Optimizing Treatment Engagement Processes in CBT for Anxiety and Related Disorders

Elizabeth M. Goetter is a licensed clinical psychologist, Associate Professor, and Director of the Psychology Doctoral Program at La Salle University. She serves as a clinical consultant at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) where she previously served as co-clinical director of psychology, Senior Clinical Director at MGH Home Base, and Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Goetter’s clinical and research interests include the efficacy, dissemination, and utilization of empirically supported treatments for traumatic stress disorders, particularly among military and veteran populations. She has served as a study therapist and assessor on multiple externally funded studies and co-authored manuscripts and book chapters on issues pertaining to posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, grief, veteran mental health, technology and telehealth approaches to treatment, barriers to treatment, and treatment utilization and dropout. She is an Associate Editor for the International Journal of Mental Health and also serves as an editorial board member for Cognitive and Behavioral Practice and the European Journal of Psychotraumatology.

• Introduction.- Strategies and Considerations for Promoting Engagement.- Attending to the Therapeutic Alliance.- Leveraging Beliefs in Treatment: Outcome Expectancy, Treatment Credibility, and Self Efficacy.- Integrating Motivational Interviewing into the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders.- Promoting Adherence to Exposure Therapy.- The Role of the Therapist and Treatment Setting – Avoiding Common Pitfalls that Undermine Patient Engagement in Exposure Therapy.- Videoconference-mediated Interventions for Anxiety and Related Disorders: Implications for Treatment Engagement.- Virtual Reality to Enhance Engagement in Exposure-Based Treatments.- Culturally Responsive Approaches to Assessment and Case Conceptualization.- Building a Positive Racial and Ethnic Identity to Support Treatment Engagement.- Engagement with Specific Populations.- SAD.- GAD.- Panic Disorder.- OCD.- PTSD.- Youth and Families.- Older Adults.