ABSTRACT
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most empirically supported and effective non-medical treatments for a wide range of anxiety and related mental health problems (e.g., worry, depression). Until recently, however, there were few resources for women wishing to apply CBT principles to reduce distress and increase their ability to cope in difficult situations. Chapter 3 provides an overview of a CBT program that was designed specifically to target the kinds of anxiety and related concerns (e.g., worry, depression) that women often experience during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Although the focus of this CBT program will be primarily on anxiety, this chapter also describes how you will be able to use the strategies presented in this book to target other related concerns, including depressive symptoms (e.g., feeling down or depressed), moments when you feel overwhelmed, and difficulties with being assertive. In this chapter, you will start to explore the specific situations that give rise to anxiety in your day-to-day life and to identify the goals that you will want to work towards as you start this program.
