Overview

The Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety (CTSA) is an internationally renowned research and clinical facility that offers state-of-the-art treatment programs specifically designed for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Social Anxiety (SAD), Panic Disorder (PD), Agoraphobia, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), and Specific Phobias. 

Unlike many clinical and research programs, which specialize either in adults or children, the Center’s unique strength is in providing clinical services across the developmental lifespan: we provide treatment to children, adolescents, and adults.  Our treatments are tailored to each age group and are sensitive to developmental aspects of our patients.

The Center was founded in 1979 by Edna B. Foa, Ph.D., a world leader in anxiety disorders research, who is the Director of the Center. The Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety is a division of the University's Department of Psychiatry, and is located on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The faculty at the CTSA are doctoral-level psychologists who have extensive experience in the diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders. Our faculty members are also knowledgeable about the use of medications for anxiety disorders and are experienced in working with physicians and psychiatrists to coordinate treatment that includes medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Faculty members of the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety are engaged in numerous basic and applied research projects aimed at improving our understanding of anxiety disorders and their treatment. The Center has been awarded grants from various government agencies, including the National Institute of Health (NIMH), the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA),  Department of Defense, as well as from various pharmaceutical companies, to conduct research that focuses on the development of new, efficient, and effective treatments for anxiety and traumatic stress disorders. Faculty at the Center have authored or co-authored hundreds of scholarly articles, chapters, and books on anxiety and its treatment. They also regularly present scholarly research at national and international professional conferences.

Faculty from the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety are actively involved in training mental health professionals in the use of effective treatments for anxiety disorders.  Our faculty regularly present single- and multi-day training workshops for professionals around the United States and abroad. At our Philadelphia location, we offer individualized training programs for physicians, psychologists and other health professionals from around the world.