Treatment Options
After completing the assessment process, each individual who is admitted to the program will follow a treatment plan that may include the following core treatment options:
Pharmacotherapy
When you meet with the psychiatrist, we will review treatments previously tried. Please arrive with a list of current and previous medications, including doses if remembered.
Psychotherapy
Specialized forms of psychotherapy may be offered as part of your comprehensive treatment plan. Psychotherapy offered in the Anxiety Disorders Program is based on a cognitive-behavioural treatment model, including techniques drawn from third-wave CBT approaches (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy). Therapy is provided free of charge for patients with governmental health insurance (e.g., RAMQ). Psychotherapy may be provided by a staff psychologist, clinical nurse specialist, psychiatry resident, or psychology intern.
Group psychotherapy is sometimes offered, through either the Anxiety Disorders Program or in collaboration with the Department of Psychology. Group therapy may focus on general stress management or offer help with specific symptoms (e.g., social anxiety).
Meeting with Family Members and Significant Others
Working with the family members, partners, and social supports of people who suffer from anxiety is an important part of patient-centred care. The Anxiety Disorders Program team will sometimes include significant others in patient appointments as part of the assessment and treatment process. These meetings may be held to address family members’ questions, to collect information about the problems as observed by family, and to enlist the support or assistance of family in attaining treatment goals.
Additional treatment options may be offered or recommended to patients treated by the Anxiety Disorders Program team, in collaboration with other mental health services at the MUHC. These may include family therapy, couples therapy, addictions treatment, psychodynamic psychotherapy, occupational therapy, group therapy, or social services.
In some cases, the team may feel that an individual being followed by the Anxiety Disorders Program requires a period of treatment that is more intensive than our outpatient program can provide. In these cases, the patient may be referred to another service within the MUHC, such as the Transitional Day Program, the Day Hospital, inpatient services, or inpatient detoxification. In most cases, the patient will be referred back to the Anxiety Disorders Program once they have completed their treatment with one of these services.