What is Therapy?
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Everybody gets stuck in their lives. It might show up as numbness, sadness, explosive anger, cutting, low self-confidence, frustration, worry, doubt, relationship tension, feeling "blue," school refusal, alcohol or drug abuse, or any number of other problems. While individuals respond quite differently to stress, being "stuck" is a universal experience. I help people change their relationship to the unwanted internal thoughts (e.g., "I'm ugly"), feelings (e.g., panic, shame), and sensations (e.g., tight muscles, cold sweats) that lead to feeling "stuck" and which get in the way of living the life they want to live.
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I am trained in a wide variety of treatment approaches including Behaviorism (Operant and Classical Conditioning), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Family Systems, Psychodynamic Therapies, etc. However, in my work with children, adolescents, and adults, my preferred form of treatment is something called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. ACT is an approach to the therapeutic process that assumes the client is the true expert of their own experience. ACT helps people stay connected to the "bigger picture" which leads them to make choices based on what is important to them, rather than making choices based on what they are trying to avoid.
While on the surface this might seem like a small distinction, in my experience, understanding that subtle difference can lead to powerful and lasting changes in a person's life.
- Dr Kent