Session | Content | Study objective *Exercise focus |
---|---|---|
1–4 | Understanding feelings of anxiety | Understanding that anxiety is an important feeling that protects one from danger and that it is not necessary to totally eliminate anxiety *Clarify anxiety object and set a target |
5 | Body reactions and relaxation | Learning that anxiety and tension of both body and mind can be reduced by relaxation *Practice and acquire techniques of breathing and muscle relaxation |
6–7 | Anxiety level stages and stair step exposure | Learning that it is important to gradually expose oneself to anxiety rather than to avoid it *Develop anxiety hierarchy table *Climb anxiety ladder step by step (up to Session 14) |
8–9 | Anxiety cognition model | Learning that cognition, behaviour, and feelings are closely connected to each other and that the level of anxiety changes with cognition *Develop a triangle of cognition, behaviour, and feelings |
10–11 | Rumination of the maladaptive cognition | Learning that anxiety will inflate by the rumination of the maladaptive cognition and lead to a vicious circle *Realize maladaptive cognition |
12 (45Â min) | Cognitive restructuring when anxious | Learning that anxiety can be reduced by reviewing and restructuring cognitions when anxious *Restructure cognition at anxious moments |
13 | Review | Reviewing each session’s content with all participants *Reviewing sessions 1 to 8 |
14 | Summary | Confirming how anxiety level and self- confidence have changed by participating in the ‘Journey of the Brave’ programme *Graduation ceremony |