FEARED SITUATION HIERARCHY
Break it down. Start small. Build confidence.
Avoiding something frightening can bring immediate relief.
But over time, avoidance can make the fear feel even more powerful.
The Feared Situation Hierarchy is a practical graded-exposure worksheet designed to help you break a fear into smaller, manageable steps rather than trying to tackle the hardest situation all at once.
Inside the full guide you will find:
• an explanation of a fear hierarchy
• 0–100 SUDS anxiety ratings
• a printable ten-step fear ladder
• guidance for choosing a manageable starting point
• examples of turning broad goals into specific exposure steps
• support versus safety-behaviour prompts
• an exposure-practice record
• before, peak and after anxiety ratings
• prediction-versus-outcome learning
• guidance for repeating exposure
• ways to divide a difficult step into smaller steps
• progress and learning reflections
• an important safety section
• a personal message from me
The aim is not to force yourself to the top of the ladder.
It is to begin with something manageable and gradually build experience.
And success does not mean feeling no anxiety.
You can complete a successful exposure while still feeling frightened. What matters is that you approached rather than automatically avoided and gave yourself an opportunity to learn something new.
If a step feels too big, make it smaller.
Repeat things. Adjust the ladder. Add an in-between step.
Confidence often comes after taking the step — not before it.
Braver does not mean never feeling afraid. Sometimes it means taking the next manageable step while fear comes with you.
Space to Breathe Therapy
