Free therapy, what’s the catch?
There is no catch. We are a community who wants to do our part in fighting the pandemic. This project began out of one personal story, but the stories of those affected by Covid-19 and its ripple effects are in the hundreds of millions. The idea for this project sprung out of one American CBT psychologist sitting in a 14-day quarantine in Hong Kong, anxiously waiting to be released to see her father diagnosed with terminal cancer. Her travel quarantine was supposed to be only half the time, but due to the U.S. rise of the Delta variant in July 2021, the Hong Kong government postponed its plans to reduce quarantine for U.S. travelers. Targeting needle phobia and medical anxiety is one of the most effective ways we can reduce the spread of variants and get on with our lives. However, it’s the collective that matters so much more than this humble kickoff. Please join us.
Who’s behind this project?

This project was created by Jocelyn Sze, PhD, a licensed psychologist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She holds a BA in psychology from Stanford University (Phi Beta Kappa) and PhD in clinical psychology from UC Berkeley. Dr. Sze specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for phobias and other forms of anxiety, as well as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for the treatment of trauma. She serves as treasurer of the trauma nonprofit, Bay Area Trauma Recovery Clinical Services, and board member for the McCune Foundation, which supports grassroots projects that empower and mobilize excluded populations. Dr. Sze is justice oriented. She sees needle phobia as a public health and social justice issue: not just on the individual to figure out, but paramount for those in power (policy makers, healthcare leaders, and media outlets) to do better to articulate a more inclusive and empathic approach to healthcare. For more information about Dr. Sze go to www.cbtsanfrancisco.com.
Jocelyn’s husband, Doug McCune, was instrumental in the tech components of this project.
Contact us
Feedback or questions? Want to collaborate with us? You can contact us at freeneedlephobiaCBT@gmail.com.
Conflict of interest statement
This project was created in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Disclaimer: Information being provided on this website is general in nature and is not intended to replace or serve as therapy. Should you be experiencing emotional distress, it is encouraged that you contact your doctor to locate a mental health professional in your area. Seek immediate help if you are experiencing thoughts of harming yourself or others at your nearest emergency room.