Dr. Lawrence Needleman
Therapist (he/him)
SUMMARY:
Helping people suffering from OCD, PTSD and other anxiety disorders to decrease their emotional pain and lead fulfilling lives has been a source of great meaning and fulfillment for me. It has been a great privilege, and I have spent my career with this as my focus. When working with clients, I integrate an empathic, collaborative and respectful style with research-proven treatments, the latest developments in the field and each client’s needs/personality/strengths/circumstances/preferences.
Other Background:
Recently retired from a faculty position at the OSU Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, where I developed and —for over 10 years —directed the CBT training program for the psychiatry residents (physicians training to be psychiatrists). I taught and supervised psychiatry residents and psychology practicum students, wrote a highly regarded text book on CBT, and earned the excellence in teaching award in the department.
TREATMENT APPROACH
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Over the years, my primary approach for treating OCD has been integrating exposure with response prevention (ERP) with mindfulness and motivational strategies. In ERP, clients are guided in systematically facing avoided triggering situations while resisting counterproductive safety-seeking behaviors. I use a 12-session protocol that is extremely effective for clients who are able to participate. However, ERP is not appropriate for all clients. For example, if people are in a fragile state due to having multiple co-occurring diagnoses and life stressors, ERP could be overwhelming and counterproductive. For these clients, it can be more effective to implement new innovations in the field or to creatively tailor treatment to their unique psychological constitution and needs.
Clients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Co-Occurring PTSD and OCD
Another approach I've been using is a break-through treatment called the Reconsolidating of Traumatic Memories (RTM) protocol (see https://thertmprotocol.com). It was designed to treat PTSD and is highly effective and extremely rapid in doing so. In several research studies with combat veterans, 6 sessions resulted in loss of PTSD diagnosis for approximately 90% of clients. In RTM, the therapist guides clients in visualization procedures that change the traumatic memory format so that the memory no longer feels real or like a current danger. RTM can be effective for clients having co-occurring PTSD and OCD. Moreover, for clients with OCD who do not have a trauma history, I have made modifications to the RTM protocol with promising results.
Other Anxiety Disorders
Although my primary focus in recent years has been OCD and PTSD, I have extensive experience using Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy to treat various other anxiety disorders, including Panic–for which I use an ultra-brief treatment that I developed, Agoraphobia, Health Anxiety, Social Anxiety Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
Short-Term vs. Long-Term Therapy Focus
Many clients– including ones with highly distressing and interfering symptoms– can experience dramatic benefit from time-limited, brief, research-proven treatments tailored to their problems, strengths and needs. This is especially the case for clients who have just 1 or 2 diagnoses (versus numerous) that they have had for a few years or less, live in safe/stable circumstances and had good adjustment prior to their conditions. Over the years, my emphasis has been on implementing or developing these types of rapid and highly effective treatments. I want my clients to be able to have full lives as quickly as possible and to learn skills, change perspectives, and/or change their reactions to situations so that they don't need ongoing therapy.
However, in more recent years, I also have been working with clients with complex trauma who often require longer-term treatment to develop stability before doing deeper healing work.
Thank you for reading this long description of my approaches and perspectives. I am excited to work with new clients who are want brief, research-supported, effective treatments.