9 05, 2017

Two Willingness Strategies in Cognitive-Behavior Therapy

By |2020-11-10T19:10:16-08:00May 9th, 2017|Partner Perspectives|

Although cognitive-behavior therapy helps many clients with anxiety disorders, the exposure tasks, which are central to overcoming an anxiety disorder, are not easy. Because exposure to anxiety-evoking situations is difficult, attending to your client’s willingness throughout treatment is essential to a good outcome. Here are two standard cognitive-behavioral strategies to enhance willingness.

9 05, 2017

Perfectionism: When setting high standards backfires

By |2018-04-04T20:02:44-07:00May 9th, 2017|Partner Perspectives|

Striving to do well is a positive attribute as long as there are no negative consequences for doing so. A healthy desire to excel and achieve high standards is one thing. Perfectionism, though, can be problematic if you evaluate yourself based on self-imposed, highly demanding standards, especially in areas of life that are important to […]

22 03, 2017

Enhancing Adherence with Bibliotherapy

By |2020-11-10T19:10:16-08:00March 22nd, 2017|Partner Perspectives|

Self-help reading is often assigned as an extra-therapy activity and, like any homework assignment, thoughtful planning on the part of the therapist can mean the difference between a homework assignment that is completed or not. The following guidelines can improve the likelihood that clients will understand and complete self-help readings.

Never assign a self-help reading that […]

29 10, 2016

Preventing Relapse in the Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Self-Directed Exposures

By |2020-11-10T19:10:16-08:00October 29th, 2016|From OCD to Anxiety, Partner Perspectives|

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic condition and therefore even following an effective treatment, your client always and will forever face the possibility of relapse. Assisting the client to manage the risk of relapse is an essential part of treatment for the condition. As you taper sessions with the client, use the times between sessions […]

8 04, 2016

Applying Lessons from Exposure Therapy to Daily Life

By |2020-11-10T19:10:18-08:00April 8th, 2016|From OCD to Anxiety, Partner Perspectives|

Exposure therapy is often a primary treatment component when working on anxiety. Whether an individual is coming to treatment for a specific fear, social anxiety, OCD, or another type of anxiety presentation, exposure can be a critical aid in reducing distress. It can also significantly change our relationship with anxiety and the role it plays […]

2 10, 2015

Alternative Thoughts: Beyond the Thought Record

By |2020-11-10T19:10:18-08:00October 2nd, 2015|Partner Perspectives|

“Cognitive restructuring” is one of the cornerstone skills of Cognitive Therapy. It involves identifying thoughts that are impacting our mood and considering alternatives that may be more helpful or accurate. Practicing this simple skill allows us to recognize that our thoughts are flexible and adaptable, and that they have a big impact on how we […]