Specialty services for anxiety disorders, OCD and obsessive compulsive spectrum disorders are available as an adjunct to eating disorder services (when clinically indicated) or as a sole treatment service.
“Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric illnesses affecting children and adults. An estimated 40 million American adults suffer from anxiety disorders.” – Anxiety and Depression Association of America
In addition, 1 in 8 children are affected by anxiety disorders.
Although anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent diagnoses across the lifespan, they are also among the most responsive to treatment.
Services
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (for all ages)
with an experienced therapist to help individuals and families learn strategies that have been shown to be most effective at reducing anxiety symptoms and enhancing their independent and long-term management of these conditions. Specialized areas of focus include OCD, excessive worry, health anxiety, panic attacks, body-focused repetitive behaviors, social anxiety, and related difficulties, including insomnia.
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Medical
referral to and collaboration with physicians specializing in the care of those with anxiety issues.
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Consultation
to offer education to individuals and loved ones on anxiety conditions, evidence-based treatments, and resources.
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Referral
to the most helpful community and national resources.
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Presentations and Workshops
to promote awareness for the community about Anxiety Disorders and Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders.
About Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is an evidence-based treatment that is based on the premise that patterns of thoughts, feelings, and actions contribute to the development and maintenance of anxiety and mood conditions. Treatment relies on an increased awareness of these patterns and a willingness to develop new ways of behaving and thinking in response to symptoms and triggers. Through this action-oriented process, the individual achieves a corrective learning experience, increases tolerance of anxiety, overcomes excessive fears, and gains confidence to help them effectively manage symptoms.
Under the broader umbrella term of CBT are a number of specific treatment modalities that share a focus and are incorporated in treatment according to the profile of symptoms, including Exposure/Response Prevention, Habit Reversal Training, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Acceptance-based Behavior Therapy.
Exposure/Response Prevention (ERP)
ERP is a necessary component of CBT for most anxiety conditions, particularly OCD. The two components include exposures – facing fears in a systematic, gradual, and purposeful manner to elicit anxiety – and response (or ritual) prevention – actively resisting safety behaviors and other avoidant strategies that only offer short-term reduction of symptoms but maintain the cycle of anxiety and avoidance in the long-term. Both elements are critical for effective ERP. Through the ERP process, the individual overcomes fears, gains corrective information, and retrains the brain to no longer elicit a fight or flight reaction in the face of these “false alarms.”
Habit Reversal Training (HRT)
HRT is a core component of CBT for body-focused repetitive behavior disorders, such as Trichotillomania (hair pulling), and tic disorders, such as Tourette’s Disorder. It involves awareness training, development of competing responses to replace the problematic behavior, and promoting and maintaining motivation and compliance to consistently use the competing responses. In addition, having helpful family/social support can be an important asset in treatment, with the goal to train support people to encourage the patient’s treatment implementation in concrete ways.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT is a form of psychotherapy that incorporates mindfulness skills to develop psychological flexibility, clarify the individual’s values, and take effective “act”ions guided by those values for the purposes of creating a rich and meaningful life. Mindfulness skills are taught to foster management of thoughts and feelings in ways that lower their degree of power and influence over one’s life, to modify one’s relationship with their painful thoughts and feelings, and to live in the present moment.
Acceptance-based Behavior Therapy (ABBT)
Similar to ACT, ABBT emphasizes the role of mindfulness practice to help the individual think about experiences with flexibility, curiosity and compassion, rather than judgment. ABBT integrates mindfulness and core behavior therapy strategies aimed at teaching new skills and new patterns of responding that result in lower stress and improved management of anxiety.