It is so easy to go through our days scrolling, scanning and swiping. However, BEFORE you scroll through this blog post to see if any bold or capitalized words capture your interest, pause a moment. What is the hurry? Why are you rushing? What are the effects of rushing through the world? What could be the effects of not rushing? Continue reading
Are relationships important to you? Do you want to build strong and meaningful relationships?
Social support has been studied at length in psychology. In general, social support is related to decrease stress. In order to build and maintain relationships, it is helpful to know what to do to achieve this goal. The straightforward tips below can help you with this goal. Continue reading
One of the most important aspects of maintaining healthy relationships is effective communication. Whether you are talking about your day or working through a disagreement, communication is the key to expressing your thoughts, your feelings and your needs. Depending on the nature of the relationship and the topic being discussed, effective communication can be challenging; this is especially true when the conversation requires confrontation around difficult subjects. Assertive communication is an effective way of expressing yourself that allows for consideration of the thoughts, feelings and needs of both you and the person with whom you are communicating. Learning how to communicate assertively can turn this challenging confrontations into productive conversations. Continue reading
Clients often ask, “Why do I have an anxiety disorder?” or “How did this happen to me?”. The 
development of anxiety disorders is complex combination of genetic predispositions and learning experiences. However, this post will discuss one factor that distinguishes individuals with an anxiety disorder from those who do not develop anxiety disorders: fear generalization. Fear generalization refers to the process by which fear “spreads” from one object, sensation or situation to others that are similar to it. For example, a soldier returning home from combat may have fear when driving because his convoy was attacked on a road in the war zone. As this fear spreads to more and more situations, the individual may report greater impact on his daily life. Continue reading
Anxiety is a response to a perceived threat. Sometimes, there really is a threat. We have to jump out of the way of a car or are in a dangerous place. Often times however, we are actually in a safe place with no threat in sight. Yet threats in our minds (our thoughts) can often create the same anxiety response as a real threat right in front of you. Continue reading
Anxiety is a common causes of insomnia. With so much going on in our lives during the day (school, work, family, friends, bills, chores, etc), there is not only a lot to think about but also very little time to think about it…that is until our head hits the pillow at the end of the day. No matter how tired we may be, stress and anxiety seem to find a way to perk us and leave us sleepless. Understanding the impact of anxiety on sleep (and vice versa) is the first step to making changes that can lead you to a good night’s rest. Continue reading
As discussed in previous posts, a core component of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is overcoming avoidance and starting to face your fears. This is known as “exposure therapy” and is one of the most effective treatments for anxiety disorders such as panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and specific phobia. Continue reading
You may have heard people say, “that makes me depressed,” or “I feel so depressed,” but what is the difference between being sad and being depressed? An emotion like sadness is usually temporary, lasting seconds or minutes. However, clinical depression includes feelings of sadness, as well as other symptoms, that last two weeks or more. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders lists common symptoms of depression as including:
Depression is a common and serious illness. In fact, the National Institute of Mental Health describes depression as one of the most common mental health concerns, impacting nearly 7% of adults in the United States each year. If you are experiencing depression, it is helpful to see a medical doctor to determine if the symptoms are caused by a medication or medical condition (including thyroid disorders).
The good news is, several effective treatments for depression exist, including psychotherapy. A qualified and experienced licensed mental health professional can help you determine which treatment is a good fit for your presenting concerns. One type of therapy shown to help people recover from depression is Cognitive-Behavioral therapy.
So what would it look like to get help? Cognitive Behavioral Therapists use several interactive ways to help patients recover from depression.
The first phase of this treatment is an assessment phase. During this part of treatment, a therapist will ask questions about relevant learning history and family background, current symptoms, common beliefs and thinking patterns, emotions experienced, situations that may trigger emotions, what a typical day looks like, and current ways of coping.
Therapists use different ways to help decrease symptoms of depression and increase a client’s ability to connect with meaningful aspects in life. A therapist may focus on helping you change your relationship with your thoughts, change your daily patterns and behaviors, eliminate or decreases environmental stressors, recruit appropriate support, and interact effectively with others.
Therapy sessions are interactive and collaborative. Typically, your therapist will ask you to come up with a problem you want to discuss each session. Your therapist may ask you to complete worksheets together in sessions, participate in engaging exercises, and provide feedback about how therapy is working.
If you think that you or someone you know may be suffering depression, please contact us to find out more about treatment options that may be helpful. You may also find helpful tools at The Beck Institute or books like Mind Over Mood on our CBT Resources page.
Michelle Dexter, Ph.D. | Behavioral Associates Los Angeles
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Behavioral Associates Los Angeles is a group of cognitive-behavioral therapists specializing in the
treatment of anxiety and mood disorders. To find out more, contact us by phone at 310-205-0523 or by email at treatment@behavioralassociatesla.com.
You can also request an appointment with a Behavioral Associates LA psychologist by submitting a brief patient assessment form on our Website. Our clinical staff will follow up with you within 24 hours of submission.
If you have been diagnosed with a panic disorder, or if you think you might be struggling with panic attacks, therapy can be a helpful way of getting relief and finding ways to cope with future anxiety. Deciding on the right treatment for you can feel overwhelming, particularly if you have never been in therapy before. Fortunately, standards for evidence-based practices have been established to help you determine exactly what treatment will be most helpful in treating your panic. According to the best practice guidelines, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the treatment with the most evidence for its efficacy of the treatment of panic disorder. Below we will take a look at the common components of CBT treatment for panic. Continue reading
This might seem like a silly question. But the answer is, probably a lot! The truth is, our emotions do a lot for us. They motivate our behavior and signal us, and others around us, to respond in certain ways. This is helpful in many ways, like when we need to jump out of the way of something coming towards us or take a bit of time to nurture ourselves after a sad event. Continue reading
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