Which program helps clients deal with stressful situations by changing their thinking?

• A. A method to identify cognitive distortions
• B. A therapy that primarily uses medication
• C. A Coping Skills Program: a set of procedures to help clients deal with stressful situations by changing their thinking.
• D. A technique to reward adaptive behaviors

Answer: (C)

Changing thinking to influence how we respond to stress is a central idea in cognitive-behavioral approaches. A Coping Skills Program is built around that principle: it provides a structured set of procedures aimed at helping clients manage stressful situations by altering their thoughts. Through techniques like reframing stressful interpretations, challenging negative assumptions, and practicing adaptive coping strategies, individuals learn to respond more effectively rather than react automatically to stress. For example, replacing a all-or-nothing thought like “I can’t handle this” with a more realistic plan such as “I’ll break this into steps and tackle one at a time” reduces anxiety and improves performance.

Other options either focus only on identifying distorted thoughts without delivering a full program to change thinking, rely primarily on medication, or emphasize rewarding behaviors rather than altering thought processes.