. In addition, he or she can provide you 
with honest feedback about your performance and offer suggestions for improvement.
When choosing other people to help you out, we suggest that you select people 
whom you trust. The person should be someone who is supportive and unlikely to 
become frustrated or angry if things move slowly or if you are ﬁnding a particular situa -
tion difﬁcult or anxiety provoking. If possible, your helper should read relevant sections 
of this book so that he or she has a better understanding of the treatment and how it 
works. If this is not practical, an alternative option would be to have you describe to your