Philosophy and Treatment Approach
Philosophical Approach
My underlying philosophy is based on the idea that, we do the best we can possibly at a given moment in time with our available internal and external resources. If we could do “better” or otherwise, we would. Thus, a non-judgmental/acceptance-based perspective, with an assumption of health or intrinsic wellness, provides the basis of my work and practice with individuals. Often, when we are struggling to understand or integrate a circumstance, diagnosis, or condition that challenges our concept or sense of well-being, our perspective is slanted narrowly toward analyzing the problem. We lose sight of the the inherent health and our resilience during moments of considerable emotional pain.
I find the bigger questions asked through the course of treatment “loosen the reigning grip” or “shake up” the thinking and assumptions, which underlie certain “stuck” places; be it they pertain to emotional states of depression, anxiety, anger, grief, loneliness, or insufficiency. My underlying philosophy involves operating from a place of holism (simultaneously recognizing and addressing the mental/emotional, physical/somatic, and spiritual aspects of working with an individual), dynamism (understanding that we are always in a state of change), and functional contextualism; the latter is a way of recognizing and working with the multitude of factors involved in the change process. Insight, alone, rarely leads to meaningful behavioral or life changes.
Approach to Therapy
My approach to therapy is to help clients understand and make changes in accordance with their values. I use a Biopsychosocial framework for helping clients assess, understand, and implement cognitive-behavioral and appropriate systems-level interventions. I believe it is important to narrate or elucidate the therapeutic process in order to support clients to apply the basics of functional problem analysis to their model of understanding and intervening emotional/behavioral challenges. My objective is for clients to become their own superb problem-solvers and agents of change.
I meet clients where they are at, with regard to their motivation and readiness for change. Often, children are not excited to come to therapy. However, with more active modalities (e.g., Mindful movement, play, recreation), this changes within a session or two, as children and teens experience therapy as a place to be heard and valued; problem-solve in new ways; realize personal strengths; and have fun in the context of acquiring skills that contribute to emotional resilience. Although the reasons and problems that bring individuals to therapy are to be taken seriously, I find that laughter and humor play an integral role in personal transformation and healing.
Our (emotional) pain lives close to our values. When we parent or live day-to-day in a way that is distant from the things we hold as most important, this chasm creates psychological/emotional pain. In therapy, I present and work from a Biopsychosocial model, which I outline for clients. I teach the basis of functional analysis, which supports individuals to objectively examine how a behavior, particularly an issue or defined problem, is working versus not working to produce certain desired outcomes. Therapy is informed through education and broadening the basis of available resources.
My approach is to empower the clients with whom I work to identify and expand on the resources provided, since healing happens in a community. Therapy is based on a strong working relationship, where open dialogue, including dispute, is welcomed. It has been stated in contextual science circles that, “What you resist persists.” In this way, it is my experience that, treatment for depression revolves around behavioral activation. With kids, I tend to quote the infamous Nike slogan, “Just do it”.
It is almost an immediate “human” reaction to recoil from situations that are activating, or anxiety-producing. A majority of anxiety disorders, chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and co-occurring substance use behaviors are based on avoiding, escaping, and anticipating stressful triggers. Over time, our life activities and daily pursuits shrink versus expand or grow. Psychological/emotional pain compound the situation, as avoidance/escape work in the short-term, but produce barriers to living in accordance with personal values.
The cognitive-behavioral strategies with which I work (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness, graduated exposure) support individuals through the process of making contact with the thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, behaviors, and situations they typically avoid. I use a variety of strategies to assist clients to examine and move in the direction of their values and toward integrative healing. Through this process, individuals acquire a broadened array of choices, which include novel ways of perceiving and conceptualizing, as well as behavioral tactics for implementing practical change strategies. It has been my experience that, healing and transformation involve an internal shift (e.g., in thinking and feeling) and/or an external one, where solution-focused changes are required/needed in order to optimally manage a situation or problem.
Finally, since a majority of conditions (i.e., medical and psychological) have a nervous-system component (particularly sympathetic nervous system dominance or “over-activation”), many of the modalities with which I work facilitate skills-building related to biofeedback, relaxation training, and stress management.
When pertinent to furthering/improving communication and family relationships, I request to include a family member(s), which could include parents or another primary relationship. With clients struggling with trauma/PTSD, I often present the option of having a client include his or her spouse/partner, which can help clarify and facilitate relational support regarding certain unintentional avoidance/escape behaviors. My intention is to identify and facilitate better communication/understanding between my client and his or her family supports. Not only does this help repair relationships, but it fosters an on overall environment or culture of mutual support (i.e., for client and family), which maximizes treatment results.