A New Transdiagnostic Treatment Target for Child Anxiety: Independence

Camilo Ortiz, PhD, ABPP, is an associate professor in the clinical psychology doctoral program at Long Island University-Post. He is also a fellow with the Flourishing in Action project at the Archbridge Institute. His scholarship focuses on parenting, child anxiety, disruptive behavior and cognitive behavior therapy. He is the co-developer of Independence Therapy, a revolutionary new approach to treating child anxiety through “mega-doses” of child independence. Dr. Ortiz is board-certified in behavioral and cognitive therapy and partner at Cognitive Behavioral Associates, located in Great Neck, NY, a group private psychology practice, specializing in the treatment of anxiety, emotion dysregulation, disruptive behavior, and other concerns. He is also clinical director of the Open Therapy Institute, a clinical and training organization aimed at returning clinical psychology to its client-centered, non-ideological roots. Dr. Ortiz received a B.S. in Human Development from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He completed a pre-doctoral internship at Montefiore Medical Center and a postdoctoral research fellowship at Stony Brook University before joining the faculty at LIU-Post. 

Dr. Anne-Marie Albano, PhD, ABBP, is a professor of medical psychology, a clinical psychologist and board certified in clinical child and adolescent psychology. In addition to serving as Director of the Columbia University Clinic for Anxiety and Related Disorders at 3 Columbus Circle, she also conducts research and train residents, fellows and psychology postdoctoral.

Mary K. Alvord, PhD, is a psychologist and founder of Alvord, Baker & Associates with more than 40 years of clinical experience. Dr. Alvord holds a position of Adjunct Associate Professor at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Founder of the charity, Resilience Across Borders, Inc., she is also co-author of Resilience Builder Program for Children and Adolescents, Conquer Negative Thinking for Teens, The Action Mindset Workbook for Teens, and Resilience Builder Program - Universal.  

Matthew Fastman, MS, a Doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology at Long Island University, is interested in developing and practicing novel independence-focused interventions for child anxiety.