Abstract
Cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) is the recommended treatment for panic disorder, and outcome research has demonstrated its efficacy. However, a central tenet of CBT is that clients become self-therapists, using what they have learnt within therapy post-treatment. Only one previous published study has explored this issue with regards to people making use of CBT for recurrent depression (Glasman et a/., 2004). This study explored the use adults experiencing panic attacks made of CBT after completing CBTinformed group therapy within a primary care setting. Nine participants (four men and five women) were recruited to the study, and consented to a semi-structured interview. The focus of the interviews was around: how clients make use of CBT for panic attacks/disorder after completing therapy; what the client's understanding and perception of factors that helped or hindered the use of CBT after completing therapy is; and how clients understand and perceive their experience of CBT for panic attacks/disorder. Interview transcripts were subjected to Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The seven resultant themes that emerged were: beliefs about change; the use of CBT: psycho-education; the use of CBT: behavioural strategies; the use of CBT: cognitive strategies; use of other strategies; obstacles and supports to using CBT; and self-efficacy. The main findings were that clients did engage in self-therapy, using CBTinformed strategies and techniques to manage their ongoing experience of panic attacks. It highlighted that CBT is a learning process, and that participants found some aspects easier to utilise than others. In addition, differences emerged between the participants in terms of which aspects of CBT they gave emphasis to.