Dr. Alissa Jerud is a licensed clinical psychologist providing science-informed, cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) to individuals both in-person and around the country via telepsychology. She is an expert in exposure therapy, which is a highly effective form of CBT and a robust treatment for anxiety-related disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety, panic disorder, specific phobias, and generalized anxiety. In addition, Dr. Jerud also provides Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills training, which is another form of CBT that includes skills in mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. At the heart of these approaches to treatment is the notion that all emotions are valuable, no matter how painful or uncomfortable it may be to feel them. Accordingly, rather than try to get rid of unwanted feelings - which oftentimes prolongs and exacerbates them - Dr. Jerud aims to help individuals develop new relationships with challenging emotions such as anxiety. By welcoming these emotions when they show up without giving into the unhelpful urges that accompany them, Dr. Jerud helps others break free of the hold that their emotions have on them, thus enabling them to live richer, more meaningful lives. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Jerud is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania where she teaches and supervises psychiatry residents. She also trains other clinicians in exposure-based treatments and frequently gives workshops on anxiety, stress, mental health, and parenting to companies large and small, including Google, Peloton, Merck, American Express, iHeart Media, and Morgan Stanley. She was trained by world renowned experts at some of the top programs in the country and is dedicated to using the expertise she acquired through these unparalleled training experiences to help as many others as possible. Message to clientsIf you are struggling with anxiety, intrusive thoughts, panic, or other unwanted internal experiences, choosing to seek help is an extremely courageous first step toward building a life that isn't governed by these distressing symptoms. The exposure-based treatments that I provide are intense and require hard work both in and between sessions, however, my incredibly brave clients see therapy as a short-term investment that they choose to make in order to one day be able to more skillfully navigate whatever triggers they face. In fact, my goal is always to work myself out of a job so that my clients can eventually become their own therapists and not need me anymore. With this in mind, I take a compassionate, collaborative, and values-based approach to treatment that empowers clients to radically transform their lives for the better. If you think we might be a good fit, please reach out so we can explore the possibility of working together. And if the thought of doing this work sounds scary, please know that you aren't alone. Most people who struggle with anxiety feel terrified when thinking about approaching things that they have previously avoided. That said, if we work together, I will be on your team, cheering you on every step of the way so that you can discover just how strong and competent you truly are. Even though we haven't met just yet, I believe in you already and would be honored to partner with you in this regard.