My approach Integrates a few proven methods.
Client Centred:
It’s so important to me that you are ‘treated’ like an individual. When therapists just diagnose issues and prescribe treatment, regardless of what might work for you, that’s not how evidence-based treatments are meant to be used. This is why it is so important to consider your situation, background, goals, and preferences.
To me, being client centred includes being trauma-informed, because trauma can change our brain in ways we can’t necessarily reason or talk our way out of, which might impact which treatments are helpful.
Mindfulness:
Mindfulness means focusing on the present moment. It originated as a type of Buddhist meditation, and since its incorporation into psychology, science has confirmed that it’s a powerful practice for improving our brain’s ability to focus, and regulate emotion. The specific benefits of mindfulness are too many to name, but here is an article that reviews many of them.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT):
For decades, CBT has been considered the gold standard treatment for depression and anxiety. “Cognitive” refers to thinking, and “behavioural” refers to actions. Thoughts and behaviours impact each other, so we can use either behaviours or thoughts, as starting points towards change. This might involve writing out our thoughts, then seeing if those thoughts are helping us get better, or worse. With behaviours we can look at what we’re doing that might be making things worse, brainstorming actions that might help us feel better, and then find a manageable way to increase those ‘good’ behaviours.
So mindfulness involves accepting things as they are right now, without judgment; and CBT involves change and working towards improvement.
They seem kind of opposite, but really they work wonderfully together!
In fact, this balance between acceptance and change has been perfected by: