Week Two, I switch to a cognitive intervention: distraction. Based on the client's interests, I might instruct the client to make a mental list at the first sign of a panic attack. List all the James Bond movies you can think of. Name every Beatles song you can. List every breakfast cereal, or every local street name, whatever. The point is to make a list that you have to think about. This derails the panic attack by replacing the fearful obsession with a harmless one.
