ABSTRACT
To deal with her anxiety, Kimberly was skilled at avoiding certain situations, such as not being the first to walk into her house. She also regularly sought reassurance from her parents, would throw a tantrum when unexpected changes in the schedule occurred, and she scanned her environment at home for trouble, such as signs of a break-in or ways her dog could get loose. Kimberly and her parents identified these behaviors as anxious behaviors. She then systematically, by taking one step at a time, began to face her fears and gradually became more comfortable doing those things she avoided. When Kimberly asked for reassurance, her parents reminded herthatthey could not let the anxiety win by giving into it; if she asked if the dog was OK, her mom replied, “Kim, that’s the anxiety talking. If I answer you, the anxiety will get stronger and win, and I can’t do that as a member of your team.” Kimberly sometimes got upset when her mom wouldn’t answer, but deep down she knew her mom was right not to listen to the anxiety.
