What is Therapy?
Therapy is a conversation and an experience. It is an art and a science. Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is one of the oldest professions in the world. Communities around the world have always relied on healers and people in whom to confide.
Therapy is based on the principles of psychology, the study of the human mind and behavior. It aims to answer questions like, "Why do we do what we do?" and "How do we change?" Modern psychology evolved from and borrows heavily from many disciplines, such as philosophy, theology, science, neurology, medicine, politics, and law. Therapy may touch on any of these areas and many others. The beauty of therapy is that you can talk about any topic.
Therapy is based on the principles of psychology, the study of the human mind and behavior. It aims to answer questions like, "Why do we do what we do?" and "How do we change?" Modern psychology evolved from and borrows heavily from many disciplines, such as philosophy, theology, science, neurology, medicine, politics, and law. Therapy may touch on any of these areas and many others. The beauty of therapy is that you can talk about any topic.
How Does it Work?
All approaches to therapy rely on the therapeutic relationship, i.e. the connection between the therapist and the client(s). This conclusion has been found in countless studies.That relationship is a key factor in the success of therapy, so it's important to find someone you click with. Having someone you can trust to talk about any and all aspects of your life can allow you to understand and love yourself better, and, in turn, do the same for others.
Therapy:
~ Provides a space to talk about and work through our ideas, emotions, difficult experiences, and areas of conflict
~ Looks at past experience and personal histories as context for current patterns in life
~ Explores themes in our relationships, environments, and styles of communication
~ Builds upon our connections with others and helps us better understand ourselves
~ Works toward untangling, managing, and relieving internal distress
~ Brings focus to our wants, needs, fears, goals, and any speed bumps in our mind
~ Looks at past experience and personal histories as context for current patterns in life
~ Explores themes in our relationships, environments, and styles of communication
~ Builds upon our connections with others and helps us better understand ourselves
~ Works toward untangling, managing, and relieving internal distress
~ Brings focus to our wants, needs, fears, goals, and any speed bumps in our mind
Approaches You May See in Your Treatment
Exploratory
Psychodynamic Therapy
Derived from psychoanalytic therapy, psychodynamic therapy focuses on:
~ Understanding unconscious or subconscious motivations
~ Improving personal relationships
~ Understanding how past experiences affect the present
~ Gaining insight and experiencing catharsis through expressing emotion
~ Finding the root causes of certain patterns of behavior
Psychodynamic therapy often involves working under your defenses (or defense mechanisms) rather than challenging them. For instance, I may go along with your life plans This technique only works if I don't tell you that I'm using in that moment. It's important to point out that this is not a trick--it's an intentional strategy. I may, however, share what I did after the fact to shed light on that process to help you gain insight.
I may also respond to your question with a question--not to annoy you or avoid answering--but rather to help you experience the discomfort of sitting with something, of taking responsibility, of not receiving instant gratification. I can create the environment in which you feel safe enough to be challenged to come up with a solution because 99% of the time, I'm not going to be there to tell you what to do or say when you’re faced with life’s inevitable challenges. Ultimately, you need to be ready to think on the spot and through your strong anger, sadness, or fear. With success, such support will help you feel encouraged to and confident to address whatever life throws your way. In DBT, this would be called helped you regulate your emotion so you can access your wise mind.
~ Understanding unconscious or subconscious motivations
~ Improving personal relationships
~ Understanding how past experiences affect the present
~ Gaining insight and experiencing catharsis through expressing emotion
~ Finding the root causes of certain patterns of behavior
Psychodynamic therapy often involves working under your defenses (or defense mechanisms) rather than challenging them. For instance, I may go along with your life plans This technique only works if I don't tell you that I'm using in that moment. It's important to point out that this is not a trick--it's an intentional strategy. I may, however, share what I did after the fact to shed light on that process to help you gain insight.
I may also respond to your question with a question--not to annoy you or avoid answering--but rather to help you experience the discomfort of sitting with something, of taking responsibility, of not receiving instant gratification. I can create the environment in which you feel safe enough to be challenged to come up with a solution because 99% of the time, I'm not going to be there to tell you what to do or say when you’re faced with life’s inevitable challenges. Ultimately, you need to be ready to think on the spot and through your strong anger, sadness, or fear. With success, such support will help you feel encouraged to and confident to address whatever life throws your way. In DBT, this would be called helped you regulate your emotion so you can access your wise mind.
Relational Therapy
emGone are the days where the therapist was considered a blank slate. Using the therapeutic relationship to understand patterns in other relationships. Who you work with affects the treatment. You may have feelings towards me based on my individual factors (demographics, such as gender, ethnicity, race, culture, or appearance, personality, etc.) that will be different than if working with another therapist. Expressing these biases and working through them can provide a corrective experience.
Self-Disclosure (when appropriate)
Although I may use this technique in conjunction with any therapy approach, I will most commonly use it as part of Relational Therapy.
Self-disclosure means sharing some of my experiences as it relates to your journey, situation, or experiences, including, perhaps, what I learned so you know I can relate to you to some extent. I’ll never know exactly what it’s like for you to experience anything, but some situations I can more closely relate to. I may share my experiences regarding challenges or struggles I’ve worked through where I no longer feel triggered by memories or other stimuli anymore. This may, in turn, also provide healthy modeling for you of what that can look like to have worked through a trauma successfully
Note: Self-disclosure will NEVER involve me sharing in order to get emotional support from you.
Self-Disclosure (when appropriate)
Although I may use this technique in conjunction with any therapy approach, I will most commonly use it as part of Relational Therapy.
Self-disclosure means sharing some of my experiences as it relates to your journey, situation, or experiences, including, perhaps, what I learned so you know I can relate to you to some extent. I’ll never know exactly what it’s like for you to experience anything, but some situations I can more closely relate to. I may share my experiences regarding challenges or struggles I’ve worked through where I no longer feel triggered by memories or other stimuli anymore. This may, in turn, also provide healthy modeling for you of what that can look like to have worked through a trauma successfully
Note: Self-disclosure will NEVER involve me sharing in order to get emotional support from you.
Practical / Skills-Based
The Gottman Method
Designed by the country's foremost relationship expert, Dr. John Gottman, and his wife Dr. Julie Gottman. The Gottmans are psychologists with the most comprehensive, decades-long research about couples. They have an institute where they train therapists and treat couples.
The Gottman Method improves romantic relationships by:
~ Identifying the healthy and unhealthy patterns in your relationship
~ Educating you about universal principles in healthy relationships across cultures
~ Reinforcing the idea that it's not just about being a good fit, you must work to make your relationship healthier and more fulfilling
The Gottman Method improves romantic relationships by:
~ Identifying the healthy and unhealthy patterns in your relationship
~ Educating you about universal principles in healthy relationships across cultures
~ Reinforcing the idea that it's not just about being a good fit, you must work to make your relationship healthier and more fulfilling
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
A practical approach to manage certain symptoms by:
~ Distinguishing between thoughts, feelings, and actions
~ Learning the connections between these factors and how to modify them
~ Training to use practical skills to effectively cope with negative thoughts and feelings
~ Distinguishing between thoughts, feelings, and actions
~ Learning the connections between these factors and how to modify them
~ Training to use practical skills to effectively cope with negative thoughts and feelings
Dialectic Behavior Therapy (DBT)
A type of CBT that is designed for individuals who experience emotions very intensely, including those with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and those with BPD tendencies. These tendencies include black-and-white thinking, forming unstable relationships, engaging in risky behaviors, and splitting (oversimplifying people into "all good" or "all bad" rather than complex). DBT focuses on developing 4 core skills:
~ Mindfulness
~ Emotional regulation
~ Distress tolerance
~ Interpersonal effectiveness
~ Mindfulness
~ Emotional regulation
~ Distress tolerance
~ Interpersonal effectiveness