Those with OCD experience unwanted thoughts, images, or bodily sensations that cause anxiety, which leads one to engage in a compulsion to alleviate this anxiety. There are many different themes of OCD some of which include Contamination OCD, Somatic OCD, Harm OCD, Sexual Orientation OCD, Religious OCD, Pedophilia OCD, “Just Right” OCD, and many more. I employ Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), which is considered the gold standard treatment for OCD. This treatment involves building a hierarchy of feared stimuli and gradually engaging in exposures. ERP also involves tools to disengage from compulsions. In addition to ERP, I utilize Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help with psychological flexibility, mindfulness, and acceptance.

Specific phobias are an extreme fear of objects or situations that pose little or no danger but make people highly anxious. Some of the common phobias that I treat include a fear of flying, driving, needles and blood, emetophobia (vomit), and animal phobias. I treat specific phobias using exposure therapy to better manage your responses, thoughts, and feelings. Exposure therapy focuses on changing your response to the object or situation that you fear. In addition, I employ mindfulness and relaxation strategies.

Those with sleep difficulties often experience anxiety related to falling or staying asleep and may meet criteria for an insomnia diagnosis. Often, people turn to sleeping pills but they are only a temporary crutch. Research has found that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is incredibly effective for alleviating chronic, severe insomnia. I have found that CBT-I can quickly allow people to reach their sleep goals and achieve their ambitions without the constant worrying about whether they are going to get a good nights rest.

Everyone worries from time to time, but for individuals with GAD their worry is difficult to control and is often accompanied by a range of physical symptoms. In working with clients with GAD, I employ Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) approaches to challenge one’s thoughts and work on behavioral changes. In addition, I supplement CBT with ACT and mindfulness based strategies.

Panic attacks are sudden rushes of intense fear or dread, which usually goes along with several physical symptoms such as: shortness of breath, dizziness, shaking, sweating, nausea, and feeling detached from reality. Panic attacks are different from other forms of anxiety as there is a strong urge to escape and reach safety. At times, these panic attacks come out of the blue with no apparent cause. Sometimes, the worry about the return of panic can lead to avoidance of situations. An effective treatment for this is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Panic Disorder. This treatment involves correcting misinterpretations of physical symptoms, reducing physical tension, exposing oneself to feared and avoided physical sensations, and exposing oneself to feared and avoided situations.

Social anxiety disorder is an intense, persistent fear of being watched or judged by others. In treating social anxiety, I employ a combination of CBT, exposure therapy, and ACT. CBT teaches people different ways of thinking, behaving, and reacting to situations to help feel less anxious. Exposure therapy involves progressively confronting the fears underlying the anxiety. Finally, ACT uses strategies such as mindfulness and goal setting to reduce discomfort and anxiety.