Group Therapy

Group therapy is a highly effective treatment option for various anxiety disorders. Groups will last for 75 minutes, and will meet weekly.

Winter/Spring 2012

We are currently offering the following groups:

Social/Performance/Sports Anxiety:

Sufferers of social anxiety disorder often feel that they are under the scrutiny of the public eye. Thus, they become intensely nervous when having to perform or interact socially in public or around other people. Sufferers perceive others as critically judgmental of them, and consequently fear making mistakes, appearing foolish, and feeling embarrassed. As a result, certain people, places, or situations are often avoided or endured with extreme anxiety. Social, Performance, and Sports Anxiety affect over 16 million Americans in the general population, and numerous athletic/media performers.
**This group will teach members a variety of effective tools to combat their fears during social/performance/sports anxiety in order to facilitate positive social interactions This is an excellent adjunct to therapy and can also be helpful on its own.

Panic Disorder:

A panic attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming fear that comes without warning and without any obvious reason. It is far more intense than having anxiety or the feeling of being “stressed out” that most people experience. Panic attacks reach full intensity within a few minutes, and diminish slowly 30 minutes to several hours later. Commonly, sufferers may feel like they’re “going crazy” with no escape, and end up in an emergency medical facility with complaints of chest pain and difficulty breathing. They may be even misdiagnosed as having heart attacks. The first attack often triggers subsequent attacks as severe as the initial attack. One out of every 75 people will experience a panic attack at some time in their lives.
**This group will provide effective tools to bring rapid relief during panic attacks. Members will learn to apply these skills across all settings. Group members will support and encourage one another in this process. This group will highlight basic coping techniques and build off of these tools to create lasting results.

Managing Your Stress to Parent a Child with ASD Effectively:

When a child suffers, the entire family suffers. Nearly 1 out of every 100 children born is affected with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Consequently, 1 out of every 100 families are impacted by a loved one suffering from an ASD. This group, developed for parents of children with an ASD, focuses on building coping skills for the anxiety and frustration parents often experience with their child’s daily struggles. It is designed to support all parents of a child with an ASD regardless of the child’s severity or diagnosis. This support group is free and is facilitated by RFC staff members with extensive backgrounds and trainings in ASD.
**Help Yourself AND Help Your Family – Gain the Support and Knowledge that All Parents Need!**

For further information or to take advantage of one of these groups, please contact us at 310-268-1888 or info@RenewedFreedomCenter.com.