Resources

The Subjective units of distress-scale (SUD-scale, also called "the anxiety scale") is a very useful and straightforward clinical technique in exposure therapy for anxiety. It’s essential element is asking the patient to represent his level of anxiety on a scale (usually from 0 to 100).

Safety behaviors are very common among those who suffer from anxiety disorders: The patient does something to relieve the anxiety, which may feel like it “works” in the short run, but actually consolidates the problem in the long run.

Interoceptive exposure is a specific exposure technique, used primarily in CBT for panic disorder. Its focus is on exposing the patient for bodily symptoms (such as heart palpitations or shortness of breath).

Exposure in-vivo is the primary and most broadly used form of exposure. Through gradual and repeated exposure, the patient learns to overcome her fear and to do things in real life that she previously couldn’t do because of her anxiety.

Imaginal exposure is a specific exposure technique, used primary when exposure in-vivo is not feasible. It follows the same basic principles of exposure as when it is used in-vivo, but instead of seeking out the phobic stimulus in the real world the focus of exposure is a phobic mental image or memory.

Homework is at the heart of CBT, because it is the way of making the change process in therapy vividly present in the patient’s everyday life, and not only during the therapy sessions. The goal of every CBT is to help the patient experience something new in his or her life, and homework is essential to making that happen.