Therapy for all types of anxiety.

CBT-A is a therapy that focuses on changing patterns of behavior and thinking that contribute to anxiety. It is a research supported treatment that is effective for anxiety disorders including, panic disorder, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and specific phobias. CBT for anxiety includes elements of education (what is anxiety, why do we have it, and what do we do if there’s too much of it), self-tracking to understand thoughts and behaviors that you might be having that maintain anxiety in the long-term, and exposure therapy.

In exposure therapy, we will work to understand what anxiety is forcing you to avoid. We will gradually confront feared situations in a controlled and safe environment. Over time, exposure therapy breaks the cycle of anxiety by giving you new opportunities to learn that you can handle situations that have caused anxiety in the past. With practice, you may see your anxiety ultimately diminish leading to increased confidence that you can handle anxiety provoking situations. Ultimately, exposure therapy helps individuals take control from their anxiety. Anxiety will no longer dictate what you can and cannot do, allowing you to live the rich and meaningful life that you want to live.

UP is a type of treatment theorizing that shared characteristics of negative thinking styles, emotion regulation difficulties and patterns of avoidance underlie anxiety disorders (panic, agoraphobia, social anxiety, generalized anxiety, specific phobia) and depression. UP focuses on teaching skills that are helpful across anxiety disorders and depression, including identifying and challenging negative and unhelpful styles of thinking, learning to tolerate distressing emotions, and gradually learning to approach anxiety-provoking situations. By targeting these shared factors, UP helps individuals develop skills to effectively manage anxiety and depression. UP has research support showing that it is as effective as long standing treatments for anxiety disorders.

ACT is a type of therapy that helps people to accept what is beyond their control and commit to actions aimed at promoting a more enriching life. In ACT, unlike many other mental health treatments, the focus is not on trying to challenge or eliminate difficult thoughts or feelings, but rather to accept them in a non-judgmental fashion. Accepting that things are beyond control does not mean giving up or resigning to difficult thoughts or emotions. The focus is on acknowledging that difficult thoughts or emotions might be present, while choosing to focus on what is most important or meaningful in life.

ACT encourages people to clarify what values are most important to them and to take committed action towards living in line with these values in service of a more meaningful life, even in the presence of difficult thoughts or emotions. Techniques used to address thoughts and emotions in ACT include mindfulness (promoting present-centered and non-judmental awareness) and cognitive defusion (observing thoughts and feelings for what they are, thoughts and feelings, rather than absolute truths). Practice of mindfulness and defusion in ACT are aimed at promoting psychological flexibility and overall resilience.