Adaptive Anxiety Therapy Homework Page
Welcome to the Adaptive Anxiety Therapy (AAT) homework site. Adaptive Anxiety Therapy is an advanced form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that focuses on modifying harmful beliefs and behaviors to help clients become better adapted to the experience of chronic anxiety.
Being better adapted to anxiety is more effective than simply chasing symptom relief, which is often temporary and can leave a person feeling on edge, unsure of when a flare-up will occur. When you are better adapted to anxiety, you become less focused on the symptoms themselves and more confident in your ability to skillfully tolerate anxiety, regardless of its intensity.
The Anxiety Conditioned Response
Adaptive Anxiety Therapy (AAT) is designed to address The Anxiety Conditioned Response (ACR). The Anxiety Conditioned Response is a theoretical framework based on behavioral psychology. It provides insight into how and why anxiety issues are maintained over time and become chronic anxiety conditions.
According to ACR, through the subtle ways that we think and behave when anxious, a person can unknowingly condition themselves to have distressing anxiety experiences. AAT can help a person to undo this conditioned response and help individuals to resolve chronic anxiety conditions.
Adaptive Anxiety Therapy Treatment Program
For Chronic Anxiety
Stage 1: Belief Tracking & Cognitive Exposures (4 modules)
Stage 1: Belief Tracking & Cognitive Exposures is designed to identify the core beliefs that reinforce chronic anxiety behaviors. How we behave when we are anxious influences our ability to handle future anxiety. Before focusing on correcting anxious behaviors, we must first understand what encourages these behaviors. Our core beliefs about our anxious triggers serve as primary reinforcers for our anxious responses.
In this stage of treatment, we will focus on identifying these core beliefs and exposing you to them, helping you become more desensitized to your anxious core beliefs. As you become more desensitized, these beliefs are less likely to trigger the anxious behaviors that maintain chronic anxiety.
Stage 2: Tracking Maladaptive Behaviors for Exposure (2 modules)
Stage 2: Tracking Maladaptive Behaviors for Exposures is designed to introduce you to the five types of maladaptive behaviors that contribute to and sustain chronic anxiety. In this stage, you will start actively tracking these behaviors as they occur. In Stage 3 of treatment, you will begin exposure therapy to help you stop engaging in maladaptive behaviors when anxious and replace them with healthier, adaptive behaviors.
Stage 3: Behavioral Exposures (6 modules)
Stage 3, Exposure Training is designed to begin the process of helping you to practice your Adaptive Anxiety Skills in addition to desensitizing & habituating to anxiety and anxious triggers. Sate 3 is the capstone of this treatment program. You will learn to skillfully lean into distressing anxious situations and build confidence for managing your anxiety once treatment has ended.
Stage 4: Chronic Anxiety Relapse Plan (1 module)
Stage 3, Exposure Training is designed to begin the process of helping you to practice your Adaptive Anxiety Skills in addition to desensitizing & habituating to anxiety and anxious triggers. Sate 3 is the capstone of this treatment program. You will learn to skillfully lean into distressing anxious situations and build confidence for managing your anxiety once treatment has ended.
Stage 3: Modules
Module 7: Creating Behavioral Exposure Hierarchy
Module 8: Creating & Planning Exposures
Module 9: Low/Medium Exposures & Neutralizing Beliefs
Module 10: Low/Medium Exposure & Opposite Action
Module 11: Medium Exposure & Acceptance Focus
Module 12: High Exposure & Adaptive Anxiety Skills
Stage 4: Module
Module 13: End Treatment: Relapse Plan