Anxiety Disorders Clinic: What we do at the Clinic

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The Anxiety Network International

Anxiety Disorders Clinic:

What We Do at the Anxiety Clinic

The anxiety disorders are the most commonly reported psychological problems in the United States today, yet very few people -- including many professionals -- are aware of the great suffering and pain they cause. At any given time, ten to fifteen million Americans live with the debilitating effects of some type of major anxiety disorder.

The Anxiety Clinic was founded to meet the specific needs of people with anxiety problems. Although an anxiety disorder may dominate your thoughts and emotions, depress your self-esteem, and interfere with daily functioning, the good news is that each of the anxiety disorders responds successfully to appropriate therapy.

The professionals at the Anxiety Clinic specialize in the treatment of these stubborn anxiety problems. As well as being relatively common, each of the anxiety problems is treatable and can be conquered. Our program emphasizes relief from the severity of these problems, and therefore involves active therapy that has been clinically and empirically demonstrated to produce positive results.

Simply talking to someone else about your anxiety problem does not result in a reduction of your anxiety symptoms. You may temporarily feel better to "get things off your chest", but you are left with nothing of value to use as time goes by. Constantly thinking and trying to analyze your anxiety makes the anxiety worse. Simply coming up with "causes" for your anxiety problem does not create the desired "effect" of providing a solution for these problems. Our emphasis at the Clinic is on the gradual reduction of your anxiety, and the constant strengthening of your ability to take control over it. Thus, we stress the practical and proven methods that have been shown to work in everyday life.

At the Anxiety Clinic, our staff members have all lived with anxiety problems and come out better and stronger on the other side. When you know that your therapist and your peer-mentor has suffered from the same pain of an anxiety disorder that you have, it tends to strengthen the therapeutic bond, speed up therapy, and promote permanent healing.

Today, we have proven methods of overcoming anxiety disorders. Alone, none of these strategies is a "cure", but when combined with other methods in a systematic strategy, a "synergy" is created that allows you to experience significant relief from anxiety and fear. Anxiety is the most treatable of the mental health care problems, and the success rate today is very high.

One thing that we often see at the Anxiety Clinic and that has been replicated repeatedly by research is that no one has to continue living with these debilitating anxiety problems for the rest of their lives. Today, there is not only hope -- there is help.

As a result, the Anxiety Clinic provides a comprehensive cognitive-behavioral program to overcome the major anxiety problems.

One-on-one initial treatment for your anxiety problem is essential in providing your therapist with the general and specific problems you face with anxiety. Treatment starts immediately, and each patient is asked to do some simple "technique practicing" at a place of relative peace and calm. We ask that the techniques you learn in therapy be practiced daily until they become a habit. Then, you will be able to use these anxiety-reducing methods in real life situations where you experience anxiety. You and your therapist will also be able to work on any anxiety-related problem that may not be conducive to group therapy, but that is essential to you and your healing.

Depending on the particular anxiety problem, group therapy is the next step. Group therapy is an essential prerequisite to anxiety-reduction for many of the anxiety disorders, and serves as a powerful adjunct to others. Group therapy at the Clinic is active and is oriented toward practical solutions (this is the "behavioral" phase of the treatment). In the group, members have a safe place to use the "synergistic" effects of the methods they learned during individual therapy. Thus, the groups are an integral part of anxiety treatment. A secondary benefit is that you will have the opportunity to meet and share positive solutions with others who have the same anxiety problem that you do.

Clinical and empirical research has already demonstrated to us what works for anxiety problems and what does not. Simply talking to a therapist about anxiety does not help. Delving into your past to find "causes" has been shown to be ineffective -- as well as depressing. At the Anxiety Clinic, we follow tested and proven procedures to insure that you receive the help you need. We focus directly on your anxiety problem and work to alleviate it. Luckily, most people with an anxiety problem are motivated to overcome it. A motivated person and the right therapist are a winning combination. Specifically, 85-90% of people are successful in overcoming their particular anxiety if they stick with it. These odds are increased if the person persists with their practice at home until what they have learned in therapy becomes an "automatic" behavior. At this point, people feel in control of their anxiety and come to realize that it no longer has the power to rule their lives.

The Anxiety Network Home Page

Thomas A. Richards, Ph.D., Psychologist

Phoenix

The Social Anxiety Institute

The Anxiety Network is an international outreach to educate and inform the general public about the anxiety disorders, and to educate and support people with anxiety disorders.