How We Can Help.
What We Can Help With
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
OCD
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, affects about 3% of the population and can cause very significant distress and impairment. The primary symptoms of OCD are obsessions, compulsions, and avoidance. Obsessions intrusive thoughts or urges that are very uncomfortable and unwanted, usually related to doubt, that cause anxiety or guilt. Often the doubts are about contamination, mistakes, or causing harm. The distress created by these doubts often leads their person to feel compelled to engage in repetitive behaviors or thoughts (compulsions) such as checking, washing, or seeking reassurance
PANS
PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome , formerly known as PANDAS) can be characterized by the sudden onset of OCD symptoms in children associated with certain types of strep infections. While the prevalence of PANS remains a matter of debate in the medical community, the psychotherapy that is used for PANDAS is the same as other forms of OCD.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
BDD, or Body Dysmorphic Disorder, describes an excessive and harmful anxiety regarding aspects of one’s appearance. Unhelpful behaviors range from excessive mirror checking to, in some cases, seeking out repeated cosmetic surgeries. Exposure and response prevention combined with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) are evidence based treatments for BDD.
Tics
Tic Disorders, including Tourette’s Syndrome, involve sudden, repetitive, and involuntary movements or vocalizations. CBIT is the primary evidence based treatment for tics.
Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania describes repetitive and highly habitual hair pulling. In many cases this leads to bald spots.
Excoriation Disorder / Dermatillomania
Excoriation Disorder / Dermatillomania is repetitive and habitual skin picking, often leading to bleeding and scarring in the affected area. Both Trichotillomania and Dermatillomania are treated with HRT, or Habit Reversal Training, as well as ACT.
OCPD
OCPD (Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder) is similar to OCD in that it involves pervasive patterns of rigidity and unhelpful perfectionism. They are different in that people with OCD find their thoughts intrusive and unwanted, whereas those with OCPD tend to view their high standards as appropriate. Nonetheless, people with OCPD often seek help when they begin to find their high standards are resulting in interpersonal conflict, overworking, procrastination, or chronic sense of failure.
Anxiety Disorders
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
The main feature of GAD is uncontrollable worry. Usually, the worry is about typical subjects like finances, health, or children. However, the person with GAD struggles to ever stop worrying , and often has difficulty sleeping, or uncomfortable physical symptoms such as heart pounding, tension, sweating, or gastrointestinal discomfort.
Social Anxiety Disorder
For people experiencing Social Anxiety Disorder, social situations usually provoke fear of embarrassment- fear that one will be judged negatively, or fear that one’s anxiety will be obvious. Additionally, social situations are avoided or endured with great difficulty.
Panic Disorder
Panic Disorder occurs when people have repeated panic attacks, which are episodes of extreme and sudden anxiety, usually accompanied by an urge to escape, feeling of imminent danger, and various physical symptoms. This is often accompanied by chronic fear of having another panic attack and/or Agoraphobia, which is extensive avoidance and restriction of going outside the house or traveling
Phobias
Phobias are fears of specific situations or creatures, including animals, enclosed spaces and various others. As in Social Anxiety Disorder, the feared situations are avoided or endured with great difficulty.
PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
PTSD can occur as a reaction to particular kinds of traumatic events, including situations when the person’s life was in danger, a loved one died suddenly, or in cases of sexual assault. Also included is repeated exposed to death or violence, as in the case of combat veterans and first responders.
Treatments We Employ
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This is a form of psychotherapy that is collaborative and goal -directed, emphasizing change by addressing thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. CBT tends to be hands- on and usually includes homework and practice as a central element. CBT interventions are evidence based, meaning that they have been developed based on decades of foundational research and clinical trials. CBT is also an umbrella term for many different therapies that adhere to its basic principles.
Exposure & Response Prevention (EXRP)
Effective
Decades of research and clinical experience support EXRP as the gold-standard for treatment of OCD. About 75-80% of those participating in EXRP show significant and durable improvement.
Time Limited
EXRP is designed to be a short term treatment, intended to take weeks or months, not years. The majority of people who adhere to EXRP benefit within this time frame.
Face your fear-and win
During EXRP, you will work with your therapist to systematically overcome your fears and eliminate reliance on repetitive or ritualized behaviors. Your therapist will support you as you learn to master your anxiety.
Freedom
The goal of EXRP is freedom: freedom from burdensome rituals and worry, freedom from avoidance, and most of all, freedom to live your best life
ACT
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
ACT, or acceptance and commitment therapy, is a unique approach within the CBT umbrella. ACT can be thought of as a philosophy almost as much as it is a treatment. It is about developing a different and more open relationship with life and experience, so that more energy is spent on living a valued life and less on repetitive and unsuccessful attempts to limit pain. ACT is highly compatible with ERP and often used in conjunction.