Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety

Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety CTSA advances anxiety disorder treatment with evidence-based therapies, research, and training opportunities for professionals.

The Center was founded in 1979 by Edna B. Foa, Ph.D., a world leader in anxiety disorders research, who is the Director of the Center. The Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety is a division of the University's Department of Psychiatry, and is located on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Unlike many clinical and research programs, which

specialize either in adults or children, the Center’s unique strength is in providing clinical services across the developmental lifespan: we provide treatment to children, adolescents, and adults. Our treatments are tailored to each age group and are sensitive to developmental aspects of our patients.

💡 Exposure therapy helps clients update inaccurate threat beliefs—not just reduce anxiety.The goal isn’t to eliminate fe...
08/07/2026

💡 Exposure therapy helps clients update inaccurate threat beliefs—not just reduce anxiety.

The goal isn’t to eliminate fear entirely, but to create opportunities for clients to gather new, disconfirming evidence. As anxiety naturally rises during exposure, the focus is on staying in the situation long enough to learn that anticipated outcomes are unlikely or manageable.

📌 This learning process shifts how clients interpret future anxiety triggers, increasing flexibility and reducing avoidance—even if discomfort remains.

Check out CTSA's trainings and workshops that can help you do more effective exposure work!

https://bit.ly/CTSAtrainings

Clinical Pearl of the Day"The goal of exposure isn't to reduce anxiety; it's to change a person's relationship with anxi...
08/05/2026

Clinical Pearl of the Day

"The goal of exposure isn't to reduce anxiety; it's to change a person's relationship with anxiety."

One of the most common misconceptions about exposure therapy is that success means making anxiety disappear.

In reality, exposure works by helping people learn that they can experience anxiety without avoiding, escaping, compulsing, or seeking reassurance. Over time, anxiety often decreases—but that's not the primary goal.

The goal is to help patients respond differently when anxiety shows up.

When people learn they can tolerate discomfort, uncertainty, and fear while continuing to move toward what matters, anxiety no longer gets to make all the decisions.

💡 A useful question after an exposure isn't just, "How anxious were you?" It's also, "What did you learn about your ability to handle anxiety?"

That's where lasting change happens.

🧩 Hierarchy-building isn’t just a worksheet—it's a clinical art.When exposures are doable and target your client’s value...
08/04/2026

🧩 Hierarchy-building isn’t just a worksheet—it's a clinical art.

When exposures are doable and target your client’s values, confidence grows from the ground up. These three tips will help you create hierarchies that actually work.

🔁 Swipe through for tips on using the 3 Cs to create hierarchies that will result in real therapeutic progress.

Then check out our trainings and workshops that can help you become an expert in all things exposure therapy too!

Like our upcoming September 28, 2026 - Special Topics in PE: Building a Better In Vivo Hierarchy
https://bit.ly/CTSAtrainings

Many people who have experienced trauma worry that talking about what happened will make things worse.In reality, avoidi...
08/03/2026

Many people who have experienced trauma worry that talking about what happened will make things worse.

In reality, avoiding painful memories often gives them more power. When we push difficult thoughts and emotions away, they can continue to feel overwhelming, unpredictable, and ever-present.

One of the key principles of Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy is emotional processing—the opportunity to safely revisit trauma memories and make sense of what happened. Through this process, people often discover that they can tolerate difficult emotions, that memories are not dangerous, and that the trauma no longer has to define their present.

Healing doesn't come from forgetting. It comes from learning that you can face painful memories and continue moving forward.

💙 Recovery is not about erasing the past. It's about helping the past take up less space in your present.

Philadelphia therapists: We need you!The PEACE Project is recruiting mental health professionals to help expand access t...
07/31/2026

Philadelphia therapists: We need you!

The PEACE Project is recruiting mental health professionals to help expand access to effective PTSD treatment for individuals affected by community violence. We provide FREE specialized training, consultation and support to clinicians who want to make a difference in their communities AND you can earn up to $2,700 in stipends for completing training milestones!

If you're a therapist, psychologist, counselor, or social worker in Philadelphia, or know someone who is, please reach out or share this post.

Together, we can help more Philadelphians access the care they deserve. 💙

To find out more and to apply:
📩 https://www.med.upenn.edu/ctsa/The_PEACE_Project.html

Don't hesitate. Application deadline is August 31, 2026.

Clinical Pearl of the DayWhen designing exposures, target the uncertainty—not just the feared outcome.Many exposure exer...
07/29/2026

Clinical Pearl of the Day

When designing exposures, target the uncertainty—not just the feared outcome.
Many exposure exercises focus on the thing a patient is afraid will happen. But often, what keeps anxiety, OCD, and related disorders going isn't the feared outcome itself—it's the struggle to eliminate uncertainty.

For example, a patient may say they're afraid of making a mistake at work. But the deeper issue may be the need to know with certainty that they won't make a mistake. Similarly, someone with OCD may not be trying to prevent harm as much as they're trying to get rid of doubt.

Effective exposures help patients practice something much harder than proving they're safe: learning that they can tolerate not knowing.

💡 Instead of asking, "How can we prove this won't happen?" consider asking, "How can we help the patient live with uncertainty if it might?"

That's where lasting change happens.

Avoidance is a natural response to trauma.In the short term, avoiding reminders of what happened can feel protective. Bu...
07/27/2026

Avoidance is a natural response to trauma.

In the short term, avoiding reminders of what happened can feel protective. But over time, avoidance often strengthens fear and keeps people from fully engaging in their lives.

One of the core principles of Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy is learning to gradually approach the memories, situations, and experiences you've been avoiding. Through this process, people have the opportunity to discover that anxiety is manageable, trauma reminders are not inherently dangerous, and they are capable of doing more than fear has led them to believe.

Recovery doesn't require feeling fearless. It begins with taking small steps toward the things that matter—even when fear is present.

💙 Healing happens when we stop letting avoidance make our decisions.

😨 “What if exposure therapy just make things worse?” It’s a common fear—and a powerful myth.The truth? Exposure, done ri...
07/24/2026

😨 “What if exposure therapy just make things worse?” It’s a common fear—and a powerful myth.

The truth? Exposure, done right, shrinks anxiety. It’s avoidance that feeds the cycle.

🚀 Ready to refine your skills and build confidence in using exposure effectively? A CTSA workshop might be your next best move.

Register today: bit.ly/CTSAtrainings

📣 Calling Philadelphia-Area Clinicians!Are you passionate about helping individuals impacted by community violence, gun ...
07/20/2026

📣 Calling Philadelphia-Area Clinicians!

Are you passionate about helping individuals impacted by community violence, gun violence, and trauma?

The PEACE Project (Prolonged Exposure to Address Community ViolencE) at the University of Pennsylvania is now accepting applications for its next training cohort.

✅ FREE training in Prolonged Exposure (PE) Therapy
✅ Expert consultation and supervision
✅ Opportunity for PE certification
✅ Up to $2,700 in stipends for achieving training milestones
✅ Help expand access to evidence-based PTSD treatment in Philadelphia communities

Whether you're licensed or working under supervision, this could be a unique opportunity to strengthen your clinical skills while making a meaningful impact.

📅 Application Deadline: August 31, 2026
📅 Training Dates: October 5–9, 2026

Learn more and apply today:
https://www.med.upenn.edu/ctsa/The_PEACE_Project.html

Please share with colleagues serving Philadelphia communities.

Address

3535 Market Street, 6th Floor
Philadelphia, PA
19104

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+12157463327

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