Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with ERP

CBT is the gold standard treatment for anxiety disorders. We would work on changing unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviours, in order to change the way you feel. For OCD, this also involves exposure to situations that you find anxiety provoking (exposure), without engaging in behaviours to reduce your anxiety (response prevention). Dr Simkin is highly skilled in supporting people through ERP.

Psychoeducation, Understanding and Formulation

It is important that you have a good knowledge and understanding of how your problem started, and what is keeping it going. Dr Simkin has lots of experience working with anxiety disorders and has seen and come across many different presentations, making her adept at being able to provide psychoeducation and understanding, even if you feel like your problem is ‘different’ or untreatable.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

ACT helps people to learn a way of disconnecting from their thoughts, rather than trying to argue with them. It also helps people take control back from their anxiety, by focussing on living a life in line with their values. ACT appears to be a helpful addition to therapy, so Dr Simkin often incorporates ACT techniques and models into her interventions for anxiety disorders, OCD and BDD.

Imagery Rescripting and Rewriting

Imagery rescripting helps individuals change distressing or unhelpful mental images, often related to traumatic or anxiety-provoking experiences. It is especially useful in treating OCD, BDD or emetaphobia, because it allows individuals to transform their internal mental imagery and reduce the emotional impact of distressing memories. Therefore, Dr Simkin will sometimes include this as part of treatment.

Compassion Focussed Therapy

Compassion focussed therapy can be a helpful addition to therapy, as we know that people struggling with OCD and anxiety disorders often are highly self critical. You may feel they are ‘bad’ for having intrusive thoughts, or that you aren’t strong enough. This means Vicky will use CFT techniques to build confidence, self-esteem, and improve emotional resilience.

Mindfulness Based Therapy

Building up mindfulness skills is an important part of overcoming anxiety. Mindfulness helps individuals focus on the present moment, rather than getting caught up in worries about the future or past. This can help reduce the intensity of anxiety by fostering a non-judgmental attitude toward anxious thoughts. Essentially, this means the ability to let thoughts pass, and not get ‘hooked’ in trying to push them away or analyse them.