EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES
Psychodynamic therapy
Psychodynamic therapy is a therapeutic approach that focuses on identifying how past childhood experiences influence current thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Clients work with their therapist to discover unconscious patterns that affect their lives today. By understanding these patterns, clients gain valuable insights into their emotions, relationships, and day-to-day functioning. This process often involves discussing feelings about the therapeutic relationship itself, which can reveal relational patterns that occur outside the therapy room. Similar to other therapy approaches, psychodynamic therapy aims to increase self-awareness and promote emotional healing so that individuals can develop healthier relationships with others and with themselves, increase healthy coping strategies, and improve general well-being.
​CBT
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a structured, goal-oriented approach that focuses on the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This therapy helps individuals identify and challenge maladaptive thoughts and behaviors that contribute to emotional distress. By recognizing these patterns, clients learn to replace unhealthy habits with healthier ones using techniques like mindfulness, problem-solving, and behavioral experiments. The overall aim is to empower individuals to take control of their thoughts and actions, leading to improved emotional well-being and a greater sense of agency. Through this process, clients can build resilience and develop more adaptive ways of coping with life’s challenges.
Trauma-Focused CBT
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is a specialized treatment designed to help children, adolescents, and their families recover from the effects of trauma. This evidence-based approach combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with trauma-sensitive principles, providing a structured way to address the emotional and psychological impact of traumatic experiences.
DBT
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)-informed therapy is an approach that adapts the core principles of DBT to provide support for individuals facing emotional regulation challenges, relationship difficulties, or self-destructive behaviors. DBT informed therapy focuses on teaching the essential skills and strategies without the client participating in the full structure of the comprehensive program.
In DBT-informed therapy, clients learn skills in four areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Mindfulness helps individuals stay present and aware of their thoughts and feelings, while distress tolerance teaches coping strategies for managing difficult emotions. Emotion regulation focuses on understanding and modifying emotional responses, and interpersonal effectiveness aims to improve communication and relationship skills.
Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a therapeutic approach that combines components of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with mindfulness practices. This therapy is designed to help individuals develop greater awareness of their thoughts and feelings, particularly those related to depression and anxiety. By cultivating mindfulness, clients learn to notice when they are becoming overwhelmed by negative thoughts, allowing them to respond more constructively.
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic approach designed to help individuals process and heal from traumatic experiences. This evidence-based therapy involves a structured process where clients recall distressing memories while simultaneously engaging in specific bilateral stimulation, often through guided eye movements. This unique combination helps the brain adaptively process traumatic memories, leading to a reduction in symptoms associated with trauma, such as anxiety, flashbacks, and emotional overwhelm or numbness.
IFS
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a therapeutic approach that views the mind as a system made up of parts. This model helps individuals explore and understand the different aspects of themselves, including those that may be in conflict or cause emotional distress. IFS encourages clients to recognize and embrace these parts, fostering a compassionate internal dialogue that promotes healing and integration.
ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention)
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is a specialized therapeutic approach designed to help individuals overcome anxiety disorders, particularly Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This evidence-based treatment focuses on gradually exposing clients to the thoughts, situations, or stimuli that trigger their anxiety while teaching them to refrain from engaging in compulsive behaviors. During sessions, clients face these fears in a controlled and supportive environment, learning to tolerate their anxiety without resorting to compulsive actions. This process helps desensitize them to their triggers over time.