“Mindfulness helps us get better at seeing the difference between what’s happening and the stories we tell ourselves about what’s happening” – Sharon Salzberg (Buddhist meditation teacher)
Treatment is tailored to suit the unique history, cultural background,
presenting concerns, and goals of each individual. Our clinicians have
experience in several therapeutic modalities including various types of
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) such as CBT for insomnia (CBT-I), CBT for
chronic pain (CBT-CP), cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and prolonged
exposure (PE) for trauma, and exposure and response prevention (ERP) for
obsessions and compulsions. When relevant, psychodynamic and humanistic
principles may also be integrated into the work you do with your psychologist.
In addition, we offer and often incorporate “third wave” therapeutic modalities, which are an evolution and extension of traditional cognitive behavioral treatment approaches. Third wave therapies integrate eastern spiritual principles and western psychological methods that prioritize the holistic promotion of psychological and behavioral processes associated with health and well-being over the reduction or elimination of psychological and emotional symptoms, although this typically is a “side-benefit.” Concepts such as metacognition, acceptance, mindfulness, personal values, somatic (movement/body based) strategies, and spirituality are frequently incorporated into what might otherwise be considered traditional behavioral interventions. Such forms of treatment include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). To read more about how our clinicians integrate these different therapeutic modalities please see below.
Psychotherapy – focuses on a mixture of learning and implementing concrete skills such as:
- Strategies to better manage challenging situations such as how do I improve communication with my partner or boss?
- How do I effectively implement boundaries and reduce my propensity to people please?
- Ways to respond to unwanted intrusive thoughts and unpleasant emotions
And/or in-depth inner work; progress towards a place of
deeper understanding and nurture self-discoveries. For example:
- Why do I have a tendency to remain in unfulfilling relationships?
- Why do I continue to work in a job that does not value me or with which I do not connect?
- In what ways is my negativity bias impacting how I interpret and respond to life circumstances?
- Work towards liberating oneself from the clench of fear
- Work towards not allowing anxiety to define who I am and what I can or cannot do
Wellness Coaching – focuses on improving attitudes and behaviors that impact physical health such as negative illness beliefs, fear and avoidance. Areas that we can work together to address include challenges with pain, sleep, gastrointestinal discomfort, smoking cessation, your relationship with food, and exercise/movement. We also work together to promote psychological adjustment to living with illness and/or physical/neurological disability. For example, identity changes following a new diagnosis or prognosis, medical trauma, healthcare burnout, acceptance of limitations, and improving communication with loved ones about health related issues.
Cognitive Remediation – involves re-learning, improving upon, or compensating for cognitive difficulties following injury or illness (e.g., concussion, brain tumor, stroke, multiple sclerosis) that impacts one’s thinking abilities. Goals vary and can include increasing safety, promoting autonomy, improving daily functioning, and reintegrating into professional, academic or social roles, with the ultimate goal of improving quality of life.