Anxiety

Specialized Anxiety Disorders Clinic

Proven, short-term, cost-effective treatment for anxiety.

Fear and anxiety can be normal and healthy emotions.  But many individuals experience these emotions excessively and persistently, and are debilitated by fear and anxiety.  

Facts everyone should know about anxiety disorders:  

• Anxiety disorders are common.  1 in 6 people struggle with anxiety—over 40 million Americans.
• Fear and anxiety can be debilitating—they can have negative influences on social, work, and family functioning.
• On the whole, anxiety disorders are chronic.  Unless treated, they will not simply “go away”.
• Individuals who suffer with anxiety disorders often become depressed. 

What we treat

•  Panic Disorder involves persistent concern about having panic attacks, which are intense periods of fear accompanied by physical symptoms such as difficulty breathing and a racing heart.  People with panic disorder often avoid situations that could trigger panic attacks.
• Specific Phobias are intense fears of specific objects or circumstances; for instance, spiders, dogs, heights, harming others or even flying in airplanes.
• Social Phobia describes an intense fear of negative evaluation by others.  People with social phobia are typically anxious of social interactions.
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive worry about a number of issues.  People with GAD worry a good deal of the time, and find it difficult to control their worries.
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is characterized by the need to check things or perform certain routines frequently.  People with OCD may also have certain thoughts repeatedly and are unable to control such thoughts or activities.  Common activities include hand washing, counting or things or checking to see if appliances are switched off or doors are locked.  Some people with OCD have difficulty throwing things out.
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can develop after a person is exposed to life-threatening and traumatic events, such as warfare, traffic collisions, sexual assaults, or other threats to a person’s life.  However, PTSD symptoms could also develop as a result of non-life-threatening traumas, such as significant losses and traumatic medical events.  Symptoms may include disturbing thoughts, feelings, dreams related to the traumatic event, avoidance of trauma-related cues and increased arousal.

At the KPC, we provide treatment for anxiety

Treatment is effective.  Extensive research supports the effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as a treatment for anxiety disorders.  Especially effective within CBT is a treatment procedure called Exposure and Response Prevention (E/RP).

We provide both CBT-based and E/RP-based treatments for anxiety disorders.  In general, treatment is in the “here and now,” short-term and very active.  Longer treatments are provided contingent on the needs of each client.