What We Do
Evidence-based Treatments
Not all mental health treatments are equally effective. It is imperative that people looking for a treatment provider become informed as some therapy interventions may work better than others.
Evidence Based Practices (EBP) are treatment interventions that are based on scientific evidence and research. Many EBPs have been studied in numerous large-scale clinical trials comparing EBPs to other psychological interventions. Numerous studies suggest that EBPs can significantly reduce psychological symptoms for many years after psychological treatment ends while similar evidence for other types of therapy is not available.
EBP therapies are listed as the ‘preferred’ and ‘Best Practice’ interventions for psychological treatment by the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association.
The most commonly used EBP approach for the treatment of anxiety and depression involves cognitive behavior therapy.
CBT has been proven effective in treating symptoms in children, adolescents and adults.
Exposure and Response Prevention
Exposure and Response Prevention (E/RP) is a behavioral method that is very effective for treating a number of Anxiety Spectrum Disorders including OCD, Panic Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Social Anxiety Disorders.
E/RP involves exposure to both imagined or real feared stimuli and response prevention (i.e., stopping escape or avoidance behaviors).
The goal of E/RP is habituation to anxiety provoking stimuli and extinction of maladaptive responses. The responses may be cognitive, emotional and/or overt behavior. Habituation and extinction refer to the behavioral processes that allow people to become used to anxiety provoking thoughts or experiences without experiencing discomfort.
The Providers at Portland Anxiety Clinic, LLC have extensive specialty training on how to provide E/RP.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a group of psychological treatments that are based on scientific evidence.
Many people have an inaccurate perception of what therapy is. To many people, psychotherapy may seem to involve dream interpretation, lying on a couch, or elaborate discussions of childhood experiences.
In reality, very few mental health providers including psychologists, social workers, or psychiatrists, use this type of treatment because is it outdated and is not based on scientific evidence.
By helping clients learn how their own thoughts, beliefs and behaviors can increase or decrease feelings of anxiety or depression, psychologists and other mental health providers can help clients begin to change their thought patterns and their behaviors in ways that can reduce or alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Providers at the Portland Anxiety Clinic, LLC have advanced training in CBT. If you would like to learn more about CBT or how one of our practitioners can help you, please call our office for more information.
- CBT therapies are usually short-term treatments (i.e., between 8-25 sessions).
- Focus is on the ways a person’s cognitions (i.e. thoughts), emotions and behaviors are connected and affect each other.
- Treatment is goal-oriented to resolve current, present-day symptoms.
- Patients actively participate in treatment both in and outside of sessions.
- Homework assignments are often included throughout the treatment process.
- The clinician and patient work collaboratively with the understanding that the patient is the expert on themself and the clinician has technical and theoretical expertise.
- The patient and clinician collaboratively develop treatment goals and track treatment progress.
Contact Us Today
Please call or email us today. We look forward to setting up your consultation