Innovative Strategies for treating Complex Anxiety Disorders

Many clients seen in clinical practice suffer from one form or another of anxiety. Unfortunately, a significant number of these patients and clients do not respond to the treatments they were offered by other therapists despite their use of empirically supported strategies such as exposure, mindfulness, and cognitive therapy.

In this workshop, Dr Abel explains how to avoid common pitfalls of ineffective anxiety treatment and demonstrates how to apply effective strategies to help your clients and patients overcome excessive worry, panic attacks and insomnia. In addition to this, you will learn specific programs for the treatment of hypochondriasis, perfectionism, catastrophizing, intolerance of uncertainty, and procrastination. Dr Abel also presents techniques of self-control desensitization to help clients to master catching the anxiety spiral early and significantly reduce worry and panic. She also demonstrates several relaxation and mindfulness exercises, some traditional, and others unique, as well as hands-on strategies to help clients problem solve and manage their “to do” lists. With this workshop, participants will master a quicker, more practical method of cognitive therapy and learn about traditional and newer forms of exposure therapy including flooding phobic fears and words, interoceptive exposure, and the use of technology in exposure. Finally, you will learn how to rule out sleep disorders, understand what causes and maintains insomnia, and learn evidence-based strategies to help your clients fall asleep and sleep through the night.