Hofstra University – Department of Psychology

 

Anxiety and Depression Treatment Program

Psychological Evaluation and Research Clinic

 

Director:  William C. Sanderson, PhD

                       

 

Anxiety Disorders and Depression are the most commonly occurring emotional disorders.  More than 30 million adults in the United States suffer from an anxiety or depressive disorder. Symptoms such as panic attacks, phobias, worry, social anxiety, obsessions, compulsions, traumatic stress reactions, and depressed mood are highly treatable.  However, only about one-third of those suffering from anxiety or depression receive appropriate treatment.

 

The mission of the Anxiety and Depression Treatment Program at Hofstra University is to:

 

1) Provide state-of-the art evidence-based psychological treatments for individuals suffering from anxiety and/or depression.

 

 2) Provide thorough diagnostic evaluations to assess current symptoms. This includes a detailed interview conducted by a clinician as well as the administration of several self-report questionnaires.

 

3) To conduct research on the nature and treatment of anxiety and depression.

 

 

Mental Health Problems Treated at the Anxiety and Depression Program:

 

Panic Disorder (with or without Agoraphobia): Individuals with this disorder often experience panic attacks. Panic attacks are episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms such as dizziness, rapid heartbeat, chest pain, faintness, and/or shortness of breath. Individuals often believe they are dying, going crazy, or will lose control during the attack. Individuals with panic disorder typically develop agoraphobia, which is fear and/or avoidance of certain situations (e.g., elevators, trains, stores) because they bring on panic attacks and anxiety.

 

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Individuals with this disorder experience persistent worry. Other common symptoms include muscle aches, restlessness, fatigue, insomnia, abdominal upset, concentration problems, edginess, and irritability.

 

Specific Phobia: Individuals with this disorder experience irrational fear of a particular object or situation and avoid it. The most common phobias are of animals, flying, heights, and closed places.

 

Social Anxiety: Individuals with this disorder experience an excessive, unreasonable fear in social situations that he or she may act in a way that will be humiliating or embarrassing. The individual tries to avoid such situations whenever possible.

 

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Individuals with this disorder experience intense anxiety and emotional distress following a traumatic event, such as rape, assault, or wartime combat duty. Physical symptoms such as restlessness, jumpiness, and insomnia are common.

 

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Individuals with this disorder experience recurrent obsessions (thoughts, ideas, images that are intrusive and senseless) and/or compulsions (repetitive behaviors performed in response to an obsession).

 

Depression:  Individuals with this disorder experience a sustained low or sad mood.  Additional symptoms may include:  Reduced sleep, interrupted sleep or too much sleep; reduced appetite, weight loss or increased appetite, thoughts of hopelessness, worthlessness or guilt; loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities; difficulty concentrating or making daily decisions; increased fatigue or lower energy; thoughts of death or suicide.

 

 

Treatment Provided at the Anxiety and Depression Program:

 

The psychological treatment consists of various forms of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT).  CBT is the most scientifically supported psychological treatment for anxiety disorders and depression.

 

CBT combines strategies from two effective types of psychotherapy: cognitive therapy and behavior therapy. The goal of Behavior therapy is to weaken the connections between troublesome situations and ones habitual reactions to them.  For example, people who suffer from anxiety disorders frequently avoid situations that make them nervous leading to the problem getting worse over time. By decreasing avoidance behavior and developing coping skills the personÕs anxious response to the situation decreases over time.  Cognitive therapy is focused on how certain thinking patterns cause or increase emotional reactions.  These thought patterns provide a distorted picture of what's going on in oneÕs life, and can lead to anxiety, depression, and anger.

 

For more information about anxiety and depression and their treatment click on the following links provided by the National Institute of Mental Health:

 

Anxiety: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml

 

Depression: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/complete-publication.shtml

 

For more information about Cognitive Therapy: www.academyofct.org

 

For more information about Anxiety Disorders: www.adaa.org

 

 

The Staff:

 

The Anxiety and Depression Treatment Program is staffed by a select group of Doctoral Students who are receiving their training in Clinical Psychology at Hofstra University.  All students providing treatment have a Masters Degree (MA) in clinical psychology.   All treatment takes place under the direct supervision of Dr. Sanderson to insure clients are receiving the highest level of care.

 

For more information about Dr. Sanderson go to www.sanderson.bz

 

 

To Schedule an Appointment or for More Information:

 

The program operates on a sliding-scale fee.  As a result, many people who could not ordinarily afford treatment can access care.

 

To speak with a staff member who can help determine if the Program would be appropriate for the problem you are experiencing, contact Dr. Sanderson by E-mail (PSYWCS@Hofstra.edu) or telephone (516-463-5633).