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The Exposure Deck: Social Anxiety Edition - 150 exposure ideas for therapists & clients

Ages 13+ 150 Exposure Challenges Social Anxiety Therapy / Self-Guided
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The Exposure Deck: Social Anxiety Edition - 150 exposure ideas for therapists & clients

Ages 13+ 150 Exposure Challenges Social Anxiety Therapy / Self-Guided

The Exposure Deck is a 150-card set with challenges spanning many common social anxiety situations across a wide range of difficulty. It works equally well in session, as homework assignments, or for self-guided practice.

Ready-to-use challenges for every stage of exposure work.

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  • 30-day money back guarantee
  • Free delivery on all US & Canada orders
  • Developed by psychologists

“The two hardest parts of exposure work can be coming up with ideas and getting buy-in to try them. We love this deck because it helps with both: a wide variety of exposure ideas, and a fun way for clients to choose what they're ready to work on.”

— Dr. Anton & Dr. Rebecca, ThinkPsych founders

How to use

  • At Home
  • For Therapists
  • For Clients

Work through The Exposure Deck independently, starting with easier cards and progressing at your own pace. Each card is a concrete, actionable challenge you can complete on your own.

Best used alongside therapy, but also works well for maintaining gains after treatment ends or practicing between sessions.

Use The Exposure Deck to build exposure hierarchies and assign homework. Clients can sort the cards by difficulty to create a personalized ladder, then climb it gradually over the course of treatment.

Assign a card as a between-session exposure, and clients return with a concrete experience to debrief. The included therapist guide helps you integrate the cards into your existing approach.

Work through the cards your therapist assigns as structured, between-session exposures. Each card is a clear, specific challenge, which makes it easier to know exactly what to do and follow through.

Completing exposures between sessions keeps your momentum going and gives you and your therapist concrete experiences to talk through together.

FAQ

What kinds of challenges are included?

The 150 challenges span a wide range of social anxiety situations: starting conversations, making phone calls, asking for help, making eye contact, joining a group, giving compliments, ordering food, attending social events, and more. Each challenge is specific and actionable, giving clients a concrete real-world task to carry out rather than a vague goal.

Are the challenges graduated by difficulty?

The deck includes a wide range of difficulty, but the cards are not pre-rated. The difficulty of any given exposure varies so much from person to person that a fixed rating would not be meaningful. Instead, therapists and clients sort the cards themselves to identify what feels easy and what feels hard, which becomes the foundation of a personalized hierarchy.

Is this only for therapists, or can clients use it independently?

Both. Therapists can use it in-session and as a homework assignment tool. Motivated individuals can also work through the deck independently for self-guided practice. It works best alongside therapy, but many clients use it to maintain gains between or after sessions.

What age range is this designed for?

The Exposure Deck: Social Anxiety Edition is designed for teens and adults, ages 13 and up. The social situations and language are appropriate for adolescents through adulthood, and the challenges are relevant across that full age range.

How does this fit into a standard CBT or exposure therapy protocol?

The Exposure Deck is designed to complement evidence-based treatment protocols for social anxiety. It makes it easier to come up with exposure ideas, and drawing a card gives clients a fun, low-pressure way to choose what they want to work on next. Use it to supplement your existing approach, not to replace it.

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Additional Product Details

Exposure Deck: Social Anxiety Edition
Choose a theme, sort cards from least to most challenging, and you have a fleshed out exposure hierarchy in minutes. The hard work of sequencing is already done, so you can get to work.
150 clinician-designed challenges covering the full range of social anxiety. Whether you're a therapist building a treatment plan or tackling fears on your own, there's always a next step waiting.
No more waiting until the next session. Use the cards to come up with ideas for challenging yourself to face your fears. Progress happens wherever you are, whenever you are ready.

What Our Customers Think

  • 5 stars: 14 (88%)
  • 4 stars: 1 (6%)
  • 3 stars: 1 (6%)
  • 2 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 1 star: 0 (0%)
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Amazon C.
Great Idea & Truly Useful Tool!

I think this is such a cool idea and genuinely useful tool. The box describes its mission as “Build Confidence & Connection. One Card at a Time."There are 150 social anxiety challenges divided into six categories: Being Seen, Speaking Up, Making Connections, Real Life Skills, Getting Digital, and Being in the Spotlight. This makes it easy to focus on the particular situations you want to become more comfortable with, whether you're using the deck for yourself or you're a professional working with clients/patients.I've included a photo showing the six categories with sample cards from each so you can get a better idea of what the challenges are like.I especially like the concept of using small, concrete challenges to gradually push your boundaries in a safe and reflective way. It's approachable, thoughtfully organized, and a creative way to turn something intimidating into manageable (in some cases, even fun) steps.

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Tess S.
Practical prompts for strengthening social confidence

This deck first caught my attention because I work with many people who experience social anxiety. I also realized it could be a helpful resource for a family member who has been working through similar challenges.As I read through the cards, several of the prompts reminded me of exercises my own therapist encouraged me to practice while learning to move beyond people-pleasing, to speak up for my needs, and become more comfortable taking small social risks.I appreciate that the activities encourage practice rather than perfection. They offer manageable ways to gradually build confidence through real-life experiences.I think this deck would be useful both for mental health practitioners looking for practical exercises and for individuals who want structured ideas to help them work through social anxiety at their own pace.This deck aligns with my belief that small acts of courage, practiced repeatedly, can change how we show up in the world.

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Amazon C.
A Game-Changer for Navigating Social Hurdles

A Game-Changer for Navigating Social HurdlesI recently picked up The Exposure Deck: Social Anxiety Edition, and it has honestly been such a refreshing way to approach social anxiety. Instead of feeling like another heavy therapy textbook or an intimidating set of exercises, this 150-card set turns exposure therapy into something manageable and even kind of fun. It’s perfect for anyone who knows they need to push their boundaries but gets overwhelmed trying to figure out where to start.The variety of the cards is what really sets this apart. They cover everything from low-stakes, "baby step" challenges to more advanced social tasks, which makes it super easy to customize the experience to your own comfort level. I love that the deck is inclusive for all ages; whether you’re a teen navigating high school or an adult trying to get more comfortable in professional or social settings, the prompts feel relatable and practical rather than clinical.Using these cards has helped me take the "big scary" out of social interactions by breaking them down into small, bite-sized wins. It’s essentially CBT in a box, and having a physical deck to shuffle through makes the process feel much more tangible and less daunting. If you’re looking for a low-pressure way to build confidence, easy to take with you, and put those cognitive behavioral techniques into practice, I definitely recommend giving this deck a try!

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HMJ
These are great

These are great to combat social anxiety. They have a lot of challenges in them that make you come o ur of your comfort zone and learn to adapt to different environments. I find this very useful even out of counseling sessions. They are highly educational and they appear to to a great value for the money.

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Charlie M.
Honest Thoughts on The Exposure Deck for Social Anxiety

I really wanted to like this Exposure Deck, but so far it’s not hitting the mark for me. I’ve gone through five sections and while some cards could be useful in real life (you can adapt the “in session” ones by swapping therapist for a teacher, manager, etc.), many feel way too basic.A lot of the challenges are things I already do, like asking if a seat is taken in a group setting or telling a barista they gave me the wrong order. Others seem very low-risk or silly, like wearing a hat sideways for three minutes.As someone with pretty significant social anxiety, I was hoping for more practical, gradual exposure steps.Finally, this is minor but the box says it’s “designed by psychologists,” plural, but just one turn of the box clockwise and it says designed by just one person (Lauren J Hoffman, PsyD), Which is it?It’s not a terrible product, but it wasn’t what I was looking for.

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Cy
Interesting Concept, But Not for Me

I really wanted to like this deck more than I did. The idea is interesting, and I can see how some of the challenges could help people become more comfortable in social situations. That said, quite a few of the cards felt awkward to me, and some of the exercises left me wondering how they were supposed to help. Maybe that's the social anxiety talking, but I found myself struggling to connect with the activities. It's not a bad product, just one that didn't resonate with me personally.

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Peaks
Great resource for practising social exposure skills

This ThinkPsych Exposure Deck for social anxiety has some really great social exposure challenges that really covers the full range of social anxiety.Although it seems to be more geared towards use in conjunction with a therapy routine; the challenge cards are quite effective on their own and provide great socialization skills to help navigate and work at overcoming social anxiety.📌I think this would be a great tool for self-guided work in between sessions.Includes:- Therapist instruction guide- Client quick start guide- Easy reference cardI have social anxiety myself, and I love that these challenges are effective for both kids and adults. It gives me a chance to instill strong social skills in my 9-year-old, so that he is at least prepared for any social anxieties that may pop up.The deck includes 150 evidence-based exposure challenge cards that are broken into 6 very helpful categories;Being SeenIn The SpotlightGet DigitalMaking ConnectionsReal Life SkillsSpeaking Up📌 Designed around CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) principlesThe cards are nice quality cardstock, a comfortable size to handle, easy to shuffle and don’t bend easily - they will easily withstand regular use. The box is sturdy with a lift off lid.

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RickQuixote
Good CBT prompts for younger clients

My wife is a mental health counselor so I ordered these for her to use in her practice. She reports that they are a very nice set of cards for younger kids and teens but a little basic for adults. She likes the durability of the cards which will hold up for many uses. They cover a broad range of potential problem areas and follow a cognitive behavioral therapy approach. She does not use CBT much in her practice but appreciates having them on hand when other approaches are not working. They come with a therapist’s guide and a quick start guide for the client. It is a good tool to have on hand in a counseling office for those occasions when it is a viable approach.

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Tori
Thoughtful Challenges That Feel Doable

I picked this up to use on my own, and I've been really impressed with it so far. The cards cover a wide range of social situations, and I like that the challenges gradually increase instead of feeling overwhelming. Some of the cards are things I can already do comfortably, but plenty of the others feel like realistic next steps. They feel challenging enough to push me a little without seeming completely out of reach. I also like having a deck like this because it gives me ideas I probably wouldn't have thought of on my own, so I don't have to sit and figure out what to work on next. That makes it feel genuinely useful instead of something that just sits on a shelf. The cards themselves are excellent quality. They're thick, the printing is clear, and they don't feel flimsy at all. Even the storage box is sturdy, so overall I'm really impressed with both the quality and the usefulness of this deck.

K
Kc1328
Exposure Therapy Made Simple and Practical

I picked up this card deck as a way to add more structure to exposure exercises, and it's been a fantastic resource. Instead of spending time thinking up ideas during a session, I can simply pull a card and immediately have a realistic, practical challenge to work with. The variety keeps things interesting, and the activities feel relevant to everyday situations rather than being overly scripted.What I appreciate most is how thoughtfully the deck is organized. The challenges cover everything from starting conversations and asking for help to public speaking and navigating social media, making it easy to tailor exercises to different comfort levels. The included therapist guide and quick-start materials are also well done, so it's easy to begin using the cards right away. While they're clearly designed with therapists in mind, I can also see them being helpful for someone working on social confidence independently.The cards are well made and easy to shuffle through, making them convenient for both in-person sessions and homework assignments.Helpful Tip: Start by selecting a few easier challenges to build confidence before gradually working toward the more difficult exposure exercises.This is a practical, well-designed resource that takes the guesswork out of exposure therapy and makes building social confidence feel much more approachable.

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Amy
I had no idea how much our family needed this deck until we started using it.

I had no idea how much our family needed this deck until we started using it. Originally, I thought it would be a fun way to help my kids build confidence. Over the last year, I had started noticing increasing shyness, low confidence, and some anxiety in three of our five children—especially one daughter. As we worked on encouraging her to step outside her comfort zone, I realized something that was hard to admit: I struggle with many of the same things.As a 43-year-old adult, I have childhood trauma that explains some of my anxiety. My daughter doesn't, and seeing those same tendencies in her broke my heart. Instead of making this "her" project, we decided to use these cards as a family and WOW... It's been such a positive experience. The challenges aren't overwhelming, they're just uncomfortable enough to help you grow. One card encouraged us to go into a coffee shop, ask a question about the menu, and leave without ordering. That might sound simple, but for someone like me who often buys something out of obligation, it was a surprisingly powerful exercise. I love visiting farmers markets, yet I've often avoided them because I feel guilty if a vendor makes eye contact and I don't purchase something. These cards are helping me work through that, right alongside my kids.What I love most is that this isn't just about building confident children, it's helping us become a more confident family. I'm genuinely excited to look back a year from now and see how far we've all come. If you're looking for a meaningful way to encourage healthy confidence and gently stretch your comfort zone, I highly recommend this deck.

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IanGa
Practical, approachable exposure prompts without having to invent them yourself

The Exposure Deck: Social Anxiety Edition is a 150-card CBT challenge deck designed to make exposure practice more structured, approachable, and easy to actually follow through on. I like that the cards cover a wide range of real-world social anxiety situations, including conversations, asking for help, public speaking, assertiveness, errands, and even social media. The biggest feature for me is that it takes away the “what should I practice?” problem and gives you a ready-made prompt you can pull from the deck and use right away.What I appreciate about this deck is that it feels practical without being overwhelming. Exposure work can sound intimidating, especially if you are already anxious about social situations, but having the challenges broken into individual cards makes the process feel more manageable. I can see this being useful for therapists who want quick in-session exercises or homework ideas, but also for someone working independently who wants a little structure and accountability. The cards could easily be sorted into easier and harder challenges to build a gradual fear ladder instead of jumping into something too intense too quickly.The included therapist guide, client quick start guide, and reference card also make the deck feel more complete than just a stack of prompts. It is flexible enough to use seriously in a clinical setting, casually as a discussion starter, or even almost like a challenge game for building confidence over time. Overall, this is a thoughtful and useful tool for social anxiety work, especially for anyone who benefits from concrete, actionable steps instead of vague advice like “just put yourself out there.”

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Coupon M.C.
Versatile CBT Exposure Card Set That Can Support Both Adults and Children’s Social Development

The Exposure Deck: Social Anxiety Edition is a structured set of 150 CBT-based challenge cards designed to help build confidence through gradual social exposure. It covers a wide range of scenarios including conversations, assertiveness, errands, and social interactions, offering plenty of variety for ongoing practice.One of its strongest features is its flexibility. The cards can be used as a structured exposure ladder, a weekly challenge system, or even as conversation starters. The included guide makes it easy to adapt the difficulty level depending on the user, which is helpful when using it across different age groups.While it is primarily designed for social anxiety work in teens and adults, it can also be beneficial for children when used selectively. Many of the simpler prompts naturally support early social skill development. Things like speaking to others, practicing polite interaction, taking turns in conversation, or building comfort in everyday social situations. For young children, it works best when treated more like a playful social skills game rather than formal “exposure work,” which helps keep it engaging and age appropriate.In our experience, it worked well as a shared family activity with our young children, where we selected appropriate cards and turned into a fun game. This has been helping our kids (ages 3 and 5) to build early confidence in social interactions while also normalising communication, and gradually stepping outside comfort zones in a very gentle & low-pressure way. At the same time, we were able to select age-appropriate cards for ourselves that allowed us to participate in the game, while allowing me to work on my social anxiety.Overall, it’s a very adaptable tool that supports structured CBT work for adults while also offering indirect benefits for children’s social skill development when simplified and used playfully in a family setting.

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AMR
Great cards to help you work through social anxiety

This exposure deck is great; here are a few highlights from my experience using it:• I received 150 ready-to-use cards to help with social anxiety• The cards have clear lettering that is easy to read, and images that are clear and easy to see.• The directions are easy to follow and will help you navigate how to use these.• I bought these for my son. He uses them with me and also with his therapist. He is a visual learner, so these are a great way to help him through his social anxiety in safe environments.• I like that these cards have challenges that are often “real world” experiences. This makes it easier for my son and therapist to make progress in an environment that they can control, that way when my son is out in the world, he will have a much easier time navigating challenges.• These cards give great entry point examples. Sometimes it is hard for my son to articulate what is wrong and what exactly is hard for him in social situations. These cards give you a starting point, and then you build on it.• The cards also have low, moderate, and high difficulty. We have started on the low end, and we work our way up to the more difficult challenges.• Exposure therapy can be overwhelming for anyone, so I personally recommend going at your own safe pace, and if possible, doing the cards with another person, or a therapist.• For my son we have made progress by going very slow and making sure we are comfortable going to the next step. I will say that I do have to nudge him a bit to get a little outside his comfort zone, but that is part of growing.**This is not medical advice. The experience my son and I had was done under supervision and guidance from a licensed therapist. You should use the cards to your comfort level and seek out guidance if you choose to do so.

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Amazon R.
wonderful tool for social anxiety

As a therapist in training, I've been building a collection of practical, engaging tools that I can use with clients during sessions or lend out for use between appointments. These cards are a fantastic addition to that growing library.The deck includes a wide variety of challenges designed to help people gradually work through social anxiety in different settings and at different levels of difficulty. I really appreciate how thoughtfully the activities are structured. Some can be completed one-on-one with a therapist, others involve interacting with people in the environment outside the therapy office, and still others encourage clients to practice skills independently in their everyday lives.I especially like that the challenges offer a progression of opportunities for exposure and confidence-building rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. This makes it easier to tailor activities to a client's comfort level and treatment goals.The cards are easy to understand and provide concrete, actionable ideas that can help take the guesswork out of exposure practice. For clients who struggle to come up with ways to challenge themselves, having ready-made suggestions can be incredibly helpful.This is a wonderful resource for mental health professionals who work with social anxiety, as well as for individuals who want structured ideas for practicing social confidence on their own. It's one of those tools that feels both practical and genuinely useful.

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Tanya C.
A practical way to push your comfort zone

I was impressed by how thoughtfully these cards are put together. The challenges range from approachable to more difficult, making it easier to build confidence gradually instead of feeling thrown into the deep end right away. I like that the deck provides structure for exposure practice because thinking of challenges on your own can sometimes be the hardest part. The cards are easy to understand and work well whether you're using them independently, with a therapist, or as part of a broader self-improvement routine. What I appreciated most is that the focus is on taking small, manageable steps rather than trying to make huge changes overnight. Some challenges will naturally feel more relevant than others depending on your situation, but having a variety of options makes it easier to find exercises that fit your current comfort level. Overall, it's a well-designed tool for anyone looking to build social confidence and practise stepping outside their comfort zone in a structured, practical way.