Author: mykidsmentalhealth

Email us at admin@washingtonanxietycenter.com to enroll right away

Only for a limited time -3-4 weeks! Please book with us as soon as you can to get your preferred appointment time slot!

I am VERY thrilled to announce that we have brought on Dr. Jennifer Henderson. She is a fabulous clinician. Please see her bio on our website (https://www.washingtonanxietycenter.com/dr-henderson-bio.html)

We have NO current wait for teletherapy for adults or adolescents 14 and above.

Younger kids the waitlist is around 2 months.

Please contact us at admin@washingtonanxietycenter.com to get booked in. This is a rare occurrence at the practice and not likely to last more than a few weeks!

Dr. Kaplan

Are you looking to prevent the onset of anxiety and depression during or after pregnancy?

Do you need a place and support system to discuss your pregnancy and birthing journey?

Do you want specific skills you can apply during and after pregnancy to decrease your anxiety and depression?

This group is for you!

The group will have 4-5 patients who have been screened for similar presenting concerns. The group will be semi-structured within a cognitive-behavioral model (the most evidence-based treatment for anxiety in peri- and post-partum mothers). Discussions will be had on the education on the birthing process, hormonal fluctuation during and after pregnancy, developing resiliency with mental health concerns pre and post pregnancy, how to restructure your thoughts to be more helpful, and how to face your fears as a mother. Dedicated time during session will allow for group dynamic development and an effective social support system.  

The group will run from Feb 15^th-April 5^th, 2022, on the following Tuesdays from 4-5:30pm: 

Feb 15^th

Feb 22^nd

March 1^st

March 8^th

March 15^th

March 22^nd

March 29^th

April 5^th

Cost is $125 per group.

Each patient must commit to all 8 sessions, as group dynamic emerges and needs to be maintained. Each patient must also have an intake with the practice prior to joining the group. 

Dr. Kaplan, the psychologist running the group, has had over 15 years of experiencing treating women with peri- and postpartum anxiety and depression. Please see our homepage for her full bio. 

Our Accelerated/Intensive Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program

At the Washington Anxiety Center of Capitol Hill, we have dedicated one clinician on staff to always be available for this program.  Please call us at 202-768-6494 or email us at admin@washingtonanxietycenter.com if you are interested.

Exposure-based therapy (as part of cognitive-behavioral therapy) is THE most evidence-based treatment for anxiety disorders. Accelerated programs are structured to meet the individual patient’s needs. A fear and avoidance hierarchy is designed and individualized per patient and exposures adhere to this plan during the program. 

The majority of patients who participate in the program respond well. The aim of this program is to decrease anxiety symptoms (and depression) at a faster rate than 1x a week treatment (e.g., one can have many months of treatment in 1-3 weeks) and potentially avoid a higher level of care (e.g., IOP programs, residential, or inpatient).

We accept and encourage this service to be complementary to services you may be receiving at other practices. For example, if your therapist does not have the availability for multiple exposure sessions during the week, you can continue seeing them while you complete our program and then return to their regular care. 

At this time, we offer accelerated programs for the following disorders:

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

            4 sessions a week for 3 weeks

Panic Disorder

            4 sessions a week for 1 week OR 2-3 sessions a week for 2 weeks

School Refusal

            4 sessions a week for 8 consecutive weeks

Specific Phobia

            1-4 hours of a single session OR 1-2 hours of 2 sessions

Depression

            4 sessions a week for 4 consecutive weeks

Questions?

Q: Is this an inpatient, partial hospital, or residential program?
A: The Accelerated program is an exposure-therapy specialized program that does not fit into any of the categories listed above. 

Q: Does “accelerated” mean the treatment is more difficult?

A: No, in fact, it means that it is more frequent and focused, with the hope that you are able to accomplish a lot in a shorter amount of therapeutic time. 

The psychological definition of compassion is “a response that occurs only when the situation is perceived as serious, unjust and relatable. It requires a certain level of awareness, concern and empathy.”

With COVID-19 coming to a close and the trauma that we have ALL endured, compassion is necessary now. But, what does that mean???

It means taking a breath when someone complains about COVID (in either direction). It means listening and not judging. It means taking space for yourself when you are stressed. It means putting up boundaries in a kind manner. It means being responsive to others in a timely manner and respectful to them. It means being purposefully thoughtful and quiet sometimes.

I also want to take this post to personally apologize to the patients who have been on our waitlist during COVID. Please know that our staff have been working themselves on a daily basis to get you all in and have sacrificed their own self-care many times to help. However, this year has been very tough for us as a practice and honestly, overwhelming at times. We appreciate and care about you all as our patients, and words cannot express how we have appreciated your patience and understanding. We wanted to make sure to let you know we recognize that and are so very grateful to provide services in such a warm and loving community.

All our best,

WACCH staff and Dr. Kaplan