Agoraphobia is the fear being in a place or situation in which you might have a panic attack and you might be unable to escape or to get help. If you have agoraphobia, you are afraid of being in a place where you believe that you will be unable to escape or to get help if something bad were to happen. In many cases, agoraphobia can be cured or alleviated to the point that people can live a more fulfilling and happy life.
If you have panic attacks and agoraphobia, we will treat the panic attacks as described on this page, and we will most likely treat the agoraphobia through a combination of cognitive therapy and very gradually stepping outside of your comfort zone (exposure) until you are no longer anxious about living your life the way you want to. It doesn’t work for everyone, but cognitive behavioral therapy with exposure has repeatedly been shown in research studies to be more effective than any other approach to anxiety treatment – including medication. People with agoraphobia often talk themselves out of getting treatment, particularly if it means leaving the house and going to a new place (our office). But if treatment works, getting rid of the anxiety is often the most rewarding thing that many people ever experience.
We offer therapy over the web for clients who cannot leave their house. You can read about it here.
We accept Aetna, Anthem, Cigna and Tricare. If you are covered by another insurer, we will file for out-of-network coverage, in which case they tend to cover a substantial amount.
You can contact us to set up an appointment here.