Treatments Used
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, is designed to help you let go of self-defeating behaviors and thought patterns, and refocus on life-affirming values and goals. Treatment generally involves learning and practicing mindfulness, recognizing unworkable coping strategies, detaching from unhelpful thoughts, exploring your values, and then learning how to take action towards those values. ACT has been shown to be an effective treatment for several issues, including coping with chronic pain and other health conditions, depression, and anxiety. The goal of ACT is not just symptom reduction, but also to increase psychological flexibility so that you can better handle and prevent overwhelming stress.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, has long been considered the "gold-standard" of evidence-based therapy and is designed to help you identify and change thoughts and behaviors that are maintaining distress. By understanding how core beliefs about yourself, others, or the world around you may be shaping your perspective, you can begin to transform those beliefs and create healthier, more balanced patterns. CBT is a highly researched form of therapy and can be especially effective for managing stress, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and coping with illness. We can work together to tailor cognitive behavioral treatment for your specific needs to maximize skill building and recovery.
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction, or MBSR, is designed to help you learn to focus your mind on the here and now, and let go of the regrets of the past or the anxieties of the future. Through learning and engaging in a regular mindfulness practice, you can stop operating on "auto-pilot" and take the driver's seat in your life, regardless of the obstacles you may face. MBSR has a quickly growing body of research supporting its effectiveness in decreasing stress and burnout, supporting health behaviors such as weight loss and proactive disease management, and improving overall well-being.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is a specialized form of CBT that is designed to improve sleep quality and quantity without the use of sleep medications. CBT-I works by changing behaviors and thoughts that are counter-productive to sleep and adopting new sleep habits that are known to promote sleep. It is a highly effective therapy for insomnia, even shown to have good results in individuals with chronic pain. It's also a relatively short-term therapy, with improved sleep quality often reported within 6 weeks. To learn more about CBT-I, read the Sleeping through the Pain blog post here.
Integrative Therapy
Sometimes several different therapeutic techniques are needed to achieve your goals. By integrating skills from several evidence-based therapies using a supportive and reflective approach, we can create a plan that best suits you. Whether you are working through a major life change, such as loss or divorce, or need additional support with a chronic stressor, we can help you reach your healthiest self.