Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based psychotherapy, first developed in the 1980s by Marsha M. Linehan, to treat patients suffering from borderline personality disorder. Since then, DBT’s use has broadened and now it is regularly employed as part of a treatment plan for people struggling with behaviors or emotions they can't control. This can include eating disorders, substance abuse, self-harm, and more. DBT is a skills-based approach that focuses on helping people increase their emotional and cognitive control by learning the triggers that lead to unwanted behaviors. Once triggers are identified, DBT teaches coping skills that include mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. A therapist specializing in DBT will help you to enhance your own capabilities, improve your motivation, provide support in-the-moment, and better manage your own life with problem-solving strategies. Think this approach might work for you?Reach out to one of our therapists today!

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a classic talk therapy technique that helps increase awareness of negative thinking in order to better handle challenging situations. In addition to helping those with mental health disorders (such as anxiety or depression), CBT is also helpful for anyone who is looking to learn how to manage stressful situations. Therapists that use CBT often have a structured program, which involves a set number of sessions. CBT is frequently paired with other treatments, such as medication, when necessary.

Trauma is defined as a deeply disturbing, threatening or scary event – everything from sexual assault, war, and violence, to car accidents or other incidents that could cause loss of life. Symptoms of experiencing a trauma may include severe anxiety, anger, nightmares, trouble sleeping, flashbacks to the event, frightening thoughts, avoidance of situations or places, feeling on edge and/or being easily startled.

It is not at all uncommon for people who go through something traumatic to have temporary difficulty coping and acute symptoms, but with time, they usually get better. However, if the symptoms last longer than a month, get worse rather than better and affect your ability to function, you may need help. When you are suffering in the aftermath of a trauma, it might feel like you'll never get your life back. The good news is that it can be treated. Trauma therapy will help to improve your symptoms, teach you the skills you need to deal with your trauma and help to build your self-esteem. Reach out to one of our therapists today!

Body image is how you see yourself when you picture yourself in your mind or when look in the mirror. Most people worry about how we look occasionally or see at least one aspect of our physical appearance we don’t like. But for some, these occasional thoughts can become frequent and disruptive. People with negative body image issues may avoid social situations and experience problems in relationships, depression, anger, anxiety, isolation, self-loathing and/or an obsession with weight loss. Body Dysmorphic Disorder (or BDD) is one example of a body-image disorder, characterized by persistent and intrusive preoccupations with an imagined or slight defect in one's appearance. The good news is that body image can be changed and BDD can be treated. Connect with one of our therapists today!

The Gottman Method is a therapeutic approach to couples therapy that includes a thorough assessment of the relationship and integrates the research-based intervention, the Sound Relationship House Theory, into treatment. The method (and Sound Relationship House Theory) is based on the research findings of John Gottman’s in depth studies of married couples. The Gottman Method emphasizes the importance of building a strong “friendship system,” believing that investing energy in building a positive connection and knowledge of each other’s inner worlds will make your relationship more fulfilling, and will also make it more resilient to weathering storms. The Sound Relationship House Theory, a fundamental part of the Gottman Method, describes the essential building blocks of marital intimacy for building a lasting and healthy relationship (it includes things like managing conflict and creating shared meaning). Some common issues that the Gottman Method addresses include frequent conflicts or fighting, poor communication, sexual difficulties, infidelity and financial problems, among others.

The Internal Family Systems Model (IFS), first developed by Richard C. Schwartz, is an integrative approach to individual psychotherapy that combines systems thinking with the view that mind is made up of separate sub-personalities, each with its own viewpoint and qualities. The focus of IFS therapy is to get to know each of these sub-personalities and understand how they work as a whole in order to better achieve healing. IFS can be used to treat individuals, couples, and families and it has been shown to be effective for treating a variety issues, including depression, anxiety, and panic.

Just like any other group, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) community faces mental health issues and unique challenges. However, LGBTQ individuals are almost 3 times more likely than others to experience a mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety. Additionally, more than half of individuals who identify as transgender experience depression or anxiety. The LGBTQ community is also at a higher risk for suicide. Young people are even more at risk, as they may experience a lack of support at home and fear, hatred or prejudice in school. If you are a member of the LGBTQ community and are facing mental health challenges, you don’t have to suffer in silence.

Person-centered therapy, also sometimes called Rogerian therapy or client-centered therapy, was first developed by Carl Rogers in the 1940s. Person-centered therapy borrows from humanistic approaches and is based on Rogers’ belief that all people are fundamentally good and have the ability to fulfill their potential. In person-centered therapy, clients will typically take more of a lead in sessions, with the therapist acting as a compassionate, non-judgmental facilitator. The idea is that, in the process, the client will steer their own journey of selfdiscovery and will find their own solutions.

Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a present and future-focused, goal-directed therapeutic approach that focuses, as the name suggests, on solutions. Instead of leading with the problems that brought clients to therapy in the first place, SFBT focuses on what clients want to achieve without exploring the history of the issue. SFBT is founded on the belief that clients know what they need to do to improve their lives and the approach provides coaching and questioning to help clients find the best solutions. Solution Focused Brief Therapy is used in the treatment of a variety of issues, including addiction, relationship problems, behavioral problems, abuse and depression.