What does the program involve?
This is an 8 week cognitive behavioural treatment program. It is aimed at adults suffering from BII Phobia symptoms where these symptoms are causing significant distress and/or interference in their lives. Topics covered across the course of the program include:
• Understanding the nature of BII phobia (causes, effects & maintenance)
• Coping more effectively with fear and disgust symptoms, and preventing fainting
• Learning to question and challenge fearful thinking and fear predictions
• Overcoming fearful reactions and avoidance through gradual exposure to feared situations
• Reducing other safety behaviors which are maintaining BII fears
• Relapse prevention
Is it run in group or individual format?
When there is sufficient demand, we offer this as a group program, with 6-8 participants. At other times, the program is offered individually.
How do I get involved in the program?
Step 1: Before you come in to our Clinic, an intake officer will conduct a short telephone interview with you to briefly discuss your current concerns and advise you as to whether the program is likely to meet your needs.
Step 2: If we feel that the program may be able to help you, we will arrange an initial assessment interview with one of our psychologists at the Emotional Health Clinic. This assessment will take 1-2 hours, and allows us to get a very detailed understanding of your current problems and any other related emotional and physical health problems. Following this, you and your assessing psychologist will make a decision about whether the program is suitable to meet your treatment needs. If it is decided that the program will not provide you with the required help, we will arrange a suitable referral for you.
Step 3: Prior to your treatment commencing, you will be asked to complete some questionnaires online. These allow us to further determine your individual needs, as well as providing us with a way to continually evaluate how effective the program is for each individual.
What commitment does the program ask of me?
The development of our treatment programs and the continued advancement of our knowledge about panic would have been impossible without the support of the many clients over the years. We ask every participant in our program to complete some online questionnaires at 1 month and 6 months after the completion of the program so that we can continue to further evaluate the program’s effectiveness in both the short and long term. The information is vital as it allows us to continue to further develop the program for future participants in the years to come.
Who do I talk to if I want to know more?
If you have any further questions, please contact the Emotional Health Clinic on (02) 9850 8711, an intake officer will then be in contact to discuss your situation further.