An Overview of Panic Disorder Conceptualization and Treatment, and Applications to Other Body-Focused Problems

Presenter: Dr. Bonnie Zucker
COST:  Members - FREE | Non-Members - $35.00   
1.5 CEUs - this presentation will be recorded

About the Presentation:

Cognitive behavioral therapy for panic disorder is a heavily researched and effective treatment. However, many clinicians shy away from it due to the treatment’s emphasis on exposure therapy and clinicians’ discomfort with implementing it.

This training will focus on the cognitive-behavioral conceptualization for panic disorder and will provide a roadmap for treating it, even for those who are uncomfortable with the exposure components.

In addition, the training will focus on how to apply this panic conceptualization to other body-focused problems, such as health anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome, and chronic pain. There will be a focus on how to adapt elements of panic treatment to these other concerns.

Learning Objectives: 

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the cognitive-behavioral conceptualization for panic disorder, focusing on at least three contributing factors to the development and maintenance of panic disorder.
2. Identify at least three strategies that they can employ in their clinical practice with clients presenting with panic attacks.
3. Determine whether a person’s panic disorder severity warrants referral to someone with more expertise in the area.
4. Describe how to modify the panic conceptualization and treatment for individuals presenting with other body-focused problems.

Dr. Bonnie Zucker

Dr. Bonnie Zucker received her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, where she specialized in research on the treatment and prevention of anxiety disorders.

Dr. Zucker worked as a staff psychologist and Assistant Training Director at UCLA Counseling and Psychological Services. While there, she developed a single-session intervention for panic disorder. She has trained thousands of clinicians on this protocol.

In addition to her private practice, Dr. Zucker recently published the book, Freedom from Panic: Evidence-Based Techniques to End Avoidance and Stop Panic Before it Stops You. She also co-hosts a weekly podcast, Anxiety Matters with Dr. Bonnie Zucker and Dr. Bonnie Zucker (yes, there are two of them!). She is on the clinical faculty of the UCLA Department of Psychology.