32 Homework

Part 1. Safety Behavior Reduction Practice

Identify and begin reducing selected safety behaviors using a graded approach.

• Start with the easiest behaviors on Maggie’s ranked list
  • Practice tolerating anxiety without engaging in reassurance or overfunctioning
  • Record anxiety before, during, and after resisting the behavior
  • Note outcomes and whether feared consequences occurred
  • Use coping skills instead of safety behaviors

Goal: Learn that anxiety decreases without performing the behavior and that feared outcomes do not occur.

Part 2. Worry Exposure Practice

Continue daily imaginal exposure paired with corrective imagery.

• Deliberately imagine feared scenarios
  • Allow anxiety to rise without avoidance
  • Transition to balanced or realistic outcomes
  • Monitor anxiety reduction

Goal: Strengthen tolerance of uncertainty and weaken catastrophic forecasting.

Part 3. Scheduled Relaxation

Continue daily PMR or equivalent relaxation strategies.

• Use relaxation proactively
  • Use during spikes in anxiety from safety behavior reduction

Goal: Reinforce physiological regulation and reciprocal inhibition.

Part 4. Thought & Worry Records

Continue tracking:

• Automatic thoughts
  • Cognitive distortions
  • Adaptive responses
  • Anxiety triggers
  • Behavioral experiments related to safety behavior reduction

Goal: Increase awareness and strengthen cognitive flexibility.

Part 5. Therapy Journal

Reflect daily on:

• Moments of approach vs. avoidance
  • Emotional reactions to setting limits
  • Changes in anxiety tolerance
  • Evidence of growing self-efficacy

Goal: Consolidate learning and reinforce identity shift from anxious avoidance to active coping.

Part 6. Prepare for Next Session

Workbook Reading: Preview Session 8 material
Monitoring: Track anxiety levels during safety behavior reduction
Note changes in relationships when limits are set
Record surprises or learning moments