Therapy

About Therapeutic Modalities

Dialectical-Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a deritive of CBT that focuses more on the emotions rather than thoughts.

DBT has the following functions:
- Improve client's motivation for change
- Enhance clients' capabilities
- Help clients generalize skills/behaviors to their natural environments
- Structure the treatment/program and environment

Strategies include:
- Increase mindfulness and sitting with difficult emotions (distress tolerance)
- Better understand motivation behind emotions and maladaptive coping skills

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a form of therapy that has been shown to be effective and leads to significant improvements in quality of life.

CBT is based on a few basic principles:
  -Some of our thoughts are based on incorrect or unhelpful thinking.
  -Stem from learned patterns of unhelpful behavior.
  -People can learn how to better manage and/or alleviate problematic thoughts and behaviors

CBT treatment usually involves efforts to change thought patterns. These strategies include:
  -Learning to recognize the biases in your thinking that are causing problems and re-evaluate them in the light of reality.
  -Better understand the behavior and motivations of others.
  -Use problem-solving skills to handle difficult situations.
  -Learn to be confident in ones' abilities.

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a different form of therapy that concentrates on finding solutions in the present, based on what you already do to be successful through appropriate coaching and questioning.

SFBT principles include:
- People have the strength, wisdom, experience to effect change.
- Goal-setting is the foundation of treatment.
- A positive, respectful and hopeful outlook is always mirrored by the clinician.
- Brief is in the title; treatment is typically complete after 5-8 sessions.

Strategies include:
- "The miracle question"
- The solution to the problem is found in the "exceptions"; when is the problem not happening, and what are you doing during it? How can we replicate those times?
- Specific questioning techniques, 0-10 scales, empathic support.
- Individuals learn to focus on what they can do, rather than what they can’t do.