Our Goal Is To Help You

We utilize the most updated evidence based approach in treating OCD. Dr. Schanowitz has been extensively trained and certified by the Behavior Therapy Institute, to use Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) to treat this condition, and has seen tremendous positive results over the years.

ERP, for the treatment of OCD, is derived from Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). CBT refers to a group of similar types of therapies used by mental health therapists for treating psychological disorders, with the most important type of CBT for OCD being Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).

The Exposure in ERP refers to exposing yourself to the thoughts, images, objects, and situations that make you anxious and/or start your obsessions. While the Response Prevention part of ERP, refers to making a choice not to do a compulsive behavior and/or not to avoid the feared situation, once the anxiety or obsessions have been triggered. This approach, under the guidance of Dr. Schanowitz, is done gradually, so that you will learn how to habituate to levels of discomfort and anxiety, at your own pace. Eventually, Dr. Schanowitz will help you learn how to do your own ERP exercises to help manage your symptoms.

Our office specializes in the treatment modality of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which is a form of treatment that focuses on examining the relationships between thoughts, feelings and behaviors. By exploring patterns of thinking that lead to self-destructive actions and the beliefs that direct these thoughts, people with mental illness can modify their patterns of thinking to improve coping. CBT is a type of psychotherapy that is different from traditional psychodynamic psychotherapy in that the therapist and the patient will actively work together to help the patient recover from their mental illness. You can expect us to be problem-focused, and goal-directed in addressing the challenging symptoms of mental illnesses. Because CBT is an active intervention, one can also expect to do homework or practice outside of sessions.

A person who is depressed may have the belief, "I am worthless," and a person with panic disorder may have the belief, "I am in danger." While the person in distress likely believes these to be ultimate truths, with our help, you are encouraged to challenge these irrational beliefs. Part of this process involves viewing such negative beliefs as hypotheses rather than facts and to test out such beliefs by "running experiments." Furthermore, people who are participating in CBT are encouraged to monitor and write down the thoughts that pop into their minds (called "automatic thoughts"). This allows the patient and their therapist to search for patterns in their thinking that can cause them to have negative thoughts which can lead to negative feelings and self-destructive behaviors.

Scientific studies of CBT have demonstrated its usefulness for a wide variety of mental illnesses including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse disorders, sleep disorders and psychotic disorders. Studies have shown that CBT actually changes brain activity in people with mental illnesses who receive this treatment, suggesting that the brain is actually improving its functioning as a result of engaging in this form of therapy.

CBT has been shown to be as useful as antidepressant medications for some individuals with depression and may be superior in preventing relapse of symptoms. Patients receiving CBT for depression are encouraged to schedule positive activities into their daily calendars in order to increase the amount of pleasure they experience. In addition, depressed patients learn how to change ("restructure") negative thought patterns in order to interpret their environment in a less negatively-biased way. Studies indicate that patients who receive CBT in addition to treatment with medication have better outcomes than patients who do not receive CBT as an additional treatment.

CBT is also a useful treatment for anxiety disorders. Patients who experience persistent panic attacks are encouraged to test out beliefs they have related to such attacks and to develop more realistic responses to their experiences. Patients who experience obsessions and compulsions are guided to expose themselves to what they fear in a safe and controlled therapeutic environment. Because CBT has excellent scientific data supporting its use in the clinical treatment of mental illness, it has achieved wide popularity both for therapists and patients alike. For these reasons, CBT is our primary modality for treatment.

Psychological assessment includes intellectual, adaptive, academic, personality and diagnostic evaluations.

Psychological testing is often helpful in the fields of medicine, education, psychology, psychiatry, law and social work in that it may identify strength or deficit areas, clarify a diagnosis, and inform treatment goals for psychotherapy. It may also prove helpful for parents or other advocates who are seeking a "second opinion" regarding a diagnosis or other classification. In my practice, I offer several specialized assessment services. These include:

• ADHD testing
• Pre-surgical bariatric surgery evaluation
• N648 Immigration evaluation
• Pre-surgical screenings for lumbar fusion
• Pre-surgical evaluation for implantable pain therapies
• Adoptive parent evaluation
• Dementia evaluation / screening
• Personality evaluations
• Fitness for duty evaluation
• ...among others

My testing experience includes children, adolescents and adults. Please contact us if you are interested in these specialized services. Appointments for psychological assessment are usually made within one week. The testing typically takes place over several hours in one day, though on occasion more than one meeting may be indicated. Written interpretive reports are usually available within 10–15 business days of the final date of assessment. A feedback session is scheduled at that time, during which the evaluation is reviewed in detail and significant findings explained. Fees vary based on the referral question and subsequent number of psychological tests administered, scored, and interpreted.

Depression and Mania
Most people experience periods of depression off and on throughout life. Major Depressive Disorder usually requires treatment. A Major Depressive Episode can often be treated without medication. If your psychologist believes that medication might be helpful as well, he or she will discuss the matter with you and perhaps make a referral to a physician or psychiatrist for a medication evaluation. Bipolar Disorder can take several forms, but they all hinge on the presence of at least one Manic Episode, with or without a Major Depressive Episode.

Anxiety
Anxiety is most often not helpful because the threat is imaginary, and a lot of time and energy can be wasted worrying about things that might — but not necessarily will — happen. Some individuals live with a constant, general sense of worry and anxiety, as in Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Others feel a more focused anxiety, as in a Panic Attack. Social Phobia involves a persistent fear of situations which might involve being scrutinized by others. Specific Phobias include anxiety about animals, natural events, blood or injury, situations, or germs and illness.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD may be diagnosed if symptoms persist for longer than one month and include abnormal arousal (e.g., difficulty sleeping, irritability) and avoidance/numbing (avoiding situations associated with the trauma).

Addictions
Substance Abuse refers to a maladaptive pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, including recurrent use resulting in failure to fulfill major role obligations, use in physically hazardous situations, and continued use despite persistent problems. Substance Dependence reflects a more serious problem involving tolerance, withdrawal, and inability to control use. If you can answer "Yes" to three or more Substance Dependence indicators, help is needed immediately.

My approach with children integrates play therapy techniques, applied behavior analysis, and skill building approaches, i.e. social skills training, social problem solving. Other family members, especially parents, are encouraged to participate actively in the process. This may involve learning more about your child's needs, developing new parenting skills, or doing "homework" with your child between sessions.

I have experience working with a wide range of childhood disorders (e.g., anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autistic disorder, Asperger's disorder) and issues often seen in childhood such as the effects of bullying or the birth of a sibling. I am also glad to consult with teachers and other professionals to address behavioral challenges.

Appointments are most often scheduled once per week. The frequency and duration of treatment may vary based on the needs of your child. In some cases, psychological testing or educational testing may be recommended. This will be discussed in detail and any questions answered.

Couples therapy is when two persons are the "client" and their relationship is the primary focus of clinical attention. As with individual therapy, the approach I use is referred to as "cognitive-behavioral." This method emphasizes a couple's ability to improve their relationship by identifying patterns of thinking and behaving that cause or maintain difficulties in their relationship. Once these patterns are identified, alternative approaches and skills are learned. The search is for a solution, not blame, and the process is collaborative.

Although most couples seek couples counseling to "save" their relationship, occasionally couples decide they no longer wish to remain together. Psychotherapy can help these persons reach their decision in a cooperative rather than adversarial manner.

Appointments are most often scheduled once per week and the course of treatment varies based on the needs of the couple.

Family therapy involves meeting with multiple family members at the same time. This approach to counseling emphasizes looking at what is occurring between people rather than identifying one person in the family as the "problem." The approach I use to resolving problems within the family is referred to as "cognitive-behavioral." During a typical session, I work with the family to identify patterns of thinking and behaving that may cause or maintain their current difficulties. Once these patterns are identified, alternative approaches and skills are learned.

Appointments are most often scheduled once per week. The frequency and duration of treatment may vary based on your particular needs.