Exposure Therapy in Los Angeles and Culver City, CA

Patrick Tully Provides Exposure Therapy and Anxiety Treatments in Person and Remote for LA, Culver City, Pasadena, and Throughout Texas and Florida – LGBTQ+ Friendly

Anxiety is the activation of a fear response when no danger is present. It is your body’s reaction to coming face to face with a hungry tiger, yet in situations that are not as dangerous or terrifying. As an anxiety therapist in Los Angeles, my role is to try to find the treatments that are best suited to address these issues, and one treatment I use for a lot of my clients is known as “exposure therapy.”

If you’re looking for an exposure therapist in LA or you’d like help treating your anxiety, please email, call, or text. Let’s see if exposure therapy is the right choice for you, and what we can do to help you address your anxiousness and stress. I am in Los Angeles, near Culver City, and also treat many patients in Pasadena. I am licensed in FL and TX as well for remote therapy.

What is Exposure Therapy?

One of the reasons that we may react with anxiety to different situations is because our minds and bodies become programmed to fear them.

Phobias are a great example.

Many of us fear spiders, even though statistically they are not very dangerous.

If we were trapped in a room with a spider, we might experience a lot of fear. But over time, when nothing happens, we would eventually get used to it and relax. This is known as “habituation.” Repeated exposure to something that we’re afraid of that causes us no harm will eventually no longer cause us as much fear.

We can do this in therapy. We need to teach our minds that spiders are not dangerous. We do that by, essentially, exposing ourselves to spiders in small doses until our minds start to relax, and realize that no danger is present. We can do this without ever seeing a spider, using nothing but our imaginations, photos, and video.

How Exposure Therapy Works for Your Anxiety

Different people struggle with different types of anxiety. For example, you may have social anxiety – a fear of being out in public, socializing, or embarrassing yourself. You may have public speaking anxiety. You may have work-related anxieties. You may have other phobias. You may suffer from panic disorder.
In therapy, you and I will sit together and work on relaxation techniques. We will then start to imagine these situations that cause you fear. I will help talk you down from your anxiety as you’re imagining it. We will continue this process, introducing new ideas (and possibly props, like photos and video) and then learning to relax in those situations until the idea no longer causes you anxiety.

Is Exposure Therapy the Best Choice?

Exposure therapy is one of many techniques that can be used to address anxiety. It is a very good choice when there is a specific fear – for example, a fear of snakes – but it is not always the right choice if you have more generalized anxiety. Traditional CBT therapy can help with generalized therapy as can medication if one wants to consult with a psychiatrist. But studies have continually found that therapy in conjunction with medication is always a good idea. I never want to push any idea onto clients, so that is simply an idea, and can be discussed if you desire. Some clients will want medication whereas others will not be open to it, and I am open to either side and there to be your advocate to either position. The same is true for people with exposure therapy, because medication might help with tolerating a feared substance while you are going through the process, but it is not necessary. You are the one making the decision, not me. So, do not worry, I do not make the decisions. You do.

In regards to whether exposure therapy is the best method for your situation, that’s why you and I should talk. Exposure therapy is one of many wonderful options that are effective at treating anxiety. You and I will work together to figure out what approach is best and – if that is exposure therapy – we will begin to address your anxiety and help you see a less anxious future.

Who I Am – Patrick Tully, LA Therapist

My name is Patrick Tully. I am an experienced therapist in Los Angeles, here to provide therapy to help anyone struggling with anxiety, depression, LGBTQ+ identity minority stress, queer community stress, and so much more. I am also here to help patients of any background or identity, creating a safe space for you to be you.
If you would like to get started, please call or text me today at (323) 819-0747 or fill out the contact form below and let’s begin talking about what we can do together to help you address social anxiety, phobias, and other forms of anxiety.