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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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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School Refusal Causes (Social & Anxiety-Related Factors)

On August 16, 2011, in School Refusal, by Steven J. Seay, Ph.D.

With the summer quickly fading to black and the academic year looming largely, we will soon be entering the season of school refusal. When I use the term “school refusal,” I’m not talking about that once-in-a-blue-moon occasion when a child forgets about an important test or project and decides it’s easier to feign illness …  (read more)

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Specific phobias: symptoms & CBT treatment (reader question)

On May 22, 2011, in CBT, Phobias, by Steven J. Seay, Ph.D.

Question: Basically, I wanted to know from an expert, what can a phobia do to a person? How does it affect them mentally? Also I see that you’ve got a new treatment philosophy — is there any way you can talk me through it?

One of the goals of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is to …  (read more)

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