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.

How Does it Work?

All approaches to therapy rely on the therapeutic relationship, i.e. the connection between the therapist and the client(s). 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

Approaches That You May See in Your Treatment

While there are many nuanced approaches to therapy, most approaches can be categorized into the more exploratory and the more practical / skills-based.

Psychodynamic Therapy

Derived from psychoanalytic therapy, psychodynamic therapy focuses on:

~ Understanding unconscious 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

Relational Therapy

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.

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. Click here to learn more

The Gottman Method improves romantic relationships by:

~ Identifying the healthy and unhealthy patterns in your relationship

~ Educating you about principles that are common in healthy relationships

~ 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

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 as "all good" or "all bad" rather than complex). DBT focuses on developing 4 core skills:

~ Mindfulness

~ Emotional regulation

~ Distress tolerance
 
~ Interpersonal effectiveness