The client observed is a sophomore at UNH named Mike. Since attending UNH, Mike has exhibited symptoms of social phobia. These symptoms include feeling nervous around large groups of people and having panic attack-like episodes. Additionally, he often confines himself to his room, rarely speaks in class, and does not have many friends. Although this was the case in college, Mike did not always exhibit these symptoms. He suffered a lot of ridicule as a child due to a rare hormonal disorder. This ridicule he faced negatively affects his current state. However, in high school this ridicule stopped and he was able to make close friends and find what he loved to do. Although Mike is nervous about going to therapy, he feels that something needs to be done for him to change. A psychotherapist using a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach would conceptualize Mary's social phobia symptoms as being the result of distorted or irrational thoughts. . In CBT, any psychological disturbances can be attributed to the client having one or more dysfunctional thoughts. For example, one of Mike's cognitions, or thoughts we have at any given moment, is that he will have a heart attack if he joins a large group of people. Thanks to this cognition, he isolates himself by not going to eat in the dining hall, distancing himself from his classmates, and giving up activities that he is really passionate about. Because he thinks this way and displays these behaviors, Mike feels anxious whenever he finds himself in a situation where he has to deal with a large group of people. This provides evidence that a person's cognitions, behavior, and emotions influence each other. If you ...... middle of article ...... you might further question his core beliefs, as well as develop core beliefs that are more positive overall. Mike is an excellent client to focus on for cognitive behavioral therapy. . This is because his negative thoughts are clearly the cause of his social anxiety. With the help of a therapist who uses CBT techniques, Mike would receive evidence that his negative thoughts are completely irrational, ultimately allowing him to develop more positive core beliefs. As core beliefs become more positive, automatic thoughts also become more positive. It's completely normal that at first clients like Mike feel like the future will be bleak and nothing will change. However, during the short period of time the client is in CBT, they most often begin to develop coping skills that help them overcome irrational thoughts...