Social Anxiety Exposure Ladder CBT Fear hierarchy + safety behaviors — CBT for social anxiety
Two moves at the same time. Build a graduated ladder of feared social situations rated 0–100, then pair each rung with a specific safety behavior to drop — because exposure with safety behaviors is just rehearsed avoidance.
1 The feared outcome What is the client afraid will happen socially? Make the prediction specific so the experiment can disconfirm it.
2 Safety behaviors The subtle moves used to manage the fear. They lower anxiety in the moment AND prevent learning that the fear is wrong.
Not mapped
3 Build the ladder Situations from gentle to terrifying. Pair each rung with one specific safety behavior to drop for that experiment.
Quick add: Make small talk with neighbor Ask a stranger for directions Order food at a counter Make a phone call Eat alone in public Speak up in a meeting Disagree with someone Give an opinion in a group
4 This week's experiment One rung. One safety behavior dropped. One specific commitment.
Not committed
The whole point
Send Social Anxiety Exposure Ladder to your client's phone → See exactly what your client receives and what comes back to you. 20-second preview — no signup required.
See the preview