Psychodynamic: Our life force adapts to obstacles and restrictions, developing mechanisms that help us cope. Because they work so well, we may not even be aware of them. Even if we feel unfulfilled, we hold to patterns which we know and have protected us. Through psychodynamic therapy, the client can identify adaptations that are self-defeating. Then a process can begin in which the client can make conscious decisions that are nurturing.
Cognitive-behavioral: We cannot control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond. Often we even act on what we think happened to us, with our thoughts becoming reality. With cognitive-behavioral therapy, we gain awareness of our perceptions — filters through which we see the world — and learn how to re-view in ways that are productive. With the capacity to shift one’s thinking, the client is no longer bound by circumstances.
EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing): This technique maximizes the benefits of psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Our defense mechanisms and mental loops are a function of our wiring, and EMDR reprograms our neurological pathways. For example, if someone fell off a chair and broke their arm, they might have a certain physical reaction to a chair, which remains after any awareness of the event and its effects. Through the use of eye movement, the therapist helps the client create positive connections and associations.
Brainspotting: Brainspotting allows access to the intuitive, body-based brain. On an experiential level, it educates people about what’s actually happening in their brain. Because it’s so direct, issues can get resolved more quickly and without clients having to actually relive the intensity of the original trauma. Learn More.