David Barlow on Treating Anxiety Disorders

In this inspiring interview, Dr. David Barlow reflects on critical moments in his highly influential career, describing an experimental psychology course that opened the possibility of “establishing a science of behavior where you could validate the principles of psychology.” He traces the development of his expertise in the treatment of anxiety, which emerged out of his dissertation research around curing the "great snake-phobic epidemic of the 1960s" and recounts his work with many of the great founding scientists of behavioral psychology.

In a lively discussion with acclaimed psychologist Kelly Brownell, Barlow reveals insights from his wealth of knowledge on the integration of science and clinical practice. Vividly drawing upon his experiences from inside the behavioral paradigm shift, he shares about learning psychotherapy by watching Joseph Wolpe perform systematic desensitization, and the resistance he saw from his psychoanalytically trained peers against utilizing behavioral techniques. “I felt it was necessary at the time to deny [Wolpe] was a great clinician…It’s the procedures that are really effective!”

Barlow introduces thought-provoking suggestions about the future direction of the field as a whole, advocating for-profit dissemination of therapy innovations as manualized treatments, “If you’re going to really get some findings out there, you need to have a mechanism to really push and disseminate it.” Barlow’s perspective on this and other topics is sure to provoke stimulating thought and discussion!