Our Services
How We Treat
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is widely regarded as the gold standard therapy for treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This highly effective approach targets the reduction of obsessions, compulsions, and the associated distress caused by OCD. ERP is composed of two core components:
Exposure: This involves purposefully confronting feared stimuli or situations. For instance, someone with a fear of contamination might engage in exposure by touching surfaces they perceive as contaminated.
Response Prevention: This component involves refraining from performing compulsive behaviors that typically reduce anxiety or distress caused by the exposure. In the case of contamination fears, this might involve resisting the urge to wash one’s hands after touching a “contaminated” surface.
By gradually and systematically practicing these techniques, ERP empowers individuals to break the cycle of OCD, leading to lasting symptom reduction and a profoundly improved quality of life.
Experiential Acceptance and Stimulus Engagement (EASE)
Experiential Acceptance and Stimulus Engagement (EASE) is a leading psychotherapy designed to treat misophonia and misokinesia—conditions that can be extremely challenging to live with. EASE addresses the psychological mechanisms that perpetuate the control misophonia has over one’s life. This structured therapy includes two core components:
Reducing Behaviors and Beliefs That Reinforce Control Over Triggers: This involves eliminating avoidance behaviors and efforts to control triggering environments or people (e.g., avoiding certain spaces or asking others to stop triggering sounds). The goal is to reduce the false sense of hope that triggers can be entirely avoided, which paradoxically increases distress in the long run.
Processing Difficult Emotions Without Suppression: Misophonia often leads to the automatic suppression of difficult emotions, which keeps these emotions “stuck” and unresolved. This step focuses on allowing emotions to surface and be fully experienced without control or suppression, ultimately decreasing emotional reactivity and reducing symptoms over time.
EASE is a powerful approach to addressing the psychological distress caused by misophonia, offering individuals the tools to regain control and live more freely.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that emphasizes pursuing a value-driven life rather than avoiding emotional discomfort. Many individuals with mental health challenges engage in avoidance behaviors to prevent distress, which can lead to a life disconnected from what they truly value.
ACT helps individuals reconnect with their core values and develop strategies to take meaningful actions despite the discomfort those actions may elicit. For example, someone with anxiety who avoids social situations might identify the importance of meaningful relationships and work towards engaging in social activities, even if it initially causes distress.
ACT is particularly effective in increasing motivation for therapy, especially when clients struggle with a lack of willingness to experience difficult emotions. It is often integrated with other therapies, such as ERP or EASE, to help clients persist in working through challenging emotions while staying aligned with their values.
By fostering acceptance of emotional discomfort and commitment to meaningful actions, ACT empowers individuals to build fulfilling and purpose-driven lives.