Exposure Therapy for Anxiety Principles and Practice

by Abramowitz, Jonathan S.; Deacon, Brett J.; Whiteside, Stephen P. H.

• ISBN13: 9781462509690
• ISBN10: 146250969X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-12-17
• Publisher: The Guilford Press

Summary

Going beyond one-size-fits-all approaches, this indispensable book describes how to design and implement exposure-based interventions for clients suffering from any type of pathological worry or fear. The expert authors translate cutting-edge theory and research into flexible guidelines for real-world clinical practice. They present the nuts and bolts of individualized assessment and treatment planning and offer strategies for engaging clients successfully. Chapters organized around common anxiety triggers feature a wealth of case examples and specific ideas for exposure exercises. Special topics include working with child clients and combining therapy with medication. Several reproducible handouts and forms are provided. This book will be important reading for practitioners and students in clinical psychology, psychiatry, counseling, and social work. It may also serve as a supplemental text in clinically oriented graduate-level courses.

Author Biography

Jonathan S. Abramowitz, PhD, ABPP, is Professor and Associate Chair of the Department of Psychology and Research Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. He is also Director of the UNC Anxiety and Stress Disorders Clinic. Dr. Abramowitz conducts research on anxiety disorders and has published 10 books and over 150 peer-reviewed research articles and book chapters. He is a recipient of awards including the David Shakow Early Career Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions to Clinical Psychology from Division 12 of the American Psychological Association. Brett J. Deacon, PhD, is Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Wyoming and Director of the University of Wyoming Anxiety Disorders Clinic in Laramie. Dr. Deacon has published over 50 peer-reviewed research articles on the nature and treatment of anxiety disorders. He serves on the editorial boards of numerous scientific journals and is a member of the Clinical Advisory Board of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America. He is the recipient of numerous teaching and research awards from the University of Wyoming, among other honors. Stephen P. H. Whiteside, PhD, ABPP, is Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of the Child Anxiety Disorders Program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He conducts research on the assessment and treatment of childhood anxiety disorders, including the use of neuroimaging to examine the effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Dr. Whiteside has received research funding from the International OCD Foundation and has published 35 articles and book chapters.

Table of Contents

I. The Fundamentals of Exposure Therapy 1. Overview and History of Exposure Therapy for Anxiety 2. How Well Does Exposure Therapy Work? 3. The Nature and Treatment of Clinical Anxiety 4. Treatment Planning I: Functional Assessment 5. Treatment Planning II: Hierarchy Development and Treatment Engagement 6. Implementing Exposure Therapy: An Overview II. Implementing Exposure Therapy for Specific Types of Fears 7. Animal-Related Fears 8. Natural Environments 9. Social Concerns 10. Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts 11. Bodily Cues and Health Concerns 12. Contamination 13. The Aftermath of Trauma 14. Blood-, Injection-, and Injury-Related Stimuli 15. Incompleteness, Asymmetry, and Not-Just-Right Feelings III. Special Considerations in the Use of Exposure Techniques 16. Exposure Therapy with Complex Cases 17. Exposure Therapy with Children 18. Involving Significant Others in Treatment 19. Combining Exposure Therapy with Medication 20. Maintaining Improvement after Treatment 21. A Risk-Benefit Analysis of Exposure Therapy