Treatment Methods

When receiving counseling services, each person and situation can be addressed using a variety of treatment techniques. It is important as a consumer, that you have some basic knowledge of the treatment you will be receiving. Depending on presenting issues one or more treatment modalities may be integrated to support your therapeutic needs. Read below to learn about treatment techniques you may experience at Living Better Counseling.

CBT is based of the idea that an individual’s cognitions or thoughts can potentially be errors in thinking that fuel mental health problems such as depression. These thought errors are also know as cognitive distortions or thought distortions. When an individual carriers several thought distortions they can influence an individuals behaviors and emotions negatively causing anxiety, depression, drug use, low self confidence, or any self defeating behaviors.

Client-Centered Therapy is used to help improve self-esteem, assist in helping you develop a sense of control that comes from within yourself, help you become more open to experiencing new possibilities in your life, and develop increases flexibility with outlook and copping styles. These objectives can be achieved by the therapist following the lead of the individual and regard you as your own expert on your own life and experiences. The role of the therapist is to provide a genuine, warm, supportive and caring environment for you to figure out your own problem and the key to resolve issue through self-actualization.

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. EMDR is primarily used to treat individuals who have experienced traumatic events, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but it can also be effective for treatment for disorders such as anxiety, depression, OCD, phobias, chronic pain, addictions, and other distressing life experiences. 

EMDR is a structured therapy that encourages the patient to focus briefly on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with the trauma memories. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and PTSD symptoms. Ongoing research supports positive clinical outcomes showing EMDR therapy as a helpful treatment for disorders such as anxiety, depression, OCD, phobias, chronic pain, addictions, and other distressing life experiences. 

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy or DBT was developed to treat individuals experiencing overwhelming emotions and symptoms of boderline personality disorder but can be used with any individual with overwhelming emotions.  The word “dialectic” refers to the examination of contradictory thoughts one might have and accepting them all at the same time. One of the primary techniques of DBT is to learn how to accept yourself, with all of your problems, while simultaneously acknowledging that basic changes need to be made if your life is going to improve.

CBT and DBT have similarities by exploring thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. DBT looks further into the interaction between the individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and by identifying how they interfere with an individual’s life and relationships. DBT can help reduce or eliminate suicidal and self harming behaviors by developing a set of skills that help reduce emotional reactivity, problem solve, improve relationships, improve control of self destructive behaviors, and help tolerate emotional discomfort.

Psychodynamic therapy is typically a longer-term form of therapy compared to some other approaches. It seeks to help clients gain self-awareness, improve their capacity for self-reflection, and develop healthier ways of relating to themselves and others. It is widely used in treating various psychological difficulties, including depression, anxiety, relationship issues, and personality disorders. It is rooted in the exploration of unconscious processes and understanding the complexities of human experiences

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a specific type of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that is used to treat individuals who have experienced traumatic events, particularly those diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The primary goal of Cognitive Processing Therapy is to help individuals cope with the distressing thoughts and feelings associated with traumatic events and to develop more adaptive beliefs and attitudes. It is based on the idea that how individuals think about their traumatic experiences influences their emotional and behavioral responses.

Solution-Focused Therapy or SFT, is a practical brief form of therapy that spends little time speaking about a detailed history of your problem, analyzing its origins, or giving a diagnosis. Instead SFT, is a collaborative process that moves your life toward a goal that you value. Through therapeutic collaboration between you and the therapist we explore past accomplishments by distinguishing steps necessary to bring about change. The purpose of SFT is to increase insight that the individual is more resourceful and capable of dealing with problems than they give themselves credit for, they just have to be reminded of their skills and success.

Bibliotherapy is a type of therapy that uses a book to aid in exploring and/or solving issues you may be experience during the therapeutic process. Selecting reading material relevant to current life situation can serve as a healing experience during adverse times.  Bibliotherapy was developed to work in conjunction with traditional therapy. At any given moment during therapy I may assign chapters or an entire book to use in conjunction with talk therapy. Below are several suggested readings in various therapeutic topics. Click on images below to find out about book or purchase.