Phobia treatment

A phobia is nothing to be ashamed of. Unfortunately, this does happen regularly, causing people to wait a long time before seeking professional help. Often only when the daily problems they experience due to their phobia have become much worse.

A phobia can be treated well. Fortunately, there are various forms of therapy that can completely solve or reduce the fears and avoidance behavior. In therapy we will tackle your fears together. This will help you better understand your phobia and its causes. From this insight we work towards solving your fear and the unpleasant feelings or physical symptoms that come with it.

The intensity of the treatment differs per client and depends on the nature of the anxiety symptoms and the consequences that your phobia has on your daily life.

Therapies for phobia

A psychologist can apply different forms of therapy during the conversations. The most commonly used therapy for phobia is cognitive behavioral therapy.

Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on changing the fearful thinking and behavioral patterns that maintain the phobia. You will learn how to break through and change these worried, fearful patterns so that you experience less fear. You will also learn to identify factors that contribute to your anxiety. This allows you to think in a realistic way about the things or situations that you were afraid of.

Cognitive behavioral therapy may also include exposure therapy, where you are gradually exposed to the object or situation that is causing your anxiety under the guidance of a psychologist. This is built up in small steps from easy to difficult, you decide whether you are ready for the next step.

We will first determine what you are afraid of and how we can best start. Suppose you are afraid of spiders. We do not immediately start with a living spider, but first, for example, with a drawn spider or a photo of a spider. You decide whether you are ready for the next step, for example a video of a moving spider. This builds confidence, allowing you to better control the situation and the symptoms of anxiety over time.

If your phobia is caused by a traumatic event, the fear can also be treated well with EMDR therapy. During the treatment, you think back to the shocking event, while you follow the therapist’s finger with your eyes. The ‘working memory’ is burdened with this, so that the traumatic memory fades into the background and your feelings of anxiety diminish.

Breathing and relaxation exercises (body-oriented therapy) can also be used as support to learn to reduce your panic attacks.

It is possible that one form of therapy is used, but a combination of different types of therapy is also a good option. At the start of the treatment process, you discuss with your therapist which form of therapy is best for you and your symptoms, and what feels comfortable for you. In this way, the treatment is tailor-made, so that you feel seen, heard and helped by us.

Contact Psychologen Amsterdam

Do you recognize your symptoms and do you need help or do you just have a question about the treatment of your panic disorder? Then call for an appointment or send a message to Psychologen Amsterdam.