Anxiety Center
State-of-the-art treatment for adults with anxiety, OCD, and related problems.
The Anxiety Center at EBTCS
Major advances have been made in recent decades in the treatment of anxiety-related problems. Unfortunately, most individuals with anxiety problems do not receive evidence-based treatment. At the Anxiety Center, we strive to stay up-to-date with research developments to ensure we provide our clients with the most effective treatments available. As a result, the care that we provide is continually evolving and improving as the science about the treatment of anxiety changes.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and behavior therapy emphasize the connections between thoughts, physical sensations, and behaviors in the maintenance of anxiety-related problems. These forms of therapy are present-focused and involve helping clients understand the nature of their symptoms and what is maintaining them, as well as teaching them tools for how to break out of unhelpful symptom patterns.
Cognitive strategies involve teaching individuals how to examine and challenge unhelpful thought patterns (i.e., thoughts that lead to feelings of anxiety, worry, or panic) and learn how to think about situations and stressful events in more helpful ways.
Behavioral strategies involve changing helping clients change unhelpful behavior patterns that can maintain problems over time (i.e., avoidance behaviors, compulsions/rituals, repetitive behaviors, unhelpful coping strategies). Relaxation strategies are also part of many treatments for anxiety and can be very effective for helping people manage physical symptoms of anxiety (i.e., rapid heart rate or breathing, chronic muscle tension).
A primary goal of CBT is teaching clients how to become their own therapists so they can successfully manage symptoms independently over time. As a result, this approach is very active and typically involves clients practicing skills learned in treatment between therapy sessions to maximize generalization of these skills to daily life.
Exposure Therapy
Exposure therapy (a type of CBT sometimes also referred to as exposure and response prevention, or ERP) is arguably the most effective treatment for anxiety-related problems and OCD. In short, exposure involves teaching people how to face their fears and decrease patterns of avoidance and safety behaviors/rituals that maintain anxiety problems over time.
Exposure-based treatments for anxiety emphasize the role that avoidance of triggers/situations that cause anxiety plays in keeping anxiety symptoms going. By facing feared situations and triggers during exposure therapy, individuals are able to experience new learning that leads to new and more adaptive ways of responding to these situations. During this process, clients are able to reclaim aspects of their lives that are important to them and have often been limited due to anxiety symptoms.
Exposure therapy is considered a gold-standard treatment for a wide range of anxiety-related problems (i.e., phobias, social anxiety, PTSD, OCD, GAD, panic, agoraphobia, health anxiety).
Mindfulness and Acceptance-Based Therapy
In recent years, new treatments have been developed for anxiety problems that involve mindfulness and acceptance-based strategies. Some of these strategies have been adapted from established treatments, including:
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
Although newer than other forms of CBT, these approaches show promise and we often use mindfulness and acceptance-based strategies and interventions into our work with clients when appropriate.
These treatments involve teaching individuals new ways of observing and experiencing symptoms (such as distressing thoughts, emotions, and body sensations) to develop different and more effective ways of responding to them. This work also often helps individuals clarify their values and goals to increase participation in valued actions and activities and being more present in daily life.
Habit Reversal Training and Stimulus Control
Habit reversal training (HRT) and stimulus control are the primary evidence-based treatments for body-focused repetitive behaviors (i.e., hair pulling, skin picking, nail biting), as well as tic disorders.
These treatments involve assisting individuals in identifying and implementing behaviors and strategies that make it more difficult to do the target behaviors (i.e., pulling hair, picking skin, motor/vocal tic), as well as make changes to the environment to reduce the likelihood that these behaviors will occur.
Clients are often surprised to learn how many types of situations and factors (i.e., emotions, thoughts, physical sensations) can trigger these behaviors and how much control they can gain over these behaviors. Other coping skills (i.e., relaxation skills, strategies for managing strong emotions, cognitive therapy skills) are also often a part of these treatments when they address the needs of specific clients.
Other Treatments We Provide
We also offer a range of other treatments, including:
- Behavioral activation (BA) for depression
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I)
- Prolonged exposure (PE) and cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for PTSD
- Comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT)
- Integrative behavioral couple therapy (ICBT) for relationship problems
- Support and coaching for family members learning how to support loved ones with anxiety and OCD related problems
Additionally, we provide diagnostic assessment services for individuals needing assistance with identifying the specific anxiety problems they are experiencing, as well as consultation services for family and friends of those with anxiety problems who would like to learn more about treatment options for their loves ones. For more information, please contact us.
Why Choose the Anxiety Center at EBTCS
Anxiety disorders can have profound impacts on functioning and quality of life and, when not treated effectively, often get worse over time. Choosing the right care for these conditions can make all the difference in regaining your life from anxiety.
Not All Anxiety Treatments Are Equal
Although anxiety disorders are the most common type of mental health problem (affecting nearly 40 million adults in the United States alone), most people who suffer from anxiety do not receive treatment. Of those who do, many do not receive the treatments that have been proven to be the most effective.
At the Anxiety Center, we strive to provide anxiety treatments that have the most solid research support and do so in a flexible way that meets the needs of our individual clients. We are passionate about treating anxiety in all of its forms and strive to provide the best care possible to our clients.
Proven Approaches to Treating Anxiety
Therapists at the Anxiety Center specialize in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure-based interventions, which have been found to be the most effective psychological treatments for anxiety-related problems. We also use mindfulness and acceptance-based interventions when appropriate given the increasing research support for these types of interventions for treating anxiety symptoms. Our psychiatrists are also available to provide medication treatment services when appropriate.
Collaborative, Coordinated Care
Our team meets weekly to collaborate and ensure high-quality care. We also work closely with medical providers and psychiatrists to provide coordinated, comprehensive treatment.
Individualized, Data-Driven Treatment
We collaborate with you to develop an individualized treatment plan based on evidence-based approaches. Treatments are backed by research, tailored to your personal needs, and adapted based on ongoing assessment and progress.
Our Process
We’ve made it easy to begin therapy, our process is simple and designed to guide you one step at a time.
1.
Complete Your Screening
Provide your information by filling out a brief online form, or simply give us your contact information so we can set up a phone screen
2.
Book Your Initial Appointment
Our staff will help you find a convenient time and connect you with one of our caring therapist.
3.
Start Your Next Chapter
Begin treatment with an approach tailored to you. Evidence-based treatment can help clients experiencing anxiety or depression symptoms work toward lasting relief.
Medication
What medication is — and what it isn’t
Medication can be a helpful component of treatment for some adults with moderate to severe anxiety or related concerns. It is not a stand-alone solution, and it is not the right choice for everyone.
At the Anxiety Center, medication is used thoughtfully and selectively — always as part of a coordinated, evidence-based treatment plan.
*Currently, the psychiatrists at EBTCS only provide medication treatment services to those clients who are also receiving therapy services at our centers.
When medication is considered
Medication may be recommended when:
- Anxiety symptoms are severe or persistent
- Symptoms significantly interfere with daily functioning
- Anxiety makes it difficult for a child to fully engage in therapy
- There has been limited improvement with therapy alone
Decisions about medication are never automatic. They are made collaboratively, based on careful evaluation, clinical expertise, and client preferences.
What medication treatment looks like
Medication services at EBTCS are provided by board-certified adult psychiatrists with expertise in anxiety disorders. When medication is part of care:
- A thorough evaluation is conducted
- Options, risks, and benefits are explained clearly
- Medication is started conservatively and monitored closely
- Care is coordinated directly with the child’s therapist
This integrated approach ensures that medication supports therapy — rather than replacing it.
How medication fits with evidence-based therapy
Research shows that for some adults, the combination of therapy and medication leads to greater improvement than either approach alone, particularly in more severe cases.
Medication can reduce symptom intensity, making it easier for individuals to participate in exposure, skill-building, and daily activities — allowing therapy to be more effective.
Time-limited and goal-directed
Like therapy, medication is not intended to continue indefinitely without purpose. Ongoing use is reviewed regularly, with attention to progress, side effects, and evolving needs. When symptoms are well managed and skills are in place, individuals may consider tapering or discontinuation together.
The goal is always meaningful improvement and increasing independence — not long-term reliance on medication.
*Currently, the psychiatrists at EBTCS only provide medication treatment services to those clients who are also receiving therapy services at our centers.
Telehealth: Expert anxiety care, available across PSYPACT states
We provide secure, evidence-based telehealth services for adults across Washington State and all PSYPACT states.
PSYPACT (the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact) allows licensed psychologists with advanced credentials to provide care across participating states. This means individuals can access the same specialized, doctoral-level anxiety care offered at our center — even if they live outside our immediate geographic area.
The same care. The same clinicians. The same standards.
Telehealth at the Anxiety Center is not a simplified or reduced version of treatment. It is the same evidence-based care, delivered by the same expert clinicians, using the same structured treatment approaches.
Through telehealth, we provide all the same treatments we do in person, including:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety and related concerns
- Exposure therapy and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for anxiety and OCD
- Treatment for sleep difficulties, including CBT-I and behavioral sleep interventions
- Behavioral activation for depression
- Behavioral treatments for hair pulling, skin picking, and tic disorders
All sessions are conducted through secure, HIPAA-compliant platforms.
When telehealth is a strong option
Telehealth can be especially helpful for:
- Individuals living outside major metropolitan areas
- Individuals with anxiety that makes traveling difficult or who engage more comfortable from their home environment
Research shows that telehealth-delivered CBT and exposure-based treatments are as effective as in-person care for adult anxiety problems when delivered by trained specialists — making telehealth a powerful and flexible option for many people.
Thoughtful recommendations, not one-size-fits-all
While telehealth works well for many individuals, it is not always the right fit for every situation. As part of our intake process, we help you determine whether telehealth, in-person care, or a combination of both is most appropriate based on clinical needs and treatment goals.
Our priority is not convenience alone — it’s effectiveness.
Telehealth availability
We currently offer telehealth services to families located in:
- Washington State
- All PSYPACT-participating states
If you’re unsure whether your state is covered, our intake team is happy to help.
Get in Touch With Us
Please provide your information below and a member of our team will respond as soon as possible.
Address
1200 5th Avenue, Suite 800 Seattle, WA 98101