Separation Anxiety

“My 8 year old daughter was driving us crazy – she cried when I left her at school and when I wanted to go out at night. She wouldn’t go on play dates or do after-school activities. It was really having a huge impact on the entire family. Ruth explained to my husband and me about anxiety and then walked us through slowly and systematically desensitizing our daughter to the anxiety that was paralyzing her. Also, my daughter really liked the computer program Ruth used to teach her how to tolerate her anxiety. It was hard, but well worth it. Our daughter now happily goes to friends’ homes and we’re actually thinking of going away for a weekend without the kids! We’re so grateful!”

—Deb B

Excessive Worrier

“I was having terribly scary thoughts about hurting someone. I was so scared I was becoming afraid to leave my apartment. Ruth explained to me how these were just ‘intrusive thoughts’ and that I would never act on them. She worked with me until the thoughts no longer scared me. The amazing thing is that once the thoughts stopped scaring me, they actually went away!”

—Nicole

Fear of Vomiting

“My 12 year old daughter’s fear of vomiting was ruining our lives. She didn’t want to go to school and was terrified of getting sick. Ruth slowly helped my daughter realize that even if she or someone else she knew threw up, she would be OK. The exposure work was amazing. Ruth and my daughter watched videos of people throwing up, and they even made pretend vomit and practiced making gagging sounds! It sounds weird but it worked and my daughter is able to go to school and camp without fear.“

—Dylan J

Fear of Bridges

“I was so afraid of bridges that even though I lived right near the GW bridge in New Jersey, I had to go all the way down to the Lincoln Tunnel to get into the city. It was ridiculous. I was wasting so much time and felt so bad about myself. After a few months of driving back and forth over the bridge with Ruth, I finally started to believe I could do it myself and handle the anxiety. I am happy to say I never take the Lincoln Tunnel! I feel so much better about myself and save a lot of time!“

—Mia H.

Social Anxiety

“I hated going to parties or bars and would generally spend my weekends alone. I was depressed and really wanted to be in a relationship. Out of desperation I went to see Ruth…Now I look forward to going out with friends.“
—Martha, 28

Excessive Worrier

“I used to spend all my time worrying. Ruth taught me techniques and gave me a different way to think about my worries. The quality of my life has vastly improved.”

—Rachel W., College Student