In cognitive restructuring, clients are encouraged to do what during anxiety-inducing situations?

In cognitive restructuring, clients are encouraged to face their anxiety-provoking thoughts as a means of challenging and reframing those thoughts. This approach recognizes that anxiety often stems from distorted or irrational thinking patterns. By confronting these thoughts, clients can examine their validity and learn to replace them with more balanced and realistic perspectives.

Facing anxiety-provoking thoughts empowers clients to understand the cognitive distortions that contribute to their anxiety. This process often helps reduce the intensity of their anxiety response and promotes healthier coping strategies. Cognitive restructuring emphasizes the importance of awareness and engagement with one’s thoughts rather than avoidance, enabling clients to develop more adaptive ways of thinking and behaving in anxiety-inducing situations.