MY SERVICES
COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY
Cognitive-behavioral therapy focuses on changing the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that negatively impact our lives: mentally, emotionally, and physically. Often, we are unaware of many of the thoughts and beliefs we have, yet they have a tremendous impact on the way we feel. In the context of chronic pain, persons with chronic pain usually have ways of thinking about the pain that intensifies the pain, and maintains it, often at a high level, because of the great amount of fear that these thoughts and beliefs create.
CBT for insomnia is also the GOLD STANDARD treatment for sleep! We use the same principles above to improve sleep and fatigue.
ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT THERAPY (ACT)
A core focus in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, is that suffering is due to our struggle with and avoidance of uncomfortable thoughts and feelings; like, for example, anxiety. ACT encourages us to open up and learn how to experience these thoughts and feelings, rather than fighting and resisting them. In ACT, instead of spending time “tugging the rope” with our mind, emphasis is placed on making life meaningful by acting on our values, or in other words, taking committed action toward what’s important to us.
DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOR THERAPY (DBT)
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a type of talk therapy (psychotherapy). It’s based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), but it’s specially adapted for people who experience emotions very intensely. “Dialectical” means combining opposite ideas. DBT focuses on helping people accept the reality of their lives and their behaviors, as well as helping them learn to change their lives, including their unhelpful behaviors.
MINDFULNESS
Mindfulness is the practice of becoming more fully aware of the present moment—non-judgmentally and completely—rather than dwelling in the past or projecting into the future. It generally involves a heightened awareness of sensory stimuli (noticing your breathing, feeling the sensations of your body, etc.) and being "in the now." If you are experiencing thoughts that cause great discomfort or unease, it might be time to begin a mindfulness practice to support coming back to the here and now, which can significantly reduce your level of stress.