Center for Counseling & Mental Health Anxiety Skills Class

Building skills for managing worry and anxiety...

Fear and anxiety are normal parts of life at one point or another. But they can sometimes be constant obstacles getting in the way of our desires and goals. We will learn about the psychology of anxiety and develop strategies for retraining our bodies and minds to react differently. This class is both for people who want to better handle their own anxiety or for those wanting to better understand and support others.

To enroll in the class, or for more information: More information comming soon.

If you enroll, please commit to attending all three sessions of the class.

Location:

Session: 

This class will typically be offered at least once each semester. The class is only for current Amherst students. At this time, this class is not available for staff, faculty, or individuals from the other Five Colleges.

Outline of Class Sessions:

Session 1: Introducing anxiety

• What is anxiety?
• The biopsychology of anxiety: the fight/flight/freeze response
• How physiological anxiety affects learning
• The thoughts-emotions-behaviors connection
• Techniques for reducing anxious stress

Session 2: Doing something different

• How avoidance makes anxiety stronger
• Gradual exposure – a strategy for reducing fear
• Making an anxiety action plan
• Predicting the obstacles

Session 3: Think smarter, not harder

• Unhelpful thinking patterns and cognitive distortions
• Knowing our triggers
• Challenging your anxious thinking
• Walking away from your thoughts when necessary
• Using action to shape your thinking