Staring Down Panic: Your Guide to Effectively Confronting Anxiety With Exposure and Response Prevention

by Brian D. Ott

Foreword by Daniel Smith, NY Times bestselling author of Monkey Mind. One in four people will experience a panic attack some time in their life. For many the anxiety will continue, consuming more and more time and energy each day in failed efforts to feel better. The strategies that have previously been helpful in dealing with day-to-day stress don’t work. The advice to “just face your fears” does not put a stop to the constant worry that the panic will return. If this sounds familiar, this book is for you. This book will help you make sense of what you feel and demonstrates how to once again live a life not controlled by the avoidance of anxiety triggers. “Staring Down Panic is a must-read for those who experience impairing anxiety and panic, medical and behavioral health professionals who encounter them, and psychotherapists who aspire for excellence in the effective treatment of anxiety and panic.” Robert Kinscherff, Ph.D., J.D.

312 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 6, 2018

Reviews

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brian D. Ott’s Staring Down Panic is a compassionate, evidence-based guide that provides readers with both understanding and practical tools for overcoming anxiety and panic through Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). Ott’s approach is grounded in scientific rigor yet delivered with remarkable empathy, making the book both accessible and deeply reassuring for those navigating chronic anxiety.

What distinguishes this work is its seamless blend of clinical expertise and lived insight. Ott demystifies the mechanisms of panic, replacing fear with clarity and avoidance with courage. Through structured exercises and realistic guidance, readers learn to break free from the exhausting cycle of avoidance and reclaim agency over their emotional lives.

The inclusion of a foreword by Daniel Smith, bestselling author of Monkey Mind, and endorsement by Dr. Robert Kinscherff lends further weight to the book’s authority. Ultimately, Staring Down Panic is not only a self-help guide but also an empowering companion for individuals, clinicians, and therapists committed to understanding and treating anxiety effectively.

[Siskiyou-Suzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess I thought I'd learn more from this book than I would from just googling basic ERP, but I didn't.