Specific Phobias

Many people don't like things like bugs, flying, needles, or vomiting. But when fear becomes intense enough that you avoid certain situations or feel unable to do things you want or need to do, you may be experiencing a specific phobia.

Specific phobias can cause intense anxiety when you encounter (or just think about) the thing you fear. You may find yourself avoiding certain situations, seeking reassurance, or developing routines to help you feel safer.

Common specific phobias include:

• Fear of animals or insects, such as spiders, bugs, or dogs

• Fear of heights, storms, or water

• Fear of needles, blood, or medical procedures

• Fear of flying, elevators, or enclosed spaces

• Fear of vomiting (emetophobia)

• Fear of choking

• Fear of driving

I have experience helping people with emetophobia (fear of vomiting), insect phobias, fear of flying, fear of driving, and other specific phobias.

Treatment often involves exposure therapy, which helps you gradually face feared situations in a supportive and intentional way rather than continuing to avoid them. I also use CBT and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help you respond differently to fear and move toward the things that matter to you.

For people with a blood, injection, or injury phobia who experience a tendency to faint, I also teach applied tension, a technique that can help reduce the likelihood of fainting during exposure.

You don't have to organize your life around avoiding what you fear. Therapy can help you feel more confident and free to do the things that matter to you.