Dr. Rothbaum is a Professor of Psychiatry and the Director of the Trauma and Anxiety Recovery Program in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine. She is a clinical psychologist who studies the treatment of individuals with anxiety disorders, particularly focusing on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Dr. Rothbaum uses exposure therapy to treat PTSD and other anxiety disorders. Exposure therapy is a way to help people confront what scares them or what they are avoiding, but in a therapeutic manner so that their fear decreases. Dr. Rothbaum is a pioneer in the application of virtual reality for the treatment of psychological disorders and developed virtual reality exposure therapy. For Iraq veterans diagnosed with PTSD, she uses a Virtual Iraq to match what they are describing from their traumatic experiences in Iraq. Virtual reality has also been used to treat people with fears of flying and public speaking, and with addictions.
Dr. Rothbaum has won both state and national research awards and is an internationally invited speaker. Author of over 200 scientific papers and chapters, she has also published four books on the treatment of PTSD and edited two others on anxiety. She is a past president of the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies, and served on their Board of Directors. She now serves on the Scientific Advisory Board for the Anxiety Disorders Association of America and was also an associate editor of The Journal of Traumatic Stress.
Awards and Credentials
- Fellow, American Psychological Association, Division of Trauma Psychology (Division 56), September 2008
- Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA) Research Award for Research in Anxiety Disorders, March 2005
- Fellow, American Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology, 2002
- Diplomate in Behavioral Psychology (ABPP), awarded by the American Board of Professional Psychology, December 1993
Recommended Reading List
- Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD: Emotional Processing of Traumatic Experiences, Therapist Guide. Foa, E. B., et al. (2007). Oxford.
- Reclaiming Your Life from a Traumatic Experience: Client Workbook. Rothbaum, B. O., et al. (2007). Oxford.
- “Using Virtual Reality to Help Our Patients in the Real World.” Rothbaum, B.O. (2009). Depression and Anxiety, 26.
