Our providers utilize a variety of evidenced-based therapy models in their work in order to help you achieve your goals. We have provided a brief overview of the most frequently utilized modalities however this is not an exhaustive list.
Our therapists are always training and seeking new interventions throughout their practice. If you have any questions about which providers utilize specific modalities or are seeking a model not listed below, please reach out to the intake line or specific therapist individually for more clarification. A thorough assessment will be completed by your therapist prior to determining the most effective modality for you. Once a modality (or modalities) have been chosen, all risks and benefits will be discussed in detail with your therapist in order for you to consent with the identified treatment plan.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a very common modality utilized in talk therapy. CBT focuses on understanding and reframing cognitive distortions. CBT helps increase awareness between thoughts, feelings beliefs and behaviors which helps decrease emotional distress and common mental health symptoms. CBT helps individuals recognize dysfunctional assumptions, automatic thoughts and identify core beliefs that were formed in childhood and earlier life experiences.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is an evidenced based therapy that works by stimulating the brain in ways that lead it to process unprocessed or unhealed memories; leading to a natural restoration and adaptive resolution. EMDR therapy doesn’t require talking in detail about a distressing issue. EMDR instead focuses on changing the emotions, thoughts or behaviors that result from a distressing experience (trauma). EMDR involves using side to side eye movements (or bilateral movements through “tappers” or a light bar) in a specific and structured format.
EMDR helps you process the negative images, emotions, beliefs and body sensations associated with traumatic memories that seem to be stuck. These can contribute to a range of mental health problems. EMDR is an eight-phase treatment method (history taking, client preparation, assessment, desensitization, installation, body scan, closure and reevaluation of treatment). EMDR allows your brain to resume a natural healing process. EMDR is showing effectiveness in treating other symptoms such as social and generalized anxiety, panic, grief/loss, substance use, depression and phobias.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
ART aims to reprocess distressing memories and desensitize emotional and physiological responses associated with trauma, allowing individuals to experience relief from symptoms in a relatively short period. ART incorporates elements of several treatment modalities, including EMDR, Gestalt, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and brief psychodynamic therapy (BPP). From these therapeutic frameworks, ART employs techniques like rapid eye movement, exposure, imagery rescripting, and guided imagery to help the brain find relief and help clients change their feelings about past traumatic memories.
ART has been recognized as an effective psychotherapy for PTSD, depression, stress, and personal resilience. Similar to EMDR, ART doesn’t require talking through past traumatic memories to be effective; however many find verbal processing in ART sessions also helpful. ART has also been classified as a promising therapy for symptoms of phobia, panic, anxiety, sleep and wake disorders, disruptive and antisocial behaviors, general functioning and well-being.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples (EFT) is evidenced-based model grounded in attachment theory and conceptualizes the negative, rigid interaction patterns and absorbing negative affect that lead to distress in couple relationships in terms of emotional disconnection and insecure attachment. EFT helps couples gain better emotional functioning, stronger bonds and improved interpersonal understanding.
Therapists will utilize EFT treatment principles including achieving empathic attunement, fostering an empathic, caring therapeutic bond, facilitating task collaboration, helping the client process experience appropriately to the task, supporting completion of key client tasks, and fostering client development and empowerment within this modality. EFT does show the highest evidence of success when compared in research to alternative models.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT)
TF-CBT is an evidence-based treatment approach shown to help children, adolescents, and their parents (or other caregivers) to help overcome trauma-related difficulties. It is designed to reduce negative emotional and behavioral responses following trauma, including child sexual abuse and other maltreatment, domestic violence, traumatic loss, mass disasters, multiple traumas, and other traumatic events. This model is evidenced based for children ages 3-18 years of age and for non-offending parents who have been exposed to a minimum of one trauma.
The treatment addresses distorted or upsetting beliefs and attributions related to the traumas and provides a supportive environment in which children are encouraged to talk about their traumatic experiences and learn skills to help them cope with ordinary life stressors. This modality draws upon others to create a specific protocol which includes psychoeducation and parenting skills, relaxation techniques, affective expression and regulation, cognitive coping and reprocessing, trauma narrative an processing, In-vivo exposure, conjoint parent/child session and enhancing personal safety and future growth.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
ERP is considered a gold standard in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorders. ERP works to break the conditioned response between obsessions and compulsions. ERP is also utilized with phobias, anxiety disorders and eating disorders.
In ERP, a client is encouraged to confront the stimuli that trigger distress related to their obsessions while also resisting the urge to perform compulsions in an attempt to reduce their distress. ERP is designed to gradually reduce the anxiety that feeds obsessions and compulsions. One way in which this is thought to happen is through a process called habituation, whereby people become less physiologically aroused by triggering stimuli or obsessions after being repeatedly and safely exposed to them.
Clients are directly exposed to stimuli that generally evoke fear, distress, obsessive thoughts, or compulsive, ritualistic behavior (exposure component).Clients learn therapeutic techniques to help prevent their usual maladaptive response; as a result, they get accustomed to experiencing a trigger but not giving in to the compulsion (response-prevention component). This therapy requires practicing these exposures both inside of and outside of therapy sessions.