Other Modalities
Behavioral Therapy
Behavioral therapy is rooted in behaviorism, which is the idea that we learn from our environment. It is a more focused type of therapy in the sense that it narrowly focuses on modifying a specific behavior. Behavioral therapy involves both classical and operant conditioning, related to forming associations between a stimulus and a behavior to alter a behavior (classical) and increasing or decreasing a behavior through reinforcement (operant).
While there are many different kinds of behavioral therapy (e.g., Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and Exposure Therapy), behavioral therapy is used to treat a wide a variety of mental disorders including mood, anxiety, obsessive and/or complusive, phobic, addictive, ADHD, and personality disorders. Most commonly, behavioral principles accompany other modalities given the behavioral components and targeted interventions inherent to other treatments such as within the context of CBT and DBT.
Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy
Developed the 1950s out of discouragement by psychoanalysis, psychologist Albert Ellis developed what is now called Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). At the core, REBT posits that most of our behavioral and emotional problems—from getting over a breakup to handling child abuse—stem from our own irrational beliefs about our situations and how we should be treated. By changing those beliefs, we can change our emotions and behaviors for the better.
Rational emotive behavior therapy later sparked the creation of CBT. Both encompass the notion that emotions and behavior are predominantly generated by ideas, beliefs, attitudes, and thinking, so changing one’s thinking can lead to emotion and behavior change. Unlike CBT, REBT explores the philosophic roots of emotional disturbances, encourages unconditional self-acceptance, and distinguishes between self-destructive negative emotions and appropriate negative emotions. In essence, REBT helps individuals to identify irrational beliefs and actively challenge them in a way that allows the individual to do this on their own.
Humanistic-Existential Therapy
Humanistic-Existential Therapy is a unique, person-centered approach to psychotherapy that emphasizes the inherent worth, goodness and potential of individuals, who are viewed as constantly evolving and changing.
Combining principles of both humanistic and existential psychology, this approach focuses on the importance of personal growth, self-actualization, self-determination, creativity, and the search for meaning and purpose in life. In therapy, it encourages clients to take ownership of their choices and actions and responsibility of their life. The therapeutic relationship is a crucial component of this approach, which also focuses on personal values and beliefs, as well as embracing uncertainty, meaning-making, and phenomenological methods.
A journey towards living an authentic life.
Attachment-Based Therapy
Attachment-based therapy was developed in the 1960s from the work of British psychologist John Bowlby, who first proposed the impact of early attachments to at least one primary caregiver as necessary for a sense of security and the supportive foundation need to freely interact with the environment, to explore, to learn from new experiences, and to connect with others. Identifying four different attachment styles—secure, anxious, avoidant, and disorganized attachment—this theory sparked tremendous interest and exploration into attachment styles and how they may inform individuals’ relationships in adulthood.
Attachment-based therapy is a brief, process-oriented form of counseling. The client-therapist relationship is a tool and is based on developing or rebuilding trust and centers on expressing emotions. An attachment-based approach to therapy looks at the connection between early attachment experiences and the ability to form healthy emotional and physical relationships as an adult. Attachment-based therapy aims to build or rebuild a trusting, supportive relationship that will help prevent or treat mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
