Approach to Treatment
Evidence Based Treatments with an Eclectic Mix of Integrative and Traditional Approaches Developed to Suit Your Needs and Preferences
In my therapy practice, I am dedicated to providing a tailored and effective approach to support your unique needs and preferences. I integrate Evidence-Based Treatments (EBTs) to ensure that our therapeutic journey is grounded in scientifically validated methods, offering a solid foundation for addressing specific concerns.
Drawing from a diverse range of therapeutic modalities, including both integrative and traditional approaches, I aim to create a personalized and holistic treatment plan. This eclectic mix allows for flexibility and responsiveness, acknowledging that individuals vary in their responses to different techniques. By collaboratively combining proven EBTs with integrative and traditional methods, we can explore diverse strategies that resonate with you, fostering a therapeutic environment that feels both supportive and effective in promoting positive change and personal growth.
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Below you can read more about some of the therapeutic philosophies, theories, and interventions that I often use to guide my practice.
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Solution Focused Psychotherapy
A goal-oriented and future-focused psychotherapeutic approach that centers on identifying and building solutions rather than focusing on problems. Known for its brief and practical nature, Solution focused approaches often requires fewer sessions compared to traditional therapeutic approaches. The therapist collaborates with the client to explore strengths, resources, and potential solutions to the challenges they're facing. The emphasis is on setting clear and achievable goals and identifying steps to move toward those goals. Here, we can envision a future where problems are less prevalent or resolved by developing skills and behaviors that contribute to positive outcomes. This approach is client-centered, non-pathologizing, and empowering, fostering a sense of agency and self-efficacy.
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
A widely practiced form of psychotherapy that focuses on identifying and challenging negative thought patterns and behaviors. CBT is rooted in the premise that thoughts influence and are essentially responsible for our feelings and behaviors. This model aims to help individuals recognize and change unhelpful cognitive patterns that lead to negative emotionality and problematic behaviors. Through collaborative efforts between the therapist and client, CBT emphasizes the development of practical coping strategies and problem-solving skills to address challenges. The approach is goal-oriented and time-limited, often yielding effective results in relatively short-term treatment. CBT is utilized to treat a variety of mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, phobias, and stress, offering individuals tools to manage their emotions and improve their overall well-being.
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Acceptance & Commitment Therapy
A therapeutic approach that combines elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy with mindfulness strategies. ACT aims to help individuals accept the inevitable challenges and difficulties of life while committing to actions aligned with their values. The core concept of ACT is to foster psychological flexibility, allowing individuals to be open, present, and engaged with the present moment. This approach encourages acceptance of unpleasant thoughts and feelings rather than attempting to control or eliminate them. Mindfulness techniques are integrated to enhance awareness, and clients are guided to clarify their values and take committed action towards a meaningful life. ACT has been used effectively to address a range of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and stress-related conditions, emphasizing the importance of living in accordance with one's values despite the presence of challenges.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
A therapeutic approach adapted for the treatment of various mental health conditions. DBT combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with concepts of mindfulness and acceptance. The therapy is structured around four main skill sets: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Mindfulness helps individuals stay present in the moment, distress tolerance teaches strategies for coping with crisis situations without making things worse, emotion regulation focuses on managing intense emotions, and interpersonal effectiveness assists in developing healthier relationships. DBT emphasizes the balance between acceptance and change, encouraging individuals to accept themselves and their current circumstances while also working towards positive change.
Cognitive Processing Therapy
An evidence-based therapeutic approach designed to help those with PTSD process and reframe traumatic experiences. The model integrates cognitive-behavioral techniques to address the way individuals process and make sense of traumatic events. CPT treatment components include psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, exploring trauma impact, creating narratives, challenging stuck points, developing coping skills, and building safety and trust. CPT empowers individuals to shift perspectives on past events and develop healthier coping mechanisms. A trauma-informed approach and collaboration with other modalities enhance its effectiveness.
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Mindfulness-Based Therapy
An approach to psychotherapy that incorporates principles of mindfulness into the therapeutic process. Rooted in Eastern Buddhist practices, this form of psychotherapy aims to enhance an individual's awareness of their thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations in the present moment without judgment. By cultivating mindfulness, individuals develop a non-reactive and accepting stance towards their experiences. Techniques such as focused breathing and body awareness are often integrated to help clients become more attuned to their internal states. Mindfulness practices are effective in treating a range of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, stress-related disorders, and trauma. By fostering mindful awareness of one's thoughts and emotions, individuals can gain greater insight, emotional regulation, and a sense of presence in their lives.
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Integrative Approaches
An integrative approach recognizes the interconnectedness of various factors influencing mental health, fostering a comprehensive and individualized strategy for promoting overall wellness. A thorough mind-body-spirit assessment is conducted to tailor interventions to individual needs, integrating elements of traditional medicine and healing practices. In this comprehensive framework, many therapies are considered, such as ecotherapy, chronotherapeutics, and the healing benefits of companion animals. The influence of food and nutrition, along with the use of supplements, herbal medicine, and practices like hydrotherapy and detoxification, is acknowledged for their impact on mental health. Breathwork, bodywork, and other tailored exercises may be recommended to target specific health concerns. By emphasizing the mind-body connection, we can learn to calm an overactive sympathetic nervous system, which is common among those with a history of trauma.
Narrative Therapy
A collaborative and strengths-based therapeutic approach that centers around the idea that individuals construct the meaning of their lives through the stories they tell. Narrative therapy seeks to separate individuals from the problems they face, emphasizing that people are not defined by their challenges. Therapists engage clients in a process of exploring and reshaping the narratives of their lives, encouraging a more empowering and preferred storyline. Through the externalization of problems and the co-creation of alternative narratives, individuals gain a renewed sense of agency and control over their lives. Narrative therapy is particularly effective in helping clients reframe their perspectives, fostering resilience, and promoting positive change by facilitating a deeper understanding of their experiences within a cultural and societal context.
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Somatic Therapy
A holistic approach to psychotherapy that recognizes the intricate connection between the mind and the body. Rooted in the understanding that psychological distress often manifests physically, somatic therapy focuses on the body's sensations, movements, and gestures to explore and address emotional and psychological issues. Therapists in this modality guide clients to become more attuned to bodily sensations and use them as a gateway to accessing and processing unresolved trauma or stress. By incorporating techniques such as breathwork, movement, and mindfulness, somatic therapy aims to release tension, promote self-awareness, and facilitate the integration of emotional experiences. This approach is particularly beneficial for individuals who find it challenging to express or understand their emotions solely through traditional talk therapy, offering a complementary avenue to promote overall well-being and healing.
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Internal Family Systems
A therapeutic approach focusing on understanding and transforming the various parts within an individual's psyche. According to IFS, each person's mind consists of different subpersonalities or "parts," each with its own unique characteristics, emotions, and functions. These parts can often conflict with one another, leading to internal struggles and challenges. The therapist helps individuals explore and understand these internal parts, encouraging them to develop a compassionate and non-judgmental relationship with each part. The goal is to facilitate communication and harmony among these parts, fostering self-awareness, self-compassion, and a more integrated sense of self.
Collaborative Assessment & Management of Suicide
A therapeutic framework and clinical approach designed to assess and treat individuals at risk of suicide. It is a collaborative and client-centered method that emphasizes a strong therapeutic alliance between the clinician and the individual experiencing suicidal thoughts. CAMS involves a structured assessment of suicide risk, exploring the individual's specific suicidal experiences, and collaboratively developing a detailed understanding of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The process integrates the individual's perspective, providing a more accurate and nuanced understanding of their unique suicidal experience.
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Person-Centered Psychotherapy
A humanistic approach emphasizing the therapeutic relationship and the client's innate capacity for growth. Key principles include unconditional positive regard, where the therapist provides non-judgmental acceptance; empathy, involving a deep understanding of the client's experience; and congruence, or the therapist's authenticity. The goal is to create a safe space for clients to explore their thoughts and feelings, trusting in their ability to move towards self-actualization. This approach fosters self-awareness, self-acceptance, and positive change by facilitating a genuine and empathetic therapeutic relationship.
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