Acceptance and commitment therapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a type of psychotherapy that helps one accept the difficulties faced in life without requiring the impulse to “fix” our reactions. ACT is an empirically supported psychotherapeutic approach that is a cousin to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Humanistic Psychology. ACT theorizes that greater well-being can be attained by moving through negative thoughts and feelings. Essentially, ACT looks at your character traits/values and behaviors to assist you in reducing avoidant coping styles. ACT also addresses one’s commitment to making changes, and what to do about it when you can't stick to your goals.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMdr) Therapy - in training

Originated by Francine Shapiro, Ph.D., EMDR is an integrative psychotherapy approach to treat trauma.  EMDR therapy is an individual treatment approach that tends to be shorter than traditional talk therapy. EMDR therapy uses a standardized protocol to target the stored memories of trauma and reprocess it through bilateral stimulation.  The result is decreased distress around the memory and less psychological symptoms.

EMDR therapy is recommended by several organizations including the National Institute of Clinical of Excellence, which identified EMDR as one of the empirically supported treatments for adult PTSD. Among treatments for PTSD, EMDR is conditionally recommended by the APA to treat PTSD and is a recommended treatment approach by the Department of Veterans Affairs in the Treatment of PTSD.

mindfulness and buddhist psychology

Mindfulness, from a therapeutic, secular perspective is a conscious awareness of our present moment that helps us to stay open and non-judgmental about our experiences. While mindfulness is often linked with relaxation, this would be more of a side effect. The focus is on increasing our awareness of the thoughts, feelings, and actions that create pain and self-violence. When we are better able to do confront our negative self-talk (self-violence), we can engage with those aspects of ourselves, learn to tweak our language, and choose how to respond.

Buddhist therapy has deep roots in many psychotherapeutic techniques by focusing on our positive human potential, on goals that are actually within our reach, and recognizes how our expectations cause our suffering. Its impact reaches far beyond the relief from suffering and the promotion of healthy states of mind like happiness, compassion, love and joy.

reality therapy

Reality therapy (RT) is a client-centered form of cognitive behavioral psychotherapy. RT works to improve present relationships (self and others) and circumstances, while avoiding discussion of past events. RT is based on the idea that our most important need is to be loved, to feel that we belong, and that all other basic needs can be satisfied only by building strong connections with others. Reality therapy teaches that while we cannot control how we feel, we can control how we consciously think and behave. The goal of reality therapy is to help people take control of improving their own lives by learning to make better choices.

Meaning-centered counseling

Dr. Paul Wong states “Meaning-Centered Counseling (MCC) capitalizes on the uniquely human capacity to discover and create meanings out of the raw and often painful life experiences. This model is integrative because meaning systems bring together cognitive, behavioral, motivational, affective, narrative, and cultural components.”

Dr. Wong continues “MCC is also intrinsically positive, because of its affirmation of the defiant human spirit to survive and flourish. MCC maintains that individuals have almost unlimited capacity to construct complex meaning systems that both protect them from the inevitable negative life experiences and empower them to make life worth living during very difficult times.”

Spiritual therapy

While there is not one encompassing approach to spiritual therapy, when one approaches therapy rooted in a place of spiritual acceptance, we connect to innate teachings and learnings that can help us heal. How one knows their faith, beliefs, and spiritual connectedness gives the therapeutic space the ability to recognize you in a deeper way. You are more than just thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; you are a spiritual being.

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Psychiatry

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