Overcoming Chronic Fatigue 2nd Edition: A self-help guide using cognitive behavioural techniques (Overcoming Books)

by Mary Burgess

However, about halfway through her sessions, she felt she had reached a plateau. When this was explored further, it transpired that the targets she had been working on thus far had felt ‘comfortable’, but the next step involved her thinking about doing a course, which caused her a variety of worries. Her worries were discussed at some length and she was reassured that it was completely normal to feel anxious about doing something that she had not done for a long time. It turned out that Alison had always felt a little anxious with new people and remembered being shy as a child and having some difficulties with mixing with other children. A variety of ways to help her to overcome this ‘block’ were discussed. First, the effects of anxiety were discussed, in terms of thoughts, behaviour and physical feelings (symptoms). It seemed that attending a college course was a more difficult target to achieve than she had originally thought. Therefore, steps were agreed to help her work towards going to college later that year. Exposure therapy was discussed as a helpful way to reduce anxiety. A list of ‘easy’ to ‘difficult’ things that she would need to be able to do in order to go to college were agreed. She was encouraged to include a few of these things in her activity programme over the next few weeks. Examples included phoning two friends every week and organising quotes for two rooms to be decorated. When she achieved these things, she was encouraged to continue working through ...