Types of Therapy
Finding a good fit
Types of Therapy
Acceptance
and Commitment Therapy
— A C T —
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a type of mindful therapy that teaches the individual to stay focused on the present moment and to accept thoughts and feelings without judgment, combining mindfulness skills with the practice of self-acceptance.
Cognitive
Behavioral
Therapy
— C B T —
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is typically a short-term treatment that emphasizes the evaluation of current functioning and problems; CBT operates under the premise that problems are based on unhelpful ways of thinking and learned patterns of unhelpful behavior.
Dialectical
Behavioral
Therapy
— D B T —
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) approaches thoughts and behaviors using additional modalities of emotional regulation, mindfulness, and groups. There is a focus on stress management, regulation, and positive relationships.
Originally developed for Borderline Personality Disorder, its usage has expanded to other mental health disorders in which individuals have difficulty with emotional regulation and self-destructive tendencies such as eating disorders, substance use disorders, and even PTSD.
Eye Movement
Desensitization and Reprocessing
— E M D R —
EMDR is therapy that was initially developed to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but has been expanded to treat other conditions. This treatment technique involves moving your eyes in a specific way with guided instructions while you process traumatic or distressing memories and experiences.
Based on Dr. Shapiro’s Adaptive Information Processing Model (AIP), that the brain stores traumatic events differently, while storing typical events smoothly, this treatment works to reprocess and repair the way the brain coded and stored the memory.
Emotion
Focused Therapy
— E F T —
Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) is traditionally known to work with couples but can be used for individuals and family work (EFIT, EFFT). EFT is based on the premise that emotions are key to identity; it focuses on building awareness of emotions, regulating, and resolving them, and encouraging people to work through their emotions rather than repress them.
EFT works to develop two main skills: identifying one’s emotions through increased awareness and acceptance, and learning to transform emotions and utilize the information they provide to make better choices and improve actions.
Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychodynamic Therapy examines the individual’s emotions, relationships, thought patterns, and even dreams. By identifying the individual’s psychological processes, people see how they avoid distress or develop unhealthy coping mechanisms like denial, repression, and rationalization, keeping painful memories and experiences stored in the unconscious.
Psychodynamic therapy emerged as a shorter and simpler version of psychoanalysis, yet still lengthier than other forms of therapy like CBT. The therapist will often explore early childhood experiences and relationships with parents; in this way, the relationship with the therapist is impactful and will help the therapist see how the individual interacts with friends and loved ones. As painful material is brought to the conscious, the defense mechanisms may reduce or ideally replace with healthier coping skills.
