Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based therapy that helps people understand the relationships between their thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and body response, and identify and change patterns of thoughts and behaviors that may not be helpful. CBT is the most scientifically supported approach for treating a wide range of psychological concerns, and its effectiveness has been demonstrated in over 2,000 research studies.

CBT is an efficient, solution-focused therapy that helps people to quickly achieve desired changes and live more satisfying lives. As the name implies, CBT addresses both cognitions/thoughts (by changing unhelpful thinking patterns) and behaviors (by increasing actions that improve well-being). 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) uses acceptance and mindfulness techniques to increase flexibility in your thinking. Acceptance & Commitment Therapy was developed based on CBT principles and is a cognitive behavioral therapy.  While traditional CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thought patterns, ACT focuses on accepting your thoughts and emotions. By helping you learn to accept and embrace who you are, and move toward what you want, ACT helps you build a fulfilling and meaningful life.

Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE)

SPACE stands for Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions and is a parent-based treatment program for children and adolescents with anxiety, OCD, and related problems.

SPACE was developed by Dr. Eli Lebowitz at the Yale Child Study Center and has been tested and found to be efficacious in randomized controlled clinical trials.

Parents (and other caregivers) participate in SPACE treatment sessions. In most cases the child or adolescent does not need to attend the treatment sessions.

Parents who participate in SPACE will learn skills and tools to help their child overcome anxiety, OCD or related problems.

The treatment focuses on changes that parents can make to their own behavior, they do not need to make their child change. 

The two main changes that parents learn to make in SPACE treatment are to respond more supportively to their anxious child and to reduce the accommodations they have been making to the child symptoms.

Exposure Therapy

Exposure treatments are highly effective for a variety of issues — nearly 80% of clients experience significant symptom relief after only a few sessions! Exposure therapy is proven to be a highly effective treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder, Phobias, Panic Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, and other concerns.

When people are fearful or anxious about something, they often avoid the things they fear. For instance, someone with social anxiety may avoid socializing or making plans with others altogether. Avoidance strategies can also be more subtle, such as avoiding eye contact in social situations. While these avoidance strategies tend to bring immediate relief in the short-term, they ultimately make the problem worse. Exposure therapies break this pattern of fear and avoidance. By creating a safe environment for you to face the things that you fear and avoid, you can reduce your anxiety and put an end to the avoidance patterns.  

Typically, your therapist will help you construct a fear hierarchy, in which you rank feared objects, activities, or situations. You then start with mildly or moderately challenging exposures and progress on to harder ones. Over time, these exposures help you recognize that you are able to confront your fears and manage feelings of anxiety.

Parent Management Training

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry recognizes parent training as an efficacious treatment for defiant behavior in children.

Parent training teaches parents how to be consistent, set limits, and be positive.