- (408) 409-3964
- Located in San Jose, California
Phobic reactions are rooted in your amygdala, which is the part of your brain that is wired to detect threats. Your amygdala triggers the fight or flight response in your body.
You instantly experience overwhelming physical sensations like a racing heart, rapid breathing, and the instinct to get away.
Once you are triggered, the thinking part of your brain goes quiet, or even worse, persists in validating the fear though imagining the worst possible outcomes. “That bug will jump on me!” “That person will laugh at me!” “I’ll be stuck in that elevator forever!”
You are not weak. If you’ve found yourself avoiding certain places, situations, or activities because of a phobia, you’re not alone. Phobias are very common. Approximately 10% of people develop a phobia during their lifetime. Phobias affect millions of people worldwide.
Some phobias come from past negative experiences. Some people have a highly sensitive and reactive nervous system. Some phobias are learned from observing a parent with anxiety.
Phobias can be disruptive and limiting. Whether it’s crossing bridges, interacting with people in certain situations, or confronting animals or insects, phobias cause significant distress.
Imagine moving through your day without planning around your fear. Imagine approaching stressful situations feeling confident, steady, and calm.
I can help you decrease your fear and resolve your phobia with my powerful combination of CBT and EMDR Therapy.
My therapy approach is not simply encouragement to force yourself to “face it.”
You don’t have to keep navigating this fear by yourself. If you’re curious about how therapy with me might help you, I’d love to talk.
