Personalized and Collaborative Care

 

Here at the East Bay Anxiety and OCD Center, our mission is to help people reduce their emotional suffering and lead more fulfilling lives by providing high quality, evidence-based treatment. We believe that developing collaborative relationships with our clients and considering each individual’s unique characteristics and life circumstances is key to achieving that mission. We work with each of our clients to identify what is most important to them and customize our approach based on their goals, preferences, and needs. Our extensive knowledge and skills in using effective psychological treatments, in combination with our warm, supportive approach, enables our clients to make meaningful changes in their lives.

 

CBT Basics

 

Our primary approach to the treatment of anxiety and OCD is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which includes a variety of therapeutic techniques. Broadly speaking, CBT helps people (1) gain awareness of the role that negative thinking plays in emotional suffering and (2) learn to change their problematic behavior patterns. We primarily practice traditional CBT, which emphasizes learning how to reframe negative thinking and approach anxiety-related situations. In addition to traditional CBT for anxiety disorders, we specialize in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for the treatment of OCD. In ERP treatment, we focus on helping people approach, or expose themselves to, feared situations while refraining from using rituals or compulsions. In our work, we also integrate elements of third-wave behavior therapies, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). These approaches use a variety of tools to teach mindfulness, emotion regulation, and willingness to have difficult internal experiences while living a valued life. Research shows that all of these CBT approaches result in significant improvements in anxiety, mood, and other disorders.

Behavior Change

 

An important component of all CBT approaches is gaining awareness of and changing problematic behavior patterns. For most people, this involves approaching situations, thoughts, or feelings that have typically been avoided or dealt with in unproductive ways because avoidance maintains or worsens anxiety. We help our clients learn how to approach anxiety-provoking situations in a manner that feels reasonable, by breaking down the problem into manageable and objective steps. Because therapy sessions typically occur for only 45-50 minutes a week, we ask our clients to practice some new behaviors between sessions. Research shows that the more time people devote to between-session practice, the more benefit they will see from therapy. We understand that this type of work is difficult for most people and there may be a reluctance to change. We also know that motivation is not always high, especially when fear is overwhelming. We value developing treatment plans that fit each unique individual.