Reid Wilson, PhD

 

Anxiety disorders commonly begin in adolescence and young adulthood. Therapists are supposed to make younger clients safe and secure, creating a cozy haven from a cruel world. However, when it comes to treating anxiety, there’s growing evidence that the quickest, most effective approach involves instructing them to ramp up their fears while telling themselves how much they welcome the experience. Therapists can emphasize a simple, active paradoxical self-help strategy that is a more aggressive move toward uncertainty, encouraging clients to seek out and want to experience anxiety and doubt. The session will discuss the four components: Step back; Want it; Step forward; and Be cunning.