The therapy world is filled with confusing acronyms for various treatments:
CBT, ACT, MBSR, EFT, EMDR, PsychoDynamic to name just a few. Before deciding on a type of treatment it is more important that you feel a sense of connection and rapport with the person you are choosing to become your therapist. The most important factor in therapy is the trust you build with your therapist. Without trust, the best treatment in the world will be ineffective. It is important that you check the therapist’s credentials to make sure they are licensed and, going a step further, you can contact the Board of Behavioral Sciences www.bbs.ca.gov to see if any complaints have been registered against them.
That being said, here is a brief description of the most popular treatments being used today:
CBT-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: talk therapy which helps people to find new ways to behave by changing their thought patterns. It focuses on how a person’s thoughts, beliefs and attitudes affect their feelings and behavior. The way you think is the problem, and therapist works with you to try and change negative or problematic thinking .
ACT- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: rather than trying to teach people to better control their thoughts, feelings and sensations, ACT teaches you to “just notice” accept and embrace exactly where you are at now.
MBSR-Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction: therapists assists you in developing meditation, body awareness, yoga and an exploration of patterns of behavior, thinking, feeling and action. Mindfulness can be understood as the non-judgmental acceptance and “open-hearted” investigation of present experience, including body sensations, internal mental states, thoughts, emotions, impulses and memories in order to reduce suffering or distress.
EFT-Emotionally Focused Therapy– Couples and families can benefit from this type of therapy. An EFT therapist observes the dynamics between clients in the therapy setting and ties this behavior to your home life in order to help direct new conversations and interactions based on more honest feelings. Therapist helps clients discuss their fears in the relationship, using language that doesn’t push the other away. Client learn to turn towards each other and discuss their needs and they become more responsive and open to each other.,
EMDR-Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing is a unique nontraditional form of therapy designed to diminish negative feelings associated with memories of traumatic events. Unlike most form of traditional therapy, EMDR focuses less on the traumatic event itself and more on the disturbing emotions and symptoms that result from the event. Treatment includes a therapist using bilateral stimulation either through the eyes, tapping or Neurotek equipment to help the brain process through traumatic events without having to talk about the actual details.
PsychoDynamic- An in-depth form on talk therapy based on the theories and principles of psychoanalysis. You are encouraged to speak freely about anything that comes to mind, including current issues, fears, desires,dreams and fantasies. The goal is to experience a remission of symptoms but also derive benefits such as increased self-esteem. This is a long-term therapy treatment.
Most therapists draw from a wide range of the above therapies. Make sure you ask them about their advanced education and training in any of the above treatments.
– Barbara Allyn Barry, M.S.Ed.,LFMT