Brainspotting (BSP)
Brainspotting therapy believes where you look affects how you feel! People typically are willing to briefly gaze into certain spots where there is high emotional charge. However, they are unable to fully process these spots due to lack of attunement and high emotional distress. A brainspotting therapist will help you find your exact spot in your visual field using the x,y and/or z axes while holding the space for you to reprocess your pains or disturbances to help integrate parts of yourself. The end results of brainspotting involves improved self- regulation and daily functioning.
visit www.brainspotting.com
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the idea that our thoughts and feelings play parts in driving behaviors consciously or not. For example, a person who spends a lot of time thinking about plane crashes, runway accidents and other air disasters may find themselves avoiding air travel without possibly knowing why.
The goal of cognitive behavior therapy is to teach you that trying to control every aspect of the world around you leads to distress and/or cognitive distortions, but you can work to identify these dynamics and reframe/restructure them through processing to decrease symptoms and improve overall functioning of behaviors. Cognitive behavior therapy is recommended for short term therapy needs or symptoms related to anxiety/depression which impacts daily functioning.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) was founded by Marsha Linehan. She researched inpatient clients who struggled to stabilize from disorders. Her research supports the biosocial theory of development that we are born more sensitive; our environment impacted our development or both. She developed four core areas using skills based approach to help people recover and manage their lives better. DBT focuses on mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness and emotional regulation to help improve functioning.
Mindfulness is learning to live and be connected to what is going on now by learning six core areas. Distress tolerance is learning how to survive your own crisis without having to make false gestures or be hospitalized. Interpersonal effectiveness is learning how to get what you need and give others what they need in return, so balancing within relationships. Emotional regulation is to help with improved ability to manage moods and identify emotions within you. These skills can be taught individually or in group settings. Through psycho-educational and process therapy people are able to improve their social, emotional and mental health.
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) was discovered by chance when Dr. Francine Shapiro was walking through nature while having distressing thoughts. She ran with the idea that shifting eye movements help decrease distress and began to practice with the PTSD population. She later continued to discover, not only the current treatment protocol for EMDR but also the significance of bi-lateral stimulation in healing trauma.
It is noted through research that our right from hemisphere becomes less willing to function during traumatic events. Due to such decreased functioning people are often considered traumatized or stuck in fragmented parts of selves or situations. EMDR works with a trained therapist to bi-laterally stimulate your brain with eye movements or tappers while keeping dual awareness to reprocess your past. Through the process healing is happening. After about 4-5 processing sessions most clients notice a significant decrease in symptoms.
It should be noted that many people who suffer from trauma have poor sleep patterns often missing the element of Rapid Eye Movement or REM sleep. Healing typically happens during REM sleep. Bi-lateral stimulation could be viewed as mimicking REM sleep while you are awake to help with healing.
EMDR is at 8 step protocol that should only be used by trained EMDR therapist with EMDRIA approved training. The beginning stages of EMDR is all about resourcing to help identify your inner strengths and balance as we reprocess in later stages. Over time the goal would be to decrease the need for psychotropic medications and heal past traumas to find your life worth living again.
Imago Relationship Therapy (IRT)
Imago therapy is a type of relationship therapy that helps couples make breakthroughs in areas where they are stuck due to lack of relational skills and focuses on increasing communication as well as intimacy by maintain safety with self- regulation in session. Partners are drawn to each other for healing subconsciously or consciously but often repeating their childhood wounds/patterns. With safe attunement relationships can be restored and progress into new areas. Imago believes that conflict is good and something new trying to birth into a relationship, if you allow it to by healing yourself.
Somatic Experiencing (SE)
Somatic Experiencing developed by Peter Levine’s work with animals and use of polyvagal theory to identify how trauma is stored in our bodies, which polyvagal theory also supports or linked to significant mental health and medical research.
Visit: https://traumahealing.org
