Week 9: Wrapping up

Hello everyone, and welcome back to my blog! Week 9 was not as eventful as most, as I spent some of the week traveling. With this said, when I was able to go to my onsite, I finished up my interviews and began writing my final paper for the project.

Firstly, I want to give a summary of the two conversations that I was able to have with mental health professionals. This past week, I interviewed two therapists. As I stated in my last blog, each of the mental health professionals has a solid background and tends to work with those ages 7–18. The first person I interviewed was Ben Johnides, a licensed clinical psychologist. From our conversation, I gathered that he prefers DBT over CBT, finding it more versatile and applicable across various issues. He believes GAD is both environmentally and genetically influenced and sees similarities between GAD and OCD regarding beliefs about controlling outcomes through behaviors. In his therapy, he tries to incorporate family involvement and emphasizes the importance of creative approaches for treatment-resistant patients. The next individual I interviewed was Maddy Lawler, a licensed clinical social worker. She specializes in treating children with anxiety, ADHD, and disruptive behaviors, using primarily CBT but incorporating DBT as needed. Lawler favors a short-term, skills-based approach and believes GAD has both environmental and genetic causes. She often works directly with parents of younger children and identifies patient non-compliance with skill practice as a major challenge. Lawler recommends supplementary resources like the Calm and Headspace apps, as well as mindfulness videos on YouTube, to enhance treatment accessibility.

As I also stated, I began working on my final paper for this project. I have begun writing about the various approaches to treating generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and have delved deeply into the various therapeutic options available. By examining dialectical-behavioral therapy (DBT), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and psychopharmacological treatments such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), I aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the most effective strategies for alleviating GAD symptoms. In my research, I have found that combining multiple therapeutic models, including acceptance-based and emotion-regulation techniques, can significantly enhance treatment outcomes. Furthermore, I discuss the importance of personalized treatment plans, as the complexity of GAD often requires tailored interventions that consider the unique experiences and needs of each individual. Through this paper, I hope to contribute to the broader conversation about mental health treatment and advocate for more inclusive and accessible care options for adolescents struggling with anxiety. 

Next week, I plan to continue writing my final paper for the project and continue to garner more responses to my questionnaire. Thank you for reading my blog, and I will update you all next week!