Approach To Therapy

I provide client-centered services that uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and a variety of other theoretical modalities to create a safe therapeutic environment. Below are some of the more common treatment approaches used in individual therapy. However, I do recognize that each person responds differently to treatment, and am able to adapt treatment modalities to meet the needs of each client and their family.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive-behavioral therapy stresses the role of thinking in how we feel and what we do. CBT focuses on inaccurate or negative thinking to address emotional challenges. I will assist in identifying, testing the reality of, and correcting dysfunctional beliefs that negatively impacts thinking. CBT has been clinically proven to help clients in a relatively short amount of time with a wide range of disorders, including depression and anxiety.

Inference-Based Cognitive Therapy (IBCT)
IBCT is a specialized form of cognitive therapy designed to treat Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Unlike traditional CBT, which focuses on challenging the content of obsessive thoughts, IBCT targets how the obsession is formed in the first place. IBCT is based on the idea that OCD thoughts arise not from real perceptions or evidence, but from doubt and imagined possibilities—what the therapy calls "inferential confusion." People with OCD tend to distrust their senses and instead rely on hypothetical or imagined scenarios ("What if...") that feel real. Break the obsession-compulsion cycle by challenging the way doubts are inferred, not just the fears themselves

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is a gold-standard treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and a type of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). In ERP, individuals are gradually exposed to the thoughts, images, or situations that trigger their obsessions (Exposure), while refraining from performing compulsions or avoidance behaviors (Response Prevention). The goal is to help individuals: (1) Learn that anxiety and discomfort can fade on their own without rituals (2) Break the cycle of obsessions and compulsions (3) Reduce fear and increase tolerance to uncertainty.
Over time, repeated exposure without giving in to compulsions leads to less anxiety and a greater sense of control over OCD.

Solution-Focused Therapy
Solution-focused therapy targets what works rather than what is wrong. It emphasizes the strengths and resources of the client in a collaborative effort to reach goals and resolve problems rapidly. Rather than searching for the causes of the problem, the focus is on defining the changes and making them a reality.

Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Motivational interviewing attempts to increase the client’s awareness of the potential problems, consequences, and risks experienced as a result of identified dysfunctional behavior. I can assist you in envisioning a better future, and become increasingly motivated to achieve it. The strategy is for you to think differently about their behavior and ultimately consider what might be gained through change. Motivational interviewing has been shown to be especially effective in working with addictive behaviors.