Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder affecting approximately 1 in 59 children (Baio et al. "MMWR Surveillance Summaries," "67"(6), 1, 2018). A commonly experienced psychiatric comorbidity in ASD is anxiety. Although this is known, little research has been done on the specific issues concerning…

The social justice issue of human sex trafficking is a global form of oppression that places men, women and children at risk for sexual exploitation. Although a body of research exists on the topics of human trafficking, literature specific to the mental health implications for counselors working with this population is limited. Counselors should…

Specific phobias are highly prevalent among college students and can be quite debilitating. However, students often do not present for treatment for phobias and, when they do, often do not receive effective treatment. This article will present a case study of the effective treatment of specific phobia using cognitive-behavioral therapy with an…

Manual-based treatments (therapist manuals, child workbooks) exist for the treatment of anxiety disorders in youth. The current article describes a cognitive-behavioral treatment program, "Coping Cat", for childhood anxiety, with an emphasis on its flexible application and implementation as well as video components to demonstrate aspects of the…

Cognitive-behavioral treatment for all anxiety disorders involves exposure to feared situations and feared emotions. Dropout from therapy is a continued problem for final treatment effectiveness. A meta-emotional model of fear of negative emotions (and anxious sensations and thoughts) is advanced that can be used as a transdiagnostic treatment…

Dental anxiety is a common form of anxiety problem, and research suggests that more people with learning disabilities experience dental anxiety than in the general population. Very little work has been done to investigate effective non-medical approaches for supporting people with a learning disability and dental anxiety to access dental care.…

Fear of falling is a threat to the quality of life and independence of older adults. A Matter of Balance is a program that uses cognitive-behavioral therapy to reduce fear of falling and improve physical functioning. A randomized controlled trial (n=434) validated immediate and long-term improvements. (Contains 39 references.) (JOW)

This article describes six common types of anxiety disorders: (1) generalized anxiety disorder; (2) panic disorder; (3) obsessive-compulsive disorder; (4) post-traumatic stress disorder; (5) specific phobias; and (6) social phobia. Treatment of anxiety disorders have two components that can be offered separately or in combination. They are…

The current article presents a detailed description of an intensive treatment program for panic disorder with moderate to severe levels of agoraphobia (PDA), called Sensation-Focused Intensive Treatment (SFIT). Although the efficacy of traditional CBT treatment programs has been well established for the treatment of PDA, patients with moderate to…

This article examines the etiology of social phobia, and proposes that the sensitivity to self-scrutiny common to social phobics can be exacerbated by the effects of longstanding racial bias. The impact of racism on identity and the importance of context are explored as salient factors in the onset of a case of social phobia for an…