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Justin K. Hughes, MA, LPC

Justin K. Hughes, MA, LPC

Get Unstuck From Fear

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

First Line, Gold Standard Treatment

Though there are many effective therapy treatments to date for a range of issues, CBT comes out as the most researched, most helpful for the widest range of problems, and can be highly personalized.

CBT is often conceptualized on a triangle, such as the following “ABC”:

This triangle reflects no particular order or prioritization.

  • A = Affect, or feelings and emotions
  • B = Behavior, or actions
  • C= Cognition, or thoughts and beliefs

CBT capitalizes on how each of these three domains have strong relationships to each other.  The heart of the theory and practice is based on the knowledge that changing one or more of these domains leads to changes in the other.  Another way of looking at it is that the more a person lines up their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors with reality, the more they achieve well-being, and many problems can be alleviated.

Check out my full blog article on CBT.

Exposure Therapy (ET and ERP)

A very natural tendency occurs when we experience fear or distress- to avoid, neutralize, and suppress fearful thoughts and experiences.  However, such responses tend to reinforce fear when not responding in-context to an an actual immediate threat.
Exposure therapy helps clients to systematically confront fearful stimuli along with changing fearful responses.  This relearning increases confidence and decreases disruption in life. Over time, discomfort and fear typically decreases through active engagement rather than avoidance, suppression, neutralization, or ritualization.
The evidence base is very strong for its use and effectiveness, though it is currently only applied a minority of the time in clinical settings.
Check out my full blog article on Exposure Therapy.

My therapy hallmarks

I will offer you attentive, careful treatment in 3 ways:

1) Strong adherence to the evidence-base
2) Expertise, personableness, & creativity applied to you, personally
3) My best recommendations (even when it doesn’t include me, seriously)

Relevant Videos

Curated to get you started.

What is Exposure Therapy and How Do You Do It?

Exposure therapy can sound intense. What is it? How is it done? Why is it so effective? Justin K Hughes, MA, LPC explains simply an extremely effective FIRST LINE and “GOLD STANDARD” treatment for anxiety disorders and more.

The 4 Types of Exposure Therapy

Exploring the 4 Types of Exposure Therapy- In Vivo, Imaginal, Interoceptive, and Virtual Reality- Justin offers punctual clarity to the approach of how fears that are being treated can be accessed, whether situationally, in one’s thoughts/imagination, through sensations, or a combination.

"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure."(Hellen Keller)

​Specially Curated Resources

These are handpicked, referenced in ACTUAL therapy sessions.

(Sorry, I cannot accommodate outside requests to add to resources.)

This page may contain affiliate links. This means that some links on this site will produce a small commission from affiliate sites. Read more

  • General CBT
  • Exposure Therapy Resources
  • My Bookshelf
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Distinguishing Information-Seeking and Reassurance Seeking

This helpful chart is an educational guide separating info-seeking from reassurance.

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man standing near glass window

Overcoming Unacceptable Thoughts (Houston OCD)

Check out this presentation by several notable clinicians on “overcoming unacceptable thoughts.”

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Relapse Prevention in OCD (Shala Nicely)

“As you go into recovery from OCD, it’s good to keep in mind that relapse
prevention is a process, and living how we want to live requires some
maintenance….”

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“May” or “May Not” Exposure Scripting (Shala Nicely)

“…MOMN statements, which are a type of exposure scripting, can be used with any type of OCD content…because OCD is not about the content!”

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man in blue denim jacket standing on brown field during daytime

Exposure and Desensitization (U of Mich)

“We spoke about sensitization in the section “Anxiety Fuel.” Now we’ll talk
about desensitization, which means we work to make our anxiety alarm less
sensitive, so it doesn’t go off as often or as loudly.”

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people playing on sand during daytime

Exposure BINGO!

You read that right! Learn to face fears and make it…interesting and fun!

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woman standing showing shocking face

Facing Your Fears: Exposure (Anxiety BC)

“An important step in managing anxiety involves facing feared situations, places or
objects. It is normal to want to avoid the things you fear. However, avoidance prevents
you from learning that the things you fear are not as dangerous as you think.”

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Key Research Articles on Imaginal Exposure (Science Direct)

“Imaginal exposure refers to patients intentionally confronting specific memories….in their imaginations either by verbally describing … or by writing a description…”

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Stopping the Noise In Your Head (Dr. Reid Wilson)

“Dr. Reid Wilson proposes a groundbreaking, paradoxical approach to overcoming anxiety, worry, OCD, panic, and phobias by moving away from comfort, confidence, and security and willingly moving toward uncertainty, distress and discomfort.”

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From My Blog

Related posts from my blog

person holding hands
I Want To Hold Your Ha-aa-aa-aaand

The Beatles were on to something. It turns out that holding your romantic partner’s hand is good for you.  New research reveals that if you do so during emotional distress, it actually lessens emotional pain in recall later.  (Sahi et al., 2021). The study defines emotional pain as “an unpleasant feeling (or suffering) associated with […]

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four men playing basketball
Accidental Exposure: A Strong Mind Is Not Made In Comfort

Accidental workouts are great; just don’t base your exercise off of them.   Has this ever happened to you?  You have an exercise routine (walk, weights, circuit, CrossFit), and while expecting to take a holiday break, say Thanksgiving…..until someone challenges you in the paint for pickup game of basketball (in my family we had the 6 […]

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2nd. gen black Amazon Echo speaker on white panel
Why I Say ‘Thank You’ to Amazon Alexa (It’s Not What You’d Think)

The power of habit is a currently popular topic, no doubt through the lens of James Clear, Harvard Business Review, and similar ilk.  Social media influencers give us all sorts of ‘hacks’ to make a habit in 30 days, get a flat belly, and more. While there’s a mix of good and a lot of […]

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woman in black tank top
Getting Aroused With Anxiety

Mark* was generally confident in his therapy, but bringing up sex….well, he got a little sheepish.  He had these small avoidances that he never realized were behavioral and cognitive avoidances.  For example, he would never have sex with his wife when the kids weren’t away from home.  He intentionally steered conversation away from topics with […]

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man using silver iPhone 6
What’s Your Why?

Yvette had a hard time breaking through in therapy. She knew and understood well the rationale for putting in the work. Her grasp of when she felt anxious and distressed, and even what to do, was excellent. I mean, the research speaks for itself, right? Just do it- just practice what your therapist teaches? I […]

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person in brown long sleeve shirt covering face with hand
Intrusive, Unwanted Thoughts and Faith

“I feel like I really love my baby, but, I just don’t know. I have these terrible thoughts that pop into my mind. Thoughts of harming my baby. I actually vomited last night it made me so upset. I don’t know why I’m having these” “Everyone around me, including my pastor, seems to think I […]

Read More >

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Owner, Dallas Counseling, PLLC 17330 Preston Road, Suite 102D Dallas, TX 75252

justin@dallascounseling.com
469-490-2002

Treatment Areas

  • CBT / Exposure Therapy
  • OCD & Anxiety
  • Addiction
  • General Mental Health
  • Christ-Centered Treatment

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