Types of Psychotherapy

 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

This evidenced based approach involves identifying and working with automatic thoughts that often lead to a range of negative emotions and maladaptive behaviors. Using a collaborative approach, I assist you to develop skills to identify and challenge repetitive distorted thought processes to help you incorporate a more accurate and adaptive internal dialog that aids in the empowerment and development of a stronger, more confident Self.  In addition, we can look at any ineffective behaviors that may contribute to your difficulties, and problem-solve ways to incorporate more prosocial behaviors and choices by collaboratively setting specific goals.  


Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR is a psychotherapy developed by Francine Shapiro that emphasizes disturbing memories as the cause of psychopathology. It is used to help with the symptoms of trauma. According to Shapiro, when a traumatic or distressing experience occurs, it may overwhelm normal coping mechanisms. The memory and associated stimuli are inadequately processed and stored in an isolated memory network. The goal of EMDR is to reduce the long-lasting effects of distressing memories by developing more adaptive coping mechanisms. The therapy uses an eight-phase approach that includes having the patient recall distressing images while receiving one of several types of bilateral sensory input, such as side to side eye movements. EMDR was originally developed to treat adults with PTSD; however, it is also used to treat other conditions in adults and children.

 

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

DBT is a cognitive behavioral treatment that was originally developed to treat chronically suicidal individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and it is now recognized as the gold standard psychological treatment for this population. In addition, research has shown that it is effective in treating a wide range of other disorders such as substance dependence, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and eating disorders.

What skills are taught in DBT?

DBT includes four sets of behavioral skills.

  • Mindfulness: the practice of being fully aware and present in this one moment

  • Distress Tolerance: how to tolerate pain in difficult situations, not change it

  • Interpersonal Effectiveness: how to ask for what you want and say no while maintaining self-respect and relationships with others

  • Emotion Regulation: how to change emotions that you want to change

There is increasing evidence that DBT skills training alone is a promising intervention for a wide variety of both clinical and nonclinical populations and across settings.

 

Depth Psychology

This approach focuses on the psyche, human development, personality formation, and individuation.  Individuation is a process of bringing our unconscious potential into a concrete living reality.  This process helps to secure a bridge between an individual and the unconscious as well as the individual and his/her wider community. By incorporating both an inner and outer exploration, one discovers a more potent sense of meaning and purpose in life.
 


Imaginal Psychotherapy

This orientation to psychology draws on human processes that are both ancient and new and processes that particularly acknowledge and engage the transformative nature of our human imagination including spiritual traditions, somatic practices, creative arts, mythology, indigenous wisdom, literary and poetic imagination, deep ecology, mystical philosophy, cultural history, and social critique.

 

Couples Therapy

 

Emotional Focused Therapy (EFT)

EFT also known as Emotionally-focused therapy and process-experiential therapy, is a usually short-term (8–20 sessions) structured psychotherapy approach to working with individuals, couples, or families. It includes elements of Gestalt therapy, person-centered therapy, and attachment theory. Emotionally-focused therapy proposes that human emotions have an innately adaptive potential that, if activated, can help clients change problematic emotional states or unwanted self-experiences. Emotions themselves do not inhibit the therapeutic process, but people's inability to manage emotions and use them well is seen as the problem. Emotions are connected to our most essential needs. 

 

"Earth, isn't this what you want? To arise in us invisible? Is it not your dream to enter us so wholly there's nothing left outside of us to see? What if not transformation is your deepest purpose?" Reiner Maria Rilke