MY APPROACH
I seek to provide a safe place to help people develop new strategies to change old patterns that are not working in their lives. My aim is to help people learn to identify unconscious patterns of their inner world by them being reflected in the therapeutic relationship. While these patterns are identified and become conscious, the door to developing the capacity to understand and change them opens. In addition, this further helps in understanding the defenses used to protect the self that could be leading to certain unhelpful emotions and patterns in relationships. By identifying these, we work towards seeing other healthier options of being. However, I do follow an eclectic approach depending on what works for the client and some of the evidence based approaches have been mentioned below.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is a therapeutic process which helps patients understand and resolve their problems by increasing awareness of their inner world and its influence over relationships both past and present. The relationship facilitates a process where unconscious patterns of the patient's inner world become reflected in the patient's relationship with the therapist. This process gradually helps patients to identify these patterns and, in becoming conscious of them, to develop the capacity to understand and change them. In addition, I approach therapy with an intuitive approach. Most importantly, while this is the main approach I use, I do add a blend of further approaches if and when required as per the clients needs.
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Supportive psychotherapy uses direct measures to ameliorate symptoms and to maintain, restore, or improve self-esteem, ego functions, and adaptive skills. It includes comforting, advising, encouraging, reassuring, and listening, attentively and sympathetically. The therapist provides an emotional outlet or catharsis- the chance for patients to express themselves and be themselves. In addition, the therapist may inform patients about their illness or use the process of psycho-education. The therapist usually encourages her patient to expand his or her interests or participation in the world. To an extent, this therapeutic modality focuses especially on developing adaptive capacities that take into account the patient’s limitations.
Supportive Psychotherapy
ACT relies on a term called “psychological flexibility”, which helps clients change their relationships to their thoughts, connect with the present moment, and make behavior choices that serve their values. Therapists use talk therapy and experiential exercises to identify avoidant behavior and build tolerance for sitting with pain, discomfort, and uncertainty - all of which are essential human experiences. ACT does not attempt to directly change or stop unwanted thoughts or feelings but instead encourages people to develop a new and compassionate relationship with those experiences. This shift can free people from difficulties attempting to control their experiences and help them become more open to actions consistent with their values.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that has been extensively researched and consistently shown to be effective at treating a variety of mental health issues. It focuses on recognizing how unhelpful thought patterns impact feelings and behavior. Through various techniques and between-session “homework,” clients can begin adapting helpful thought patterns.
TF-CBT (Trauma Focused CBT) is another approach I use with clients. In addition, problem solving therapy focuses on looking at various alternative solutions that could work for certain problems that clients face and comes under the umbrella term of CBT. Another form of CBT is that of MB-CBT or mindfulness based CBT used for situations that are difficult to change.
Behaviour Therapy
This form of therapy seeks to identify and help change potentially self-destructive or unhealthy behaviors. It functions on the idea that all behaviors are learned and that unhealthy behaviors can be changed. The focus of treatment is often on current problems and how to change them.
-
Within this I also use the approach of systematic desensitization depending on the clients needs. It’s often used to treat phobias.
-
I also provide relaxation and breathing techniques such as JPMR.
-
Social skills training and role playing are other approaches used for individuals with social anxiety etc.
Cognitive Retraining
Cognitive retraining is a therapeutic strategy that seeks to improve or restore a person's skills in the areas of paying attention, remembering, organizing, reasoning and understanding, problem-solving, decision making, and higher level cognitive abilities. These skills are all interrelated.
The purpose of cognitive retraining is the reduction of cognitive problems associated with brain injury, other disabilities or disorders, and/or aging, thereby improving the quality of their lives.