Specific Phobias

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) for Phobias - Professional Mental Health Webinar
February 9, 2023
Elizabeth McMahon, PhD and
This webinar covers uses of virtual reality (VR) in treating phobias, presents key research findings supporting VR exposure therapy (VRET), and touches on Diversity/Equity/Inclusion (DEI) issues. The presentation includes seven secrets of effective VRET, eight ways to monitor client response, and two case studies. The webinar also discusses VRET’s benefits, potential risks, common therapist concerns, and two approaches to creating a VR exposure hierarchy.
by Zara R
I wanted to share my story to let people know they aren’t alone. Emetophobia is a lot more common than you think. It’s fixable, and it’s okay to get help.
If someone you know has a BFRB, one of the most important things you can do is learn about BFRB and express understanding that the BFRB is serving a purpose, whether it is self-stimulation, soothing anxiety, relief of perceived flaws, some combination of these, or something else.
Fear of needles can limit your life and harm your health. It can keep you from getting necessary medical and dental care or becoming pregnant through in vitro fertilization (IVF). With COVID-19, many people want to overcome their fear of needles to get vaccinated. These 6 steps can help.
by Tyler Ellis
Story of Triumph written by Tyler Ellis "Mental health issues can be debilitating and isolating; you may feel like you’re alone in this, but you’re not. If someone like me can overcome panic disorder and anxiety, so can you."
Eda Gorbis, PhD, LMFT

Body Dysphoric Disorder (BDD) is described as the disease of “self- perceived ugliness” or “self-imagined ugliness.” It is also seen as a distressing preoccupation with one or more physical non-existence “defects.” In the DSM-5, BDD is classified under Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders.

Eda Gorbis, PhD

What is Trichotillomania (TTM)?

This consists of compulsive urges to pull one’s hair resulting in noticeable hair loss. Hair-pulling can be any part of the body like arms, pubic hair, eye lashing, legs, etc. 

Why do people do this?

Fear of Vomiting, or Emetophobia

If you have a fear of vomiting, just reading the title of this article might make you a bit queasy. The mere mention of the "V word" might send you into a state of anxiety. If you can relate, I encourage you to press on despite your worry, so you can take the first steps to overcoming it.

If you suffer with this type of phobia (specifically known as emetophobia), you are not only repulsed by the idea of vomiting, you fear it. And you probably have at least one of these fears, too:

College-Aged Adults Face Less Mental Health Stigma

College-aged adults (age 18–25) have more accepting views of mental health care than other adults, but they still see challenges when it comes to accessing care, according to results of a nationwide poll. The survey was conducted online among more than 2,000 adults, including 198 age 18–25, by Harris Poll on behalf of Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) and two partnering organizations.