Anxiety and Phobia

By
Edmund J. Bourne, Ph.D.

Course Description

The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook is a practical and comprehensive guide to offering help to anyone struggling with panic attacks, agoraphobia, social fears, generalized anxiety, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, and other anxiety disorders. Step-by-step guidelines, questionnaires, and exercise will help you learn skills and make lifestyle changes necessary to achieve a full and lasting recovery. The workbook can be used to develop your own self-help program or as an adjunct to therapy. Definitive in scope, this workbook covers a broad range of topics and treatment approaches, including some not found in other books on anxiety disorders.

Topics Include:

  • Cause of Anxiety Disorders
  • Changing Mistaken Beliefs
  • Visualization for Anxiety Management
  • Relaxation Techniques
  • Overcoming Negative Self-talk
  • Physical Exercise
  • Real-Life Desensitization
  • Asserting Yourself
  • Coping with Panic Attacks
  • Nutrition
  • Imagery Desensitization
  • Medication
  • Identifying and Expressing Feelings
  • Creating Your Own Recovery Program
  • Existential and Spiritual Perspectives on Anxiety
  • Self- Esteem

About Authors

Edmund J. Bourne, Ph.D., has specialized in the treatment of anxiety disorders and related problems for two decades. For many years, he was director of the Anxiety Treatment Center in San Jose and Santa Rosa, CA. His best-selling anxiety books, which have helped hundreds of thousands of readers throughout the world, include Natural Relief for Anxiety, Beyond Anxiety and Phobia, and Coping with Anxiety. He lives and practices in Hawaii and California.


Learning Objectives

  1. Define phobic anxiety.
  2. Describe anticipatory anxiety.
  3. Describe how anxiety disorders differ from normal anxiety.
  4. Define agoraphobia and state its most common feature.
  5. State the most common social phobia.
  6. List the underlying causes of generalized anxiety disorder.
  7. Define post-traumatic stress disorder and when was it identified.
  8. Describe the role of heredity on anxious people.
  9. List the four childhood circumstances that predispose people to anxiety disorders.
  10. Describe how stress affects the body over time.
  11. Describe the fight or flight response.
  12. State how cumulative stress contributes to panic attacks.
  13. List the two mineral deficiencies that may lead to anxiety.
  14. Describe the two types of processes that are responsible for phobia development.
  15. Define free-floating anxiety.
  16. State the single most important way to decrease stress.
  17. Define self-talk.
  18. Describe the recovery process for agoraphobia or social phobia.
  19. Define imagery desensitization.
  20. Describe the two best interventions for obsessive compulsive disorders.
  21. List the physiological changes of deep relaxation.
  22. Describe the physiological changes of hyperventilation.
  23. List the long-term benefits of progressive muscle relaxation.
  24. List three kinds of downtime.
  25. Define three types of daily tasks.
  26. State the pulse rate for the person in good shape.
  27. Describe several fitness programs.
  28. List the psychological reactions of a panic attack.
  29. Describe what makes a panic attack unique.
  30. Describe the five phases in the development of a panic attack.
  31. Define interoceptive desensitization.
  32. State the role of adrenaline in a panic attack.
  33. Define desensitization.
  34. Define imagery desensitization.
  35. List characteristics of the worrier.
  36. Describe self-talk when overgeneralizing.
  37. List several steps in breaking negative self-talk.
  38. Describe mistaken beliefs and how they originate.
  39. Describe two ways of reinforcing an affirmation.
  40. List the four traits of people prone to anxiety disorders.
  41. Define the role of the neuroendocrine regulatory system of the brain during cumulative stress.
  42. Define visualization.
  43. Define the limbic system.
  44. Compare basic emotions and complex feelings.
  45. Define a mixture.
  46. State why anger is frequently withheld.
  47. List psychosomatic symptoms when feelings are chronically withheld.
  48. State the best way to express feelings.
  49. State the most common form of anger.
  50. List two important rules for communicating your feelings.
  51. Define assertiveness.
  52. State how many items are in the “Personal Bill of Rights” and list the number one item.
  53. List the five suggestions by McKay, Rogers, and McKay on how to say no.
  54. List eight causes for low self-esteem.
  55. List several real-life activities that increase awareness of your inner child.
  56. State which two of the four types of negative self-talk is most destructive to your self-esteem.
  57. List two obstacles to moving forward on a goal.
  58. State the amount of caffeine recommended for a person with generalized anxiety or panic disorder.
  59. List subjective symptoms of hypoglycemia.
  60. List the two most common foods that cause allergies.
  61. State the type of test done to determine calcium or mineral deficiencies.
  62. State the conditions when kava should not be taken.
  63. Describe SAM-e and state its major advantage.
  64. List the symptoms of adrenal exhaustion.
  65. List three ways to diagnose Candida.
  66. Describe how to detoxify the liver.
  67. Describe the use of black cohosh.
  68. List the foods people crave when affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder.
  69. List the uses for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
  70. Compare concentrative and nonconcentrative behavior.
  71. Describe unconditional love.

Course Contents

  1. Anxiety Disorders
  2. Major Causes of Anxiety Disorders
  3. Recovery: A Comprehensive Approach
  4. Relaxation
  5. Physical Exercise
  6. Coping with Panic Attacks
  7. Help for Phobias: Exposure
  8. Self-Talk
  9. Mistaken Beliefs
  10. Personality Styles That Perpetuate Anxiety
  11. Visualization
  12. Expressing Your Feelings
  13. Asserting Yourself
  14. Self-Esteem
  15. Nutrition
  16. Health Conditions That May Contribute to Anxiety
  17. Medication for Anxiety
  18. Meditation
  19. Personal Meaning

Appendix 1: Resources
Appendix 2: Additional Hierarchies
Appendix 3: Audio and Videotapes for Relaxation
Appendix 4: How to Stop Obsessive Worry
Appendix 5: Antianxiety Affirmations


Customer Comments

“Excellent resource! I gained a lot of insight into several areas. Thank you!”- W.L., R.N., MI

“Great book! This book answered a lot of questions I’ve had throughout life, plus more information that helped me tremendously to understand about myself and how to deal with life issues. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family!” – S.C., RN, CA

“Very helpful as a resource since an extended family member is presently experiencing panic attacks and agoraphobia, and this will help to clarify the situation.” – J.D.R., RN, CA