CBT is based on the philosophy that thoughts influence feelings; therefore, negative thinking patterns create negative mood states. CBT is a research-supported treatment for identifying and changing negative thinking patterns that contribute to depression, anxiety, and unsatisfactory relationships. Using CBT, clients learn how to regain control over thinking patterns and remain calm and relaxed when dealing with stress and other daily life hassles.

Techniques used: relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided visual imagery, thought-stopping and tracking negative automatic thoughts.

DBT is very similar to CBT, as it is a research-supported therapeutic approach that focuses on thoughts and emotions that influence our behaviors; however, it also adds components of Eastern mindfulness meditation and concepts of validation and dialectics. DBT understands that an individual is shaped by their biological predispositions and lived experiences. DBT involves learning new tools and skills to empower you to be as effective as you can be in your life. More specifically, these skills help you become more aware of your own thoughts and emotions, tolerate distress, regulate emotions, and effectively get your needs and wants met in relationships while also maintaining self-respect.

Mindfulness-based interventions are those therapeutic approaches that are grounded in mindfulness. They promote mindfulness practice as an important part of good physical and mental health. Mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), dialectal behavior therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) are some mindfulness-based interventions currently utilized in therapy. Designed to deliberately focus a person’s attention on the present experience in a way that is non-judgmental, mindfulness-based interventions, whether offered individually or in a group setting, may offer benefit to people seeking therapy for any number of concerns.

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) or Exposure Therapy is a type of behavioral therapy that is designed to help people manage problematic fears. Through the use of various systematic techniques, a person is gradually exposed to the situation that causes them distress. The goal of exposure therapy is to create a safe environment in which a person can reduce anxiety, decrease avoidance of dreaded situations, and improve one's quality of life.

Developmental psychology, a broad area of study exploring the development of humans over time, involves the examination of the ways people develop over the course of their lifespan as well as the evolution of cultures as a whole. Those who work in the field of developmental psychology seek to better understand how people learn and adapt to changes over time.

Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) aims to help promote mental and emotional healing by encouraging people in treatment to be compassionate toward themselves and other people. Compassion, both toward the self and toward others, is an emotional response empirically shown to be an essential aspect of well-being. Its development may often have the benefit of improved mental and emotional health.

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) teaches mindfulness skills to help individuals live and behave in ways consistent with personal values while developing psychological flexibility. Practitioners of ACT help individuals recognize ways in which their attempts to suppress, manage, and control emotional experiences create challenges. By recognizing and addressing these challenges, individuals can become better able to make room for values-based actions that support well-being.

EMDR is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. Repeated studies show that by using EMDR therapy people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma. When you cut your hand, your body works to close the wound. If a foreign object or repeated injury irritates the wound, it festers and causes pain. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. EMDR therapy demonstrates that a similar sequence of events occurs with mental processes. The brain’s information processing system naturally moves toward mental health. If the system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of a disturbing event, the emotional wound festers and can cause intense suffering. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. Using the detailed protocols and procedures learned in EMDR therapy training sessions, clinicians help clients activate their natural healing processes.

Interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB) was developed by Dan Siegel and Allan Schore. IPNB uses the clinical evidence that supports continuous brain growth as its foundation. This technique examines the opportunity for healing trauma by stimulating the brain with powerful and positive persuasion. This method explores the effect that therapy has on the brain and how the brain mechanism is directly impacted by life experiences. Having a fully accepting connection with another person (like with your therapist in therapy), with whom you can feel free to be fully yourself without fear of judgment is essential of the deepest brain integration. Studies have shown that conditions that were once considered to be irreversible may actually be able to be transformed in a healthy way. Because the brain grows continuously throughout our lives, the implications for healing are unending. This technique is being used across a broad sector of the population, including with those who work in the areas of mental health, education, parenting, business, industry, and others.

Person-centered therapy, also known as Rogerian Therapy due to the fact it was developed by a psychotherapist named Carl Rogers, is a type of therapy that diverged from the traditional model of “the therapist as expert” and moved instead toward a nondirective, empathic approach. Person-centered therapy empowers and motivates the client in the therapeutic process and identifies that each person has the capacity and desire for personal growth and change. The therapy is based on Rogers’s belief that every human being strives for and has the capacity to fulfill his or her own potential. Person-centered therapy has had a tremendous impact on the field of psychotherapy and many other disciplines.

Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use. Harm Reduction is also a movement for social justice built on a belief in, and respect for, the rights of people who use substances of abuse.

Motivational interviewing is a counseling method that helps individuals resolve ambivalent feelings and insecurities to find the internal motivation they need to change their behavior. It is a practical, empathetic, and short-term process that takes into consideration how difficult it is to make life changes.

Relational–Cultural Therapy is built on the premise that, throughout the lifespan, human beings grow through and toward connection, and that we need connections to flourish, even to stay alive. This theory views isolation as a major source of suffering for people, at both a personal and cultural level. The theory behind this approach centers around positive interpersonal factors such as growth-fostering relationships and mutual empathy as well as cultural factors that facilitate validation and empowerment for marginalized populations. The approach seeks to reduce sources of individual isolation and social injustice, such as racism, classism, and homophobia, which contribute to chronic disconnection.

Emotion-focused therapy (EFT) is a therapeutic approach based on the premise that emotions are key to identity. According to EFT, emotions are also a guide for individual choice and decision making. This type of therapy assumes that lacking emotional awareness or avoiding unpleasant emotions can cause harm. It may render us unable to use the important information emotions provide.

Relational psychotherapy, an approach that can help individuals recognize the role relationships play in the shaping of daily experiences, attempts to help people understand patterns appearing in the thoughts and feelings they have toward themselves. Based on the idea that strong and fulfilling relationships with other individuals can help people maintain emotional well-being, this model may be beneficial to people seeking therapy for any number of reasons, but in particular to address long-term emotional distress, especially when distress occurs as a result of relational concerns. Learn

Psychodynamic therapy, also known as insight-oriented therapy, focuses on unconscious processes as they are manifested in a person's present behavior. The goals of psychodynamic therapy are a client's self-awareness and understanding of the influence of the past on present behavior.