Adjunct Therapies
Matthew D. Jacofsky, Psy.D., Melanie T. Santos, Psy.D., Sony Khemlani-Patel, Ph.D. & Fugen Neziroglu, Ph.D. of the Bio Behavioral Institute, edited by C.E. Zupanick, Psy.D. and Mark Dombeck, Ph.D.In addition to the therapies described previously, many therapy participants benefit from the addition of family therapy, group therapy, and pharmacologic treatments (medication). Usually these types of therapies are considered adjunct therapies as they are intended to compliment and enhance individual therapy, not to replace it.
Family Therapy
Family members can play a vital role in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Families are a valuable source of historical information. They help the therapist understand the familial context of the therapy participant. It is generally advantageous for family members to be included in the treatment process. This is because both therapy participants, and their family members, are affected by the anxiety disorder. For instance, everyone affected by the disorder can benefit from psycho-education about these disorders. In addition, while therapists usually spend a just few hours each week with a therapy participant, family members are able to provide daily support. As such, family members are in a better position to help the recovering person apply and practice new knowledge and skills more often.
Living with someone who has an anxiety disorder can be very stressful and emotionally challenging. Family members can benefit from their own therapy, or another form of support such as a support group. Sometimes well-intentioned family members unknowingly do things that impede the recovering person's progress.
When children are affected by a disease or disorder, it can lead to increased stress within a family and marital discord. However, another family variable that is important to consider is the presence of a psychiatric disorder in the parent of a child-in-recovery. Studies have shown that similar disorders tend to run in families. Therefore, it is not surprising to find a parent, or other family member, with the same or similar disorder as the child (Yaryura-Tobias, Grunes, Walz, & Neziroglu, 2000). However, these other family members may not have received treatment for their own disorder yet. Clearly, this could compromise their ability to play the role of a co-therapist/coach outside of therapy sessions. Family therapy is intended to address many of these issues.
Group Therapy
The research literature regarding the effectiveness of group therapy for anxiety disorders is quite positive (Oei & Boschen, 2009). Usually these groups are intended to complement individual therapy.
There are several types of therapeutic groups. First, there are treatment (or therapy) groups. This type of group is led by a mental health professional. In contrast to individual therapy, the therapist's role is to facilitate discussion among group members; rather than to direct, lead, or teach. A group may have a specific focus such as exposure and response prevention therapy or cognitive therapy. These groups are typically guided by the needs of the group members. In this type of group, members learn from each other, along with the therapist's help and guidance.
A second type of group is called a skills-training group. These groups are also led by a mental health professional. In this type of group, the therapist's role is to teach, train, and coach group members to develop and practice new skills. These groups are generally very structured. Each meeting has a specific learning objective and a defined agenda. Skills training groups are often used for mindfulness training, breath and relaxation training, and social skills training. Mindfulness training teaches people how to quiet their mind and reduce anxiety by focusing attention on the present moment in time. Breath and relaxation training is intended to counteract the physiological symptoms of anxiety. This is achieved by consciously controlling breath and relaxing muscles. Social skills training assist participants to learn and practice essential social skills. This includes how to initiate a conversation, how to respectfully express displeasure, and how to attend to conversational cues.
A third type of group is a support group. A non-professional volunteer may lead these groups. The emphasis in support groups is to meet with others struggling with similar conditions or circumstances. By sharing common experiences, they offer encouragement, hope, and support to each other. These groups tend to be informal and may not meet as frequently as treatment-oriented groups.
The decision about when to begin group therapy is an important treatment decision. Group therapy may not be beneficial if recommended too early in the recovery process. For example, someone with Social Phobia may not be ready for a group setting until they have made some progress in individual therapy. Similarly, someone who has just begun their own recovery journey may become frightened and highly anxious upon hearing group members discuss their experiences with exposure and response prevention. Such an experience may cause them to prematurely rule-out this type of highly effective therapy.
Resources
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Articles
- What is Anxiety?
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The Biopsychosocial Model of Anxiety
- The Biopsychosocial Model: Causes of Pathological Anxiety
- Biological Explanations of Anxiety Disorders
- Biological Explanations of Anxiety: Part II
- Biological Explanations of Anxiety: Part III
- Biological Explanations of Anxiety: Part IV
- Psychological Explanations of Anxiety Disorders
- Psychological Explanations: Part II
- Social Explanations of Anxiety Disorders
- Development & Maintenance of Anxiety Disorders
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Classification & Diagnosis of Anxiety Disorders
- The Classification and Diagnosis of Anxiety Disorders
- Panic Attacks: A Classic Symptom of Several Anxiety Disorders
- Panic Disorder
- Separation Anxiety Disorder
- Selective Mutism
- Agoraphobia
- Specific Phobias and Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Other Anxiety-Related Disorders
- Anxiety and Other Psychiatric Disorders
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Anxiety Disorder Theories and Therapies
- Anxiety Disorders: Theories and Therapies
- Behavioral Learning Theory and Associated Therapies
- Operant Conditioning
- Operant Conditioning and Avoidance Learning
- Contemporary Views of Behavioral Learning Theory
- Behavioral Therapies for Anxiety Disorders
- Cognitive Theory and Associated Therapies
- Cognitive Therapy
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
- Adjunct Therapies
- Pharmacologic Treatments (Medication)
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Treatment of Anxiety Disorders
- Treatment for Separation Anxiety Disorder
- Treatment for Selective Mutism
- Treatment for Panic Disorder
- Treatment for Specific Phobias and Treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)
- Treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders (OCSDs)
- Conclusion
- Anxiety Disorder References & Additonal Resources
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News
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- Anxiety Disorder vs. Personality Disorder: Differences?
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- Anxiety?
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- Is Anxiety A Hereditary Factor?
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- Linda writes:
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Book & Media Reviews
- 8 Keys to Stress Management
- A Brief History of Anxiety
- Anxiety
- Anxiety
- Anxiety Disorders
- Anxiety, Phobias, and Panic
- Been There, Done That? DO THIS!
- Calm Beneath the Waves
- Elsewhere
- Exercise for Mood and Anxiety
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31 more
- Getting Control
- Helping Students Overcome Depression and Anxiety
- Just Checking
- Mind-Body Workbook for Anxiety
- Monkey Mind
- My Age of Anxiety
- Overcoming School Anxiety
- Panic Disorder
- Passing for Normal
- Phobic and Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents
- Repressed Spaces
- Self-Coaching
- Stress
- Stress Survival Guide
- Textbook of Anxiety Disorders
- The 10 Best Anxiety Busters
- The Age of Anxiety
- The Anxieties of Affluence
- The Dutiful Worrier
- The Emotional Eater's Repair Manual
- The Male Stress Survival Guide
- The Places That Scare You
- The Stress Cure
- The SuperStress Solution
- Treating Affect Phobia
- Under Pressure and Overwhelmed
- Viniyoga Therapy for Anxiety
- When Words Are Not Enough
- Wish I Could Be There
- Yoga for Anxiety
- Yoga Journal's Yoga for Stress
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Self-Help Groups
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Links
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Videos
- How to Manage ADHD and Anxiety
- What You Need to Know about Students with ADHD and Anxiety
- How To Make Room For Gratitude In An Anxious Brain
- How to Stay Calm When You Know You'll Be Stressed
- Anxiety and Teen Girls with Lisa Damour, PhD
- Identifying and Treating Anxiety in Kids and Teens
- Anxiety, Trauma and How Prolonged Exposure Therapy Works For PTSD
- How Weighted Blankets May Lift Anxiety
- Too Scared: Social Anxiety Disorder
- Treating Anxiety Disorders: A Unified Protocol
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19 more
- Treating Youth Anxiety and Social Phobia
- Overcoming Anxiety in Children and Teens
- Treating Anxiety in Children and Teens with ASD
- Back-to-School Anxiety
- No More Shame: My life with Anxiety and Depression
- Adolescent Depression and Anxiety
- What is Social Anxiety Disorder?
- Living Without Fear
- What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
- What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?
- School Anxiety! Activities To Help Kids and Teens Manage It
- Recognizing and Treating Problematic Fear and Anxiety in Children
- How To Stop Overthinking When You Have Anxiety
- My Anxiety Is Making Me Anxious!
- Evidence-Based Treatment Planning for Generalized Anxiety Disorder Video
- Managing Anxiety in Youth: More Action Than Talk
- Treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety
- Recent Advances in Anxiety - Children/Adolescents
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More Information
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with David Barlow, Ph.D. on the Nature and Treatment of Anxiety and Panic Disorders
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Dr. Michelle Craske on Anxiety Disorders Research and Treatment
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Richard Heimberg, Ph.D. on Anxiety Research and Treatment
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