Deconstructing Anxiety: A Deep Dive
With the revolutionary understanding that anxiety (fear) is at the root of all suffering, you will gain insight into the five core fears–“universal themes of loss”–we all share, including: abandonment (loss of love),
- loss of identity,
- loss of meaning,
- loss of purpose and
- fear of death.
We develop our primary defenses, usually early in childhood or at times of trauma, as our best attempt to protect ourselves from these fears, but always at too great a cost. This leaves us constantly holding vigil, on the lookout for the resurfacing of the fear. We build our entire personality upon this fear-defense dynamic. When it spins out of control, an anxiety disorder develops.
The theory and techniques offered in this workshop, such as “The Alchemist”, “The Witness” and “The Warrior’s Stance”, will teach you how to uncover the core fear and chief defense quickly and reliably. These will be understood as the architects of personality and the creators of our perceptual world. Armed with this knowledge, new strategies for “doing the opposite” of the chief defense and its secondary defenses have proven extremely successful in even the most anxious clients. Incorporating psychodynamics, mindfulness, Gestalt, CBT and transpersonal psychology, participants will undergo the actual techniques being presented, making for a rich and highly experiential presentation.
At the deepest level, we will pinpoint the precise moment where resistance is created and how to release it. This leads to the ultimate goal of letting go “the resistance to resistance”, a key to transforming our entire view of Self and redefining the limits of the human experience. The way is then paved for the final section on “Vision Questing”, wherein the five core fears are fully resolved, and one may live their lives with a solid sense of identity, meaning, purpose, love and even a true freedom from the fear of death.
Come prepared for an exciting adventure into the deepest regions of the unconscious, where the hidden fears at the source of our difficulties live, to bring them out into consciousness, available for rapid and lasting transformation.
Dr. Pressman has also made an introductory video available. Check it out here.
Target Audience
This live interactive webinar is intended for behavioral health professionals, including Psychologists, Social Workers, Counselors, MFT's and Addiction Professionals.
References & Resources
Fitzke R. E., Marsh D. R., Prince M. A. (2021). A longitudinal investigation of the meaning-making model in midlife adults who have experienced trauma. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 70, 2878–2893. doi: 10.1002/jclp.23272
LaFreniere, L & Newman, M. (2020). Exposing worry’s deceit: Percentage of untrue worries in generalized anxiety disorder treatment. Behavior Therapy, 51(3), 413-423.
Maddock, A., Blair, C. (2023). How do mindfulness-based programmes improve anxiety, depression and psychological distress? A systematic review. Current Psychology, 42,10200–10222. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02082-y
Maffly-Kipp, J., & others. (2024). When meaning in life protects against fear of death: The moderating role of self-alienation. Journal of Personality, 92(1), 123–138. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12875Wiley Online Library
Pressman, T. (2019). Deconstructing Anxiety: The Journey from Fear to Fulfillment. Rowman and Littlefield.
New Mexico Board of Psychologist Examiners
Joint Accreditation (JA)
American Psychological Association (APA)
Conference Agenda
Conference schedule will be available soon.
Conference Speaker
Todd Pressman, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and international seminar leader. He is widely known for his work with Deconstructing Anxiety. He graduated with degrees in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and Saybrook Institute. His books Deconstructing Anxiety: The Journey from Fear to Fulfillment, Radical Joy: Awakening Your Potential For True Fulfillment and The Bicycle Repair Shop: A True Story Of Recovery From Multiple Personality Disorder have all received high acclaim. In 1982, he traveled the world to study the great wisdom and healing traditions, including with a Zen master, a Jain family, a Zoroastrian high priest and a Sri Lankan firewalker. His education also includes an internship under Stanislav Grof, M.D. at the Esalen Institute. With a background deeply rooted in tradition (he was groomed by a father whose teachers were taught by Sigmund Freud), he has integrated this wide-ranging experience into a new program of psychological development called "Deconstructing Anxiety". His working model is based on Michelangelo’s ideal: to release the statue from the stone, the authentic Self from the overlays of imposed identity, into the discovery of freedom and fulfillment.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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