Starting Exposure Therapy: What’s it Like?

On January 26, 2012, in ERP, OCD, OCD - Treatment, by Steven J. Seay, Ph.D.

For anyone new to exposure-based therapy, such as exposure and response prevention (ERP), there is often much anticipatory anxiety about starting treatment.

“What is it? What will it be like? How bad will it be? Can I handle it? Will I be forced to do things I’m unwilling to do?”

These uncertainties are …  (read more)

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Does Non-Avoidance = Exposure? No! Anxiety Disorder Treatment Principles for OCD, Panic, Social Anxiety, & Phobias.

On November 29, 2011, in CBT, ERP, by Steven J. Seay, Ph.D.

Anxiety Principle of the Day: Non-Avoidance is not equivalent to exposure.

Although exposure is predicated upon the purposeful non-avoidance of anxiety-related stimuli, non-avoidance of anxiety triggers is not equivalent to exposure.

What is non-avoidance?

I liken non-avoidance to being in a particular place at a particular time. Essentially, it involves being in a situation in …  (read more)

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Exposure Therapy’s Most Common Mistake: All Eggs in the Habituation Basket

On November 4, 2011, in CBT, ERP, by Steven J. Seay, Ph.D.

Many people have an incomplete understanding of exposure therapy…

…be it exposure and response prevention (ERP) for OCD, intentional mistake practice for social anxiety, or interoceptive exposures for panic disorder…

This is true for exposure newbies, seasoned exposure veterans, and even some good CBT therapists.

This limited understanding is based on the following flawed …  (read more)

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Health-Related Anxiety: Symptoms, Disorders, & Treatment

On September 9, 2011, in Health Anxiety, by Steven J. Seay, Ph.D.

Think about the most significant health scare you have ever experienced. Then multiply this experience by a factor of about 10. Unfortunately, this is a daily reality for many individuals suffering from health-related anxiety, a debilitating condition that can have devastating effects on one’s mood, relationships, and ability to function in academic and professional …  (read more)

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Agoraphobia – Symptom Attacks, Triggers, Panic, & Avoidance Behaviors

On September 7, 2011, in Agoraphobia, Panic, by Steven J. Seay, Ph.D.

Let’s dispel a common misconception about agoraphobia. Agoraphobia is not a fear of the outdoors. Many people mistakenly believe this myth, due to the word’s Latin roots.  Because agoraphobia can be broken down into the roots agora (“marketplace”) and phobia (“fear of”), many people assume that agoraphobia is a “fear of the marketplace” or a fear …  (read more)

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Fear, Doubt, Uncertainty, ERP, & the Monster Under the Bed

On September 1, 2011, in CBT, ERP, by Steven J. Seay, Ph.D.

Everyone I know has, at some point, had to deal with the monster under the bed.

Some do it with grace. Others falter.

I’ve always been clumsy.

I can vividly recall many terrified nights from my childhood, when I would lie rigidly in my bed, utterly paralyzed by fear. Afraid to make the slightest movement, …  (read more)

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Mindfulness & ACT-based therapy: Questioning “I hurt; therefore, I suffer.”

On August 31, 2011, in ACT, Mindfulness, by Steven J. Seay, Ph.D.

Mindfulness & ACT-based Approaches to Therapy

Mindfulness & Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based approaches to treatment might (Hayes, Strosahl, & Wilson, 2003) ask you to consider the truth of the following statement:

I hurt; therefore, I suffer.

Most of us would probably agree that suffering is usually borne out of hurt. But this doesn’t mean …  (read more)

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