Different psychotherapies and counseling can be available to both children and adults, and sessions can range from a few weeks to a few years depending on your personal goals. We also have the capability of linking physicians for patient medication evaluation and/or monitoring and evaluation for childhood disorders.
Psychotherapy techniques
Your therapist or counselor may use methods or techniques from different approaches to tailor therapy to your needs. In addition, some therapists specialize in certain modalities, such as art, play, or animal therapies. These psychotherapy techniques may include:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)- The goal of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is to identify and change patterns you have that may be harmful, or simply unhelpful to you. By identifying these patterns or behaviors, you and your therapist will work together in order to create more effective and helpful ones. This type of psychotherapy can be beneficial for those who struggle with depression, anxiety, or trauma-related disorders. Through CBT, it may be easier for you to recognize current problems that exist for you, as well as give you the tools to deal with them in an appropriate and effective way.
Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)- A type of CBT, this therapy technique is most commonly used for those with suicidal thoughts, borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It’s meant to help you process and regulate your emotions, a method that’s not as emphasized in traditional CBT. The goal is to tackle these emotions and teach new skills that will help each person take responsibility for unhealthy and negative behavior. It’s often done through individual and group therapy.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)- helps a child understand and accept their inner emotions. ACT therapists help children and teens use their deeper understanding of their emotional struggles to commit to moving forward in a positive way.
Emotionally focused therapy (EFT)- EMT focuses on strategies to help identify, express, and share emotions with others so that they may better understand your needs, wants, and desires. Thistherapy can help couples dig deeper and address emotions that hide beneath the surface. Once these emotions are uncovered, the couple can address the unmet needs and desires driving them.
The Gottman Method- The Gottman Method, developed by John and Julie Gottman, focuses on a few key behaviors that are detrimental to couples called “the Four Horsemen” — criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling. If your couples therapist utilizes this method, you can expect to share some background on past relationships, discuss areas of contention, talk through triggers, find shared values, and learn tools for managing present and future conflict.
Interpersonal therapy (IPT)- This form of psychotherapy focuses on helping you with underlying personal issues that may be affecting your social, personal, or professional life. In some cases, this can pertain to unresolved grief, sudden changes in your everyday life, or conflicts with loved ones and peers. The goal of this therapy is to create healthy communication skills and learn how you can relate them to resolving burdens and conflicts. It’s one of the most common therapy methods in treating depression.
Imago relationship therapy- This approach to couples therapy explores pain and patterns that go beyond one’s current romantic relationship. It looks at a couple’s challenges as a result of any neglect from childhood or needs that went unmet. If your couples therapist utilizes imago relationship therapy, they’ll help you and your partner explore your respective childhoods and understand how past experiences may impact your current view of relationships.
Narrative therapy- Narrative therapy views problems within the relationship as separate from the individuals involved, and focuses on providing a new perspective on the couple’s shared narrative. It helps couples identify and challenge negative stories or beliefs that may be influencing their relationship.
Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT)- involves working with children and teens who struggle with who they are. MBT is focused on helping children grow into healthy individuals.
Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)- helps parents and children who struggle with behavior problems or connection through real-time coaching sessions. Parents interact with their children while therapists guide families toward positive interactions.
Solution-focused therapy (SFT)- If there are one or two main problems that you and your partner are hoping to address in couples therapy, SFT is probably a good fit for you. Your therapist will help you envision the changes that you want to make in your relationship, working with you and your partner to develop a plan with actionable steps toward your goal(s).
Psychodynamic therapy- This therapy technique attempts to draw on past events, such as from your childhood, to see how they might be influencing negative behaviors or patterns you exhibit today in both physical and mental health. Through this technique, you’ll work with your therapist to become more self-aware of these patterns and change them. The goal is to let go of the influence of your past and take more control over your current life.
Psychoanalysis- Based on the theories of Sigmund Freud, this therapy examines your subconscious motivations or desires and how they may be influencing your relationships, actions, or thoughts. By examining these subconscious ideas, your therapist will help you become more self-aware of them and change them to promote healthy functioning and healing. This is typically thought of as a more intensive form of psychodynamic therapy, and sessions are usually conducted a few times a week.
Supportive therapy- This technique aims to help you develop your own resources through encouragement and guidance. It’s helpful in increasing self-esteem, bolstering coping mechanisms, reducing anxiety, and improving social functioning.