What We Treat
An estimated 31.1 % of adults will experience and anxiety disorder in their lifetime. They are among the most common mental health issues adults face, and yet, they are under-treated. Anxiety can feel overwhelming and prevent you from being able to establish the healthy habits you want, seek out the relationships you want and achieve your personal and professional goals. Similarly, many people have struggled with Depression for years and feel hopeless about getting better. Anxiety and Depression often present together, or with other complicating issues such as ADHD, Substance Abuse, or Eating Disorders and our therapists at BPS will work with you to better understand how they are connected and how to approach treatment.
At Behavioral Psych Studio, our clinicians provide state-of-the-art treatment for Anxiety, Mood, Depressive, Substance Abuse and Personality Disorders. We believe in continuing education for our clinicians and strive to keep pace with the ever-evolving understanding of mental health disorders, as well as with the treatments proven to help them. Our comprehensive intake evaluation will help inform our recommendation for treatment either with us, or with a different facility, if we are unable to provide the recommended care.
Anxiety-Related Disorders
(select a heading to learn more)
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder is characterized by excessive worry about making social mistakes, and/or other people’s impressions of you. Socially anxious people often anticipate that others will judge them negatively. People with S.A.D. often crave social support and feel paralyzed by fear about attending social events or initiating contact with friends and peers.
Our clinicians at BPS are experienced in treating Social Anxiety Disorder using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
G.A.D. is characterized by excessive worry thoughts that are experienced as intrusive, repetitive, and difficult to ignore or control. People with G.A.D. often experience unpleasant, negative physical sensations such as muscle tension, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, shortness of breath, racing thoughts, hypervigilance and difficulty sleeping. The topic of the anxious thoughts may change from time to time and feel “free-floating”.
Our clinicians at BPS are experienced in treating Generalized Anxiety Disorder using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Panic Disorder
Panic Disorder is characterized by sudden surges of intense fear and anxiety that interfere with one’s ability to perform tasks or engage in normal activity. People with panic attacks often experience rapid heart rates, changes in breathing, light-headedness, difficulty thinking/problem-solving, sweating, and other somatic sensations. In addition, panic attacks can make people feel like they are cut off from reality, disconnected from themselves or “going crazy.”
Our clinicians at BPS are experienced in treating Panic Disorder using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Sleep Issues
Many anxiety and depression issues can impair sleep quality and interfere with falling and staying asleep. Disruptions in sleep also contribute to greater difficulty controlling emotions and moods.
Our clinicians at BPS are experienced in treating Sleep Disorders using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorders and Related Issues
(select a heading to learn more)
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
O.C.D. affects 1 in 50 Americans and is a highly treatable disorder. It is defined by experiencing repetitive, intrusive, negative thoughts (known as obsessions) and performing compulsory behaviors (known as rituals) to reduce the anxiety. It is often first experienced in childhood and can continue, untreated, throughout the lifetime. There are many different types of OCD and common obsessions include: germ/contamination, worries of not having completed tasks, worries about harming self or others, worries about morality/ethical violations, worries about sexual or gender identity and preoccupation with urges to complete tasks or orient things “just right.”
Rituals serve to reduce the anxiety created by the obsessions and can be both behavioral (i.e., hand washing) and cognitive (i.e., thinking opposite thoughts) in nature.
Our clinicians at BPS are experienced in treating Obsessive Compulsive Disorder using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Hair-pulling (Trichotillomania)
Hair-pulling (Trichotillomania) involves recurrent pulling of one’s hair. It is often experienced as a “mindless” activity and results in unwanted hair loss. It can occur anywhere on the body, with common sites being on one’s scalp, eyelashes, or pubic region. People often experience intense shame and remorse following episodes of hair-pulling, which can increase hopelessness and social withdrawal.
Our clinicians at BPS are experienced in treating hair-pulling using Habit Reversal Training.
Skin-Picking (Excoriation)
Skin-picking (Excoriation) is marked by unwanted and excessive picking at scabs or other parts of the skin, resulting in scars, wounds, or legions. Individuals with skin-picking have often tried to stop unsuccessfully and feel shame about the behavior.
Our clinicians at BPS are experienced in treating Skin-picking using Habit Reversal Training.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Body Dysmorphic Disorder is characterized by excessive worry and negative thoughts about one’s body or specific body parts that are incongruent with how others perceive them. People with BDD often seek cosmetic solutions and continue to experience unhappiness and dissatisfaction with their image. People with BDD will often engage in a variety of behaviors to try to improve or modify their appearance (excessive checking in the mirror, excessive time spent applying make-up, baggy clothes, cosmetic surgery) and will often avoid social interactions or seek reassurance without experiencing overall improvement in their mood or dysmorphia.
Our clinicians at BPS are experienced in treating Body Dysmorphic Disorder using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Trauma Related Issues
(select a heading to learn more)
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD can develop after individuals experience events that involve actual or threatened serious injury, death, or sexual violence. Symptoms of PTSD can develop in individuals if they have experienced them directly, witnessed these events happening to others, learned about these events happening to loved ones, or had repeated exposure to the details of these types of events (i.e., first responders, police officers). More recently, research has shown that “Traumatic Invalidation” following a traumatic event is also linked to the development of PTSD.
Common types of traumas that are linked to PTSD symptoms include serious accidents, physical assault or abuse, military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, sexual assault or abuse, and traumatic invalidation.
Those with PTSD often experience intense anxiety and urges to avoid any cues or places associated with the trauma, nightmares, flashbacks and symptoms associated with panic attacks (sweating, nausea, uncontrollable crying, dissociation).
Our clinicians at BPS are experienced in treating PTSD using several evidence-based treatments for trauma.
Acute Stress Disorder
Acute Stress Disorder is an intense, unpleasant reaction to an overwhelming traumatic event. It occurs shortly after experiencing the trauma and often involves palpitations, nausea, shortness of breath, sleep disturbances, hypervigilance, and a sense of being detached from reality. It is similar to PTSD in symptoms; however, it only lasts for one month after the trauma.
Our clinicians at BPS are experienced in treating Acute Stress Disorder using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Adjustment Disorders
Adjustment Disorders are in response to very stressful changes in one’s life, such as losing one’s job, death of a loved one, moving, etc…They are stress-related disorders and people often report a range of symptoms such as, more intense negative emotions, sleep disruptions, appetite changes, suicidal thoughts, self-injurious behavior, increased anxiety and depressed moods.
Our clinicians at BPS are experienced in treating Adjustment Disorders using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Depression and Substance Use Disorders
(select a heading to learn more)
Depression
Depression is a Mood Disorder that is marked by significant changes in affect, behavior, and thoughts. People suffering from clinical depression often feel excessively sad, experience persistent negative thoughts, and have difficulty sleeping, eating, and concentrating. Often, people with depression will attempt to cope with their symptoms through substances, self-harm, or other ineffective means.
At BPS, our therapists are trained in several Cognitive Behavioral Therapy treatments for Major Depressive Disorder that are predicated on mindfulness, acceptance and solution-focused interventions.
Substance Use Disorders
Substance Abuse (sometimes called Addiction) is a complicated psychiatric disorder in which substance use becomes uncontrollable and interferes with someone’s ability to function or impedes their ability to meet their goals. It is equally pervasive across gender and socioeconomic status. People struggling with substance abuse often feel isolated from their friends and family, deep shame about their inability to control their behavior and hopelessness about building a life worth living.
Often, substance abuse coincides with other mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation or self-harm. The research on effective evidence-based treatments for substance abuse disorder continues to evolve, but DBT-SUDS has been demonstrated to be successful.
Executive Function Issues
(select a heading to learn more)
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is marked by a pervasive pattern of inattention or hyperactivity that interferes with one’s ability to function personally, professionally, or academically. People with ADHD report having racing thoughts, trouble initiating projects/work, impulsivity and difficulty concentrating on important tasks, managing time, and keeping track of things. ADHD may be diagnosed in adulthood but can always be traced back to childhood. It has been shown to be responsive to medications as well as cognitive behavioral therapy.
ADHD can sometimes exacerbate other mental health issues, such as anxiety, social stress, and substance abuse.
Gender Identity Issues
(select a heading to learn more)
Gender Dysphoria
Gender Dysphoria refers to the psychological distress that arises from the incongruence between someone’s assigned sex at birth and their gender identity. Although it can begin during childhood, many people will not experience it until adulthood. Gender Dysphoria can lead to increased suicidal ideation, self-harm behaviors, social anxiety, depression and eating disorders. Treatment for Gender Dysphoria involves helping clients manage and problem-solve the feelings that arise from the mismatch between one’s anatomy and their identity. The goal is not to make one’s gender identity align with one’s anatomy. Many people find that their Gender Dysphoria is resolved once they can seek gender-affirming treatment, which can include medical interventions such as hormones, surgery and puberty blockers.
