Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on how one's thoughts, feelings and behaviors are connected and can be changed. It is based on the idea that how we think (cognition) and how we feel (emotion) can influence how we behave. CBT helps people identify and challenge distorted thinking and replace it with more balanced thinking, leading to improved mood and behavior. ‘Homework’, usually containing practical writing exercises, is often completed by the client between sessions to reinforce the therapy. Examples of tools that practitioners often use are journaling, challenging beliefs, and mindfulness.

Holistic PsychotherapyHolistic psychotherapy emphasizes the individual's interconnectedness between the individual's physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects and views them as inseparable components of a single holistic system. Holistic psychotherapy focuses on understanding how these components interact and affect a person’s wellbeing. The goal of holistic psychotherapy is to create a sense of wholeness and harmony within the individual, and to foster self-awareness and self-care. Holistic practitioners use a variety of approaches, including traditional talk therapy, mindfulness practices, and body-based therapies like movement therapy. They also may incorporate nutrition, physical activity, and other lifestyle factors into treatment plans.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a form of therapy that combines cognitive behavioral therapy with mindfulness practices. It is based on the idea that our thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations can affect our mental health. MBCT helps individuals become aware of their thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations in order to gain insight and control over them. MBCT helps clients learn how to recognize their sense of being and see themselves as separate from their thoughts and moods. This separation can free the client from thought patterns in which the repeated negative messages may be dominating the client’s focus. After developing an awareness of the separation between thoughts, emotions, and the self, people in treatment may find that while the self and the emotions may exist simultaneously, they do not have to exist within the same dimension. The healing can take place when one learns how to interject positive thoughts into negative moods and thereby create a shift in mood.

Psychodynamic TherapyPsychodynamic therapy is a form of therapy that focuses on the unconscious mind and how it affects behavior. It works to help people understand and work through past experiences and feelings that may be causing difficulties in the present. This type of therapy encourages individuals to explore their emotions, relationships, and behaviors in order to gain insight into their current difficulties. It can help individuals better understand themselves and their motivations, and gain insight into how past events have impacted their current lives. People tend to develop defense mechanisms when faced with challenges in life. Defense mechanisms may keep painful feelings, memories, and experiences in the unconscious. A few common defense mechanisms include: denial, repression, and rationalization. Psychodynamic therapists encourage people to speak freely about their emotions, desires, and fears. Being open may help uncover vulnerable feelings that have been pushed out of conscious awareness. According to psychodynamic theory, behavior is influenced by unconscious thought. Once painful feelings are brought forth and processed, the defense mechanisms are no longer needed and a person in treatment can start changing unhelpful patterns when coping with life’s challenges.