OCD & Anxiety Specialist

Meet Josh Kaplan, LCSW and OCD Specialist.
Hi, I’m Josh Kaplan, LCSW. I’ve dedicated my career to helping people recover from anxiety and panic using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure Therapy, the gold-standard, evidence-based treatments that truly work.
Over the years, I’ve helped clients struggling with every form of panic imaginable, unexpected panic attacks, fear of bodily sensations, driving anxiety, health-related panic, and the constant worry about when the next episode might strike. Whatever form your panic takes, I want you to know that you’re not alone, and that effective, lasting relief is possible.
I’m deeply passionate about this work because I’ve seen how life-changing CBT and Exposure Therapy can be for people with panic disorder. You deserve proven treatment that helps you break free from the fear of panic itself, feel safe in your own body again, and get back to living your life without anxiety calling the shots.

Understanding Panic Attacks, Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia
Panic attacks involve a sudden rush of intense fear that peaks within minutes and feels completely out of control. They may be triggered or seem to appear at random, bringing sensations like a racing heart, shortness of breath, chest pressure, dizziness, or detachment from reality. The experience can feel terrifying, but it isn’t actually dangerous.
Panic occurs when the body’s alarm system misfires, flooding you with adrenaline. The mind then misinterprets these sensations as a heart attack, loss of control, or “going crazy.” Over time, fear of another attack can lead to constant body monitoring, avoidance of certain places or activities, and eventually panic disorder.
Without treatment, this cycle can become debilitating, but the good news is that panic disorder is highly treatable. Through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure Therapy, you can retrain your brain to interpret sensations accurately, break the avoidance cycle, and regain a sense of calm, confidence, and control.

Expert Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder
Overcome Panic, Regain Control, and Feel Safe in Your Body Again
If you’ve ever experienced a panic attack, you know how sudden and overwhelming it can feel. Your heart starts racing, your chest tightens, and it can seem like you’re losing control, or even dying. When these attacks begin happening more often, it can lead to panic disorder and constant anxiety about when the next one will strike.
For over a decade, I’ve helped teens and adults regain a sense of safety and calm within their own minds and bodies using the gold standard treatment for panic disorder, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with Exposure. I’m licensed to provide therapy in Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Washington, New Jersey, and Illinois.
I deeply respect my clients as some of the bravest people I’ve ever met, and my commitment is simple: to use proven therapies, applied with care and compassion, to help you find the lasting relief and freedom you deserve. - Josh Kaplan, LCSW

How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Helps Panic Attacks
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with Exposure Therapy is the most effective, research-supported treatment for panic attacks and panic disorder. It works by addressing both the thought patterns and behaviors that fuel the panic cycle. Panic attacks persist because the brain misinterprets normal physical sensations like a racing heart or dizziness as signs of danger. CBT helps retrain this response by teaching you to reinterpret these sensations accurately and respond in ways that reduce fear rather than reinforce it.
Over time, this process reduces the frequency and intensity of panic attacks, restores confidence in your body’s ability to handle anxiety, and breaks the fear-avoidance cycle that keeps panic disorder going. With practice, clients find they can return to the places and activities they once avoided, feeling calmer, safer, and back in control.
Why Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the Gold Standard for Panic Disorder Treatment
Proven and Supported by Decades of Research
Decades of research show that CBT and Exposure Therapy are highly effective for panic disorder, leading to significant reductions in panic attacks, fear of bodily sensations, and avoidance behaviors.
Endorsed by Experts
CBT is the most effective, evidence-based treatment for panic disorder and is recognized by leading organizations like the American Psychological Association (APA) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
Targets the Root Cause
CBT and Exposure Therapy directly address the underlying fear cycle that drives panic attacks. Rather than just managing anxiety in the moment, it helps you understand and change the thoughts and behaviors that keep panic going.
Retrains the Brain's Response to Fear
Through cognitive restructuring and exposure exercises, CBT helps your brain learn that the physical sensations of panic (like a racing heart or dizziness) are uncomfortable, but not dangerous. Over time, this rewiring reduces both the frequency and intensity of panic attacks.

How Does Exposure Therapy For Panic Disorder Fit Into Treatment?
Exposure Therapy is the active ingredient in recovery from panic disorder, the part of treatment that truly helps your brain heal and reset. Together, we’ll use this specialized form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to gradually face the sensations, thoughts, and situations that trigger fear, without relying on avoidance or safety behaviors.
Avoidance teaches the brain that anxiety is dangerous; exposure teaches the opposite. By intentionally confronting what you fear in a structured, step-by-step way, your brain learns through experience that panic and anxiety, while uncomfortable, are not harmful and always pass on their own.
We’ll move at a pace that feels manageable, building confidence as you go. This is a collaborative process, and I’ll support you every step of the way as you learn to feel safe in your body again and free to live your life without fear of panic.


Online CBT Therapy and Exposure Therapy for Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder Available in: Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Washington, New Jersey, and Illinois
My practice is 100% virtual, making CBT and Exposure Therapy for panic disorder and agoraphobia both more effective and convenient. Online therapy allows us to conduct exposures right where your anxiety tends to appear, whether that’s at home, in your car, at the grocery store, or out in public—so treatment takes place in the real-world settings that matter most. This approach not only accelerates progress but helps you build confidence where it counts.
Whether you’re in Denver, Phoenix, Seattle, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Chicago, or anywhere in between, I’ll help you develop the tools, confidence, and freedom to move beyond fear and reclaim your life.
Take the First Step Toward Freedom from Anxiety and Panic
Recovery begins with a single step. If you’re ready to start CBT therapy for panic disorder and anxiety, I invite you to schedule a free 20-minute online consultation. We’ll discuss your symptoms, goals, and what effective treatment can look like for you. Together, we’ll take the first step toward lasting relief and renewed peace of mind.
Free Online Consultation
An opportunity to share your experience, ask questions about CBT and Exposure treatment, and see if we’re a good fit to work together.
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Accurate Assessment and Diagnosis
We will spend the first session or two doing a thorough diagnostic evaluation. Confirming any relevant diagnoses.
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Together, we’ll identify the thoughts and beliefs that fuel your anxiety and panic, then use CBT techniques to challenge, reframe, and replace them.
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Exposure Therapy Sessions
We’ll use planned exposure exercises to help your brain learn, through experience, that anxiety and panic are temporary, tolerable, and safe,
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Progress Tracking
Your progress is monitored throughout treatment to ensure you’re improving, and we’ll make adjustments along the way to keep therapy effective.
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Fine-Tuning, Relapse Prevention, and Long-Term Success
Focus on strengthening your progress, refining your skills, to maintain long-term recovery and keep anxiety from regaining control.
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