Therapy

Therapy is a general term for a way of treating emotional and psychiatric disorders. Psychotherapy involves talking about your condition and related issues with a trained mental health professional.  It is often referred to as "counseling."

Through therapy sessions, you may learn about the cause of your condition to better understand it; identify and change thoughts and behaviors that adversely affect your life; explore relationships and other experiences; find ways to cope and solve problems; and, learn to set realistic life goals.

Therapy can be short-term, with just a few sessions, or it can involve many sessions over years.  It can take place in individual, couples, family or group sessions.  Sometimes, psychotherapy is combined with medication treatment.

Common Types of Therapy:

Cognitive-Behavior Therapy - identify unhealthy negative beliefs and behaviors and replace them with healthy, positive ones. Your own thoughts - not other people or situations - determine how you think and act.  Even if an unwanted situation doesn't change, you can change the way you think and behave in a positive way.

Interpersonal Therapy - focus is on current relationships with others with the goal of improving your interpersonal skills - how to better relate to and communicate with others.

Mindfulness - A simple yet powerful way of paying attention to difficult emotions and life experiences by drawing from Eastern meditative practices and cognitive therapy for a sense of hope and well-being.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy ("ACT") - focus is on accepting and feeling (not resisting) your emotions but not turning your choices over to them.  You commit to living a full, meaningful life even though you struggle with your past, your fears, or sadness. 

Psychoeducation - teaching you and family members about your condition and learn ways to cope, adjust, or problem-solve.

Family systems - an individual's problem often exists in the context of family, school, or work (a larger system).  You learn to communicate and problem-solve within those systems. Therapy involves more than one person - often parents and children.

Couples' counseling - for relationship or marital issues with focus on communication, meeting emotional needs, recovering from affairs, relationship renewal, or phase of life adjustments couples might face.