Combine worry exposure with relaxation skill

After the exposure period, apply a relaxation practice to close each session with a deactivation phase.

Why it works

Exposure followed by relaxation follows the same structure as systematic desensitization — pairing the feared stimulus with a relaxation response that competes with anxiety. The relaxation closing also teaches the nervous system that arousal after worry can be voluntarily reduced, which builds a sense of control over the worry-anxiety cycle rather than leaving the person dependent on the anxiety naturally declining on its own.

How to do it

1. After completing the imaginal exposure or worry period, immediately apply a relaxation skill (progressive muscle relaxation, slow breathing, or body scan).
2. Give the relaxation phase at least five minutes.
3. End the session only after the relaxation phase — not while arousal is still elevated.

Evidence

Applied relaxation was part of Borkovec's original GAD treatment packages and appears in multi-component trials that showed significant reduction in GAD symptoms. Combining exposure and relaxation is the structure of systematic desensitization, which has its own evidence base. (rct)

Applied relaxation studies typically include the relaxation within a full CBT package; the specific added value of the relaxation closing over exposure alone is not isolated in existing trials.

Sources

• Borkovec & Costello (1993), applied relaxation and cognitive-behavioral therapy for GAD, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

Common mistake

Ending the worry session while still anxious and then concluding that worry exposure doesn't help — which prevents both the anxiety-management learning and the natural habituation that drives the technique's benefit.