What Is A Panic Attack? Worksheet
GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC
When working with clients who suffer from panic attacks, it is important to ensure that you explain what a panic attack is and how it can affect a person. A panic attack is a scary and uncomfortable experience, especially when you do not understand what is happening or why you are suddenly feeling uncomfortable.
Panic attacks cause alarming symptoms that can be confusing without proper education and guidance from a therapist. Learning what a panic attack is can help with planning how to manage anxiety to both prevent panic attacks and work through panic attacks when they occur.
About This Worksheet
An introduction and summary of the experience of a panic attack can help a client gain a deeper understanding of their own experiences. With the What Is A Panic Attack worksheet, the client will begin learning about the symptoms, risk factors, and triggers associated with panic attacks.
The What Is A Panic Attack worksheet can help adolescents and adults who suffer from panic attacks. It can be used in individual counseling sessions and may be used in group sessions at the discretion of the therapist.
Instructions
Introduce the worksheet as a guide for learning about panic attacks. Review the overview, common symptoms, and risk factors with the client, then allow them time to complete the exercise.
You may choose to complete the reflection question with the client or have the client complete it on their own. When they have completed the exercise and the reflection question, review their responses with them, using discussion questions like:
- When was your first panic attack?
- What do you tend to feel when you are starting to have a panic attack?
- How long do your panic attacks typically last?
You may use this worksheet as a reference for treatment planning or when building coping skills for panic attacks.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.; DSM-5-TR). American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
National Institute of Mental Health. (2025). Panic disorder: What you need to know. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Barlow, D. H. (2014). Clinical handbook of psychological disorders: A step-by-step treatment manual (5th ed.). Guilford Press.
