Exposure Therapy for Treating Anxiety in Children and Adolescents

“Written by a group of clinical experts, this brilliant book pulls together practical, creative, and evidenced-based strategies to help anxious youth face their fears. It is a rich resource for all clinicians. The authors demystify one of the most difficult components of treatment for pediatric anxiety disorders—namely, conducting exposures—and provide helpful, step-by-step guidance for clinicians. This book contains a wealth of clinical wisdom, creative suggestions, case examples, and sample scripts that will be indispensable for clinicians who work with anxious youth.”
—Golda S. Ginsburg, PhD, professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine

~Golda S. Ginsburg, PhD

“Exposure Therapy for Treating Anxiety in Children and Adolescents is a must-read for every therapist working with anxiety and related disorders. This incredibly well-organized guide will become every new and experienced cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) clinician’s go-to resource for creative and effective exposure planning. Brimming with innovative, specific, and easy-to-implement exposure ideas, the authors have teamed up to create a one-of-a-kind book that contains every essential piece of information that a clinician needs to successfully plan and implement exposure-based treatment for childhood anxiety. Based on the most empirically supported approach to addressing anxiety, this guidebook will empower and fuel clinicians to provide the most effective treatment possible.”
—Bonnie Zucker, PsyD, author of Anxiety-Free Kids and Take Control of OCD

~Bonnie Zucker, PsyD

“Anxiety disorders are among the most common and interfering mental health problems affecting children and adolescents, but too few therapists are adequately equipped to provide quality care. Raggi and colleagues have done an absolutely terrific job of providing practical and easy-to-understand guidance for trainees and seasoned clinicians alike in proper treatment methods. This very welcome resource strikes a needed balance in covering both the science and the art of exposure therapy, and offers invaluable ‘tips from the trenches’ for flexibly applying evidence-based strategies. Exposure Therapy for Treating Anxiety in Children and Adolescents is sure to become a go-to desk reference in the offices of many clinicians and trainees working to improve the lives of kids suffering from anxiety and related problems.”
—Jonathan S. Comer, PhD, professor of psychology and psychiatry at Florida International University; director of the Mental Health Interventions and Technology (MINT) Program; president-elect of the Society of Clinical Psychology; and associate editor of Behavior Therapy

~Jonathan S. Comer, PhD

“Conducting exposures for anxious youth is deceptively straightforward, so when treatment fails, practitioners are often unsure how to proceed. Therapists’ own anxieties about creating child distress or making fears worse can further derail treatment. This essential book walks therapists through the subtle yet critical nuances of effective exposure, providing evidence-based guidance for designing individualized treatments that work. The wealth of creative examples all but ensures this resource will be used again and again.”
—Candice A. Alfano, PhD, licensed psychologist, professor of psychology, and director of the Sleep and Anxiety Center of Houston (SACH) at the University of Houston

~Candice A. Alfano, PhD

“Although instinctively, everyone knows that to get over your fear of a dog, you have to be around a dog, successfully getting over fears is not just a matter of rushing into the feared situation. Were it that simple, therapists would be out of jobs and this book would be unnecessary. Full of helpful information about how to conduct exposure therapy properly with children and adolescents, this book contains the necessary and useful information to engineer and implement exposure therapy. Thoughtfully written to address all the issues that therapists face, this book will be an invaluable resource for anyone who works with children with anxiety disorders.”
—Deborah C. Beidel, PhD, ABPP, trustee chair, Pegasus Professor of psychology and medical education, and director of UCF RESTORES at the University of Central Florida

~Deborah C. Beidel, PhD, ABPP

“The authors of this excellent book provide abundant, detailed illustrations on how to apply the exposure principle in creative, flexible, and diverse ways to help children and adolescents overcome anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Their book is essential reading for any clinician working with these young clients.”
—Richard J. McNally, PhD, professor and director of clinical training in the department of psychology at Harvard University, and author of What Is Mental Illness?

~Richard J. McNally, PhD

“Mental health professionals now have their ‘consultant on a shelf’ for conducting exposures with anxious youth. The book goes beyond elucidating basic elements of exposures and considerations regarding their implementation, and provides mental health professionals with the ingredients for carrying out successful exposures with youths presenting with a range of anxiety concerns. The authors walk you through a number of options for conducting exposures, and as a reader I felt like I was meeting with an experienced professional who I sought to give me advice on how to use exposure to meet the needs of one of my clients.”
—Andres De Los Reyes, PhD, associate professor of psychology and director of clinical training at University of Maryland, College Park; director of The Comprehensive Assessment and Intervention Program; and editor of the Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology (JCCAP)

~Andres De Los Reyes, PhD