Anxiety Disorders

“Whether we’re conscious of it or not, the ground is always shifting…the cause of our suffering is resistance to the fundamental uncertainty of our situation…When we resist change it is called suffering.” – Pema Chodron

Are you afraid to go places because you might panic? Are you caught in compulsive behaviors that keep you stuck? Do your worries keep you up at night?  I can help.

I worked at two intensive outpatient programs treating moderate to severe anxiety disorders; I am well versed in the most effective treatments for OCD, Panic Disorder, Social Phobia, and general anxiety.  I use many Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure Therapy,  and mindfulness and acceptance techniques (drawn from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or ACT) when working on anxiety issues.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Exposure Therapy

CBT involves educating the client about ways that thoughts (and reactions to thoughts) influence feelings and behavior.  Exposure therapy involves identifying fears, reducing avoidance behaviors that feed anxiety, and then, very gradually and with the client’s clear permission, desensitizing the client to his or her fears.  Exposure therapy has recently received media attention through several television shows highlighting anxiety disorders such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD); exposure techniques shown on those shows are sensationalized and not indicative of the gradual, respectful kind of treatment I do in my psychotherapy practice.

Mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Mindfulness skills involve cultivating the ability to experience non judgmental awareness of the present moment unfolding.  Mindfulness and acceptance tools can help a person observe worries and fears without fusing with or reacting to these worries and fears.  Throughout treatment, I will help you clarify your life values. With my help, you can learn to make choices based on living a meaningful life versus making choices based on managing worries, anxieties, and fears.