Treatment Areas · Phobia Therapy

Therapy for Phobias in Burlington & Across Ontario

Fear doesn’t have to decide what you avoid.

Phobias can make certain situations, objects, or experiences feel impossible to face. Therapy can help you reduce avoidance, approach fear differently, and get back to doing more of what matters to you.

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Session Fee

Free Consultation

$180

15 minutes

No charge

50-minute session

Format

Availability

In person in Burlington

Daytime & evening

Virtual Across Ontario

Appointments available

About · Phobias

Avoidance can make fear feel bigger over time.

When something feels dangerous, avoiding it makes sense.

Specific phobias involve an intense fear of a particular object, situation, or experience. Even when part of you recognizes that the level of fear may not match the actual danger, your body can still respond as though you need to escape.

Avoiding what you fear can bring immediate relief. You might also rely on other ways of feeling safer, like needing someone with you, preparing extensively, or finding ways to minimize contact with the feared situation.

The problem is that avoiding fear also prevents your brain from learning something new. Over time, the feared situation can continue to feel dangerous, and avoidance can begin affecting more of your life.

About · Phobias

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Phobias We Can Help With

- Dogs
- Spiders
- Insects
- Snakes
- and other animals.
Fear related to injections, blood draws, medical procedures, or blood.
Fear of flying or situations associated with air travel.

Fear related to driving, highways, bridges, accidents, or being far from home.
Elevators, airplanes, tunnels, or other situations associated with claustrophobia.
Fear of heights, balconies, tall buildings, bridges, or similar situations.

Don't see your fear listed? This isn't an exhaustive list. Reach out to learn whether we may be a good fit for what you're experiencing.

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Through therapy, we may help you…

reduce avoidance patterns
gradually face feared situations with support
build tolerance for uncertainty and discomfort
feel less restricted by fear
increase confidence in daily life

Therapy at Ascend for Phobias

At Ascend, we use evidence-based approaches including CBT, ACT, and exposure-based therapy to understand what keeps your fear going and help you gradually approach what you've been avoiding.

Exposure work is individualized and collaborative. Your therapist will work with you to identify avoidance and safety behaviours, develop meaningful exposure exercises, and adjust the work as treatment progresses.

The goal isn't to eliminate fear completely. It's to help fear have less influence over what you do, where you go, and the experiences you're willing to have.

Treatment goes beyond learning how to calm yourself down.

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Meet Our Phobia Therapists

At Ascend Anxiety Clinic, ur therapists understand how quickly fear and avoidance can begin limiting everyday life. We use evidence-based approaches including CBT, ACT, and exposure-based therapy to help you gradually approach what you fear, reduce avoidance and safety behaviours, and build new learning through experience.

Jordan Best

Emma Weber

Therapy that fits your life.

Meet with your therapist face-to-face at our Burlington office, located at The Therapy Commons. In-person sessions are available for teens and adults.

In Person · Therapy In Burlington

Virtual · Therapy Across Ontario

Meet with your therapist securely online from wherever you are in Ontario, making it easier to fit therapy into your schedule without needing to travel.

Book A Free Consultation

Phobia Therapy · Burlington & Virtual Across Ontario

Frequently Asked Questions About Phobia Therapy

A specific phobia is an intense fear of a particular object, situation, or experience. The fear may feel difficult to control even when you recognize that the actual level of danger is low. Over time, avoidance can begin affecting your choices, routines, or opportunities.
Exposure-based therapy is one of the most effective treatments for specific phobias. Treatment involves gradually approaching what you fear while reducing avoidance and safety behaviours, giving your brain opportunities to develop new learning about the feared experience.
No. Exposure therapy is collaborative and intentional. You and your therapist will identify what you fear, how you've been avoiding it, and what feels appropriate to begin working on. Exposure is adjusted as treatment progresses rather than starting with the most difficult thing you can imagine.
Feeling some anxiety during exposure is expected, but the goal isn't to overwhelm you or force anxiety to disappear. Therapy helps you practice experiencing fear and discomfort without immediately escaping, avoiding, or relying on behaviours that make you feel safer.
At Ascend Anxiety Clinic, we work with a range of specific fears/phobias, including animals and insects, needles and medical procedures, flying, driving, heights, enclosed spaces, storms, choking or swallowing, and other fears that have started leading to avoidance or interfering with everyday life.
No. The goal isn't to become fearless. Treatment focuses on helping fear have less influence over what you do, where you go, and the experiences you're willing to have.
Yes. Many aspects of phobia treatment can be provided virtually across Ontario. Depending on what you fear, exposure exercises can also be planned for you to practice in your everyday environment between sessions.

Finding the right support can start with a conversation.

Complete the form below and we'll be in touch to help you connect with a therapist who fits what you're looking for. You can also book a free 15-minute consultation if you'd like to speak with us first.