Cynthia Last PhD

During the past 30 years, I've treated literally thousands of people- from age 4 to 94- with anxiety disorders. Typically, at least half of my caseload includes children, adolescents, and adults with OCD or OC-spectrum disorders- compulsive rituals; pure obsessions (violent; sexual; blasphemous; existential); hoarding; body dysmorphic disorder; trichotillomania/skin picking; tics; and more. As a CBT therapist, I often use exposure and response prevention and habit reversal training. However, I do not believe in a "one treatment fits all" approach, where individual differences are ignored. By conducting a careful behavioral analysis of each person's condition, I formulate a customized treatment plan that draws from all CBT techniques available. This individualized approach maximizes success because it considers the specific factors that trigger and maintain the problem.

Throughout graduate school, internship, and a two-year postdoctoral fellowship, my training specialized in the assessment and cognitive-behavioral treatment of anxiety disorders. I was fortunate to be mentored by the "very best", professionals internationally known for their expertise in this area. Throughout my 30 year career, I have found that my other professional activities have enhanced my clinical practice- as a book author/editor (e.g., "Help for Worried Kids: How your Child can Conquer Anxiety and Fear"); teacher; clinical supervisor; consultant; Scientific Advisory Board member for the Anxiety Disorders Association of America; clinical researcher; "interviewee" for national media (e.g., The New York Times; USA Today; Parents magazine; ABC's "The View," Sirius/FM "Doctor's Radio," WebMD News); founder and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Anxiety Disorders; and founder/director of anxiety disorder clinics for children, adolescents, and adults.