Meredith Beard MSW, LCSW

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is an evidence-based practice used to treat PTSD. When sudden, dangerous, and uncontrollable events threaten a person, their basic beliefs can be shattered, leaving them with ideas and habits that keep them feeling “safe.” Over time however, those coping strategies may not be as helpful as originally intended, and can keep them stuck in a toxic cycle of avoidance and distress. These beliefs and ideas are called “stuck points.”

Anxiety can take many forms: physical panic symptoms, over-control, avoidance, rumination, dissociation, social isolation, specific phobias, reassurance seeking/attachment issues. I will help you build awareness to how your anxiety functions, how your safety behaviors might be getting in the way of the life you want to live, and help you find proven and effective strategies from these treatment modalities: CBT, ACT and mindfulness.

Does it feel like your OCD is calling the shots? Is it consuming your day when you would rather be spending your energy on something more meaningful? The progress I have seen my clients make with ERP amazes me. I have treated a wide-range of OCD subtypes and will work with you to come up with a plan to methodically eliminate your compulsive behaviors and increase your confidence about your ability to do hard/gross/scary things without completely falling apart.

From general anxiety, phobias to OCD - exposure is one of the best ways to overcome fears and build confidence in your capacity to take on challenges.

CBT helps clients challenge negative and distorted automatic thoughts to more balanced, accurate, and helpful thoughts. I use cognitive restructuring techniques to clients shift their perspectives and incorporate behavioral activation to help clients modify behaviors that have unintentionally reinforced negative/unhelpful thinking.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an action-oriented approach to therapy that builds upon CBT principles and orients clients to their personal goals -- to stop struggling with painful emotions and begin living a life of meaning and value.