Although the amygdala plays a major role in driving anxiety, we don’t always know how to use the language of the amygdala to help clients break free from the paralysis of anxiety. This workshop provides techniques to undo the stranglehold of avoidance and worry by focusing on changing the brain rather than seeking relief from anxiety. Learn how to promote client goals, provide clear explanations about the brain’s creation of anxiety, and foster a mindful response that empowers clients to confront anxiety rather than let it direct their lives. Through small group discussions and role plays, you'll discover how to: 

• Start treatment with goal setting to transform your relationship with anxious clients  
• Demystify the neurobiology of anxiety by introducing clients to the language of the amygdala and the cortex in a way that motivates and engages them in treatment  
• Use neurologically informed CBT and ACT techniques to target the amygdala’s contributions to anxiety disorders, including OCD and PTSD  
• Use cognitive restructuring, including cognitive defusion and reconsolidation, to resist cognitions that ignite amygdala-based responding 

Catherine Pittman, PhD, HSPP, is a clinical psychologist and psychology professor at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, with more than 30 years of experience treating anxiety. A specialist in neuropsychological rehabilitation, she’s the author of Rewire Your Anxious Brain, Rewire Your OCD Brain, and Taming Your Amygdala.