Exposure therapy is an effective, evidence-based treatment for a variety of anxiety disorders, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Social Anxiety Disorder, and Panic Disorder. It takes different forms depending on the needs and treatment goals of the individual, but its basic components are the same: Gradual, intentional exposure to feared thoughts, feelings, memories, and sensations. Exposure therapy helps clients build tolerance for discomfort and reclaim agency in their lives. What I Enjoy About Exposure Therapy I feel incredibly proud of the work ...
Carly is a Licensed Social Worker and psychotherapist with Cognitive Behavioral Associates of Chicago. She earned a Masters Degree in Social Work and Social Administration from the University of Chicago. Her clinical approach draws heavily from contextual behavioral therapies, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I). Carly is a member of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Sciences (ACBS) and the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), where she also attends annual OCD conferences. Before joining ...
Research shows that the majority of people in the US believe in climate change and are somewhat to very concerned about it. However, the majority of us are not talking about it. This makes sense—climate change and its destructive effects is a gigantic problem and it is easy to feel helpless or hopeless. Some of our most common defense mechanisms (or coping strategies) are distraction and avoidance. However, trying to not think about what is happening or feel the natural emotions related to climate change only compounds the problem. This ...
The current pandemic has changed all aspects of our daily lives seemingly overnight. These changes can be accompanied by a great deal of stress. Perhaps you are a parent and are now juggling parenting/homeschooling and working from home. Perhaps you are an essential worker and you are experiencing fear related to contracting the virus from your work. Perhaps you are living alone and feeling lonely and isolated being physically separated from family, friends, and your community. Perhaps you are facing uncertainty about what the future holds. Below are some tips ...
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing all of us to change the way we do things. Now that social distancing has become a part of our vocabulary and has changed our daily lives, you may be wondering how that will affect therapy. Thankfully, technology allows us to use telehealth as a great way to connect with clients who are unable to get to the office. Telehealth is a way to have therapy appointments using videoconferencing. It is similar toFaceTime or Skype, but it uses a platform that is secure in order ...
In this YouTube video, Dr. Abraham Twerski discusses the importance of discomfort in facilitating growth. ...