Mind and Mood
Regulation
Disclaimer
The information provided in my coaching sessions, website, or materials is for general guidance and personal development purposes. It does not constitute therapy, counseling, or professional medical advice. Please seek assistance from a licensed therapist or healthcare provider if you have specific mental health or medical needs.
Therapy Resources
Concepts and Approaches
Therapy is comprised of many approaches, each suited to treat various challenges an individual may face.
The following high-level summary of therapy methods is intended to help individuals seek the right one for them.
Even if you don’t seek therapeutic support, learning about the underlying bodies of knowledge on a self-guided basis can improve self-awareness and help us effectively regulate our thought and mood patterns.
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CBT operates on the assumption that the way people think and interpret life events affects how they behave and feel.
Individuals can learn practical skills to adjust and re-align negative thoughts, feelings and behaviors that may be underlying root causes of challenges they are experiencing.
Commonly Used to Treat:
Depression
Anxiety
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Phobias
Personality disorders
Eating disorders, including bulimia, anorexia or binge eating disorder
Substance use disorder and alcohol use disorder
Check Out This Free Resource
Provided without affiliation by the Beck Insitute.
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DBT is essentially an extension of CBT with emphasis on mindfulness to improve the social and emotional aspects of an individual's life.
DBT teaches an individual skills to practice acceptance and change maladaptive thought and behavior patterns. The term 'dialectical' refers to finding a balance between the seemingly opposing nature of acceptance and change.
Commonly Used to Treat:
Borderline personality disorder
Substance use disorders
Major depressive disorder
Bipolar disorder
Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Eating disorders
Check Out This Free Resource
DBT Skills, Worksheets, Videos
Provided without affiliation by DialecticBehavioralTherapy.com.
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This type of therapy focuses on the need for an individual to achieve meaning, purpose, and actualization in their lives. This broader approach to therapy has 5 subsets:
Person-Centered Therapy
Focuses on empowering the individual to be the expert in their lives and guide the focus of therapy sessions.Our $0.02 — This approach can help individuals who are capable of navigating open waters with a degree of vulnerability to lead, as well as patience to not expect the therapist to guide and solution.
Gestalt Therapy
Focuses on supporting an individual who strives to impose order and meaning to everything they see and experience.Our $0.02 — This approach and the underlying philosophy may help individuals who overgeneralize themselves or the circumstances that surround them.
Existential Therapy
Focuses on supporting an individual's desire to understand their existence while supporting their need to account for everyday living challenges.Our $0.02 — This approach can help individuals who are struggling with understanding the point of life or what their purpose is.
Solution-Focused Therapy
Focuses on empowering an individual to realize they have the power to create solutions and make positive changes.Our $0.02 — This approach can help individuals who feel overwhelmed and powerless to overcome challenges and restore joy in their life.
Transactional Analysis
Focus on how an individual feels, thinks, and behaves in the broader context of the systems and cultures in which they exist.Our $0.02 — This approach can help individuals with idealistic views of how they and/or others should exist, or who struggle to create healthy separation between their sense of self and their circumstances and surroundings.
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This type of therapy regards that an individual's thoughts, behaviors, defense mechanisms, and resulting mental health conditions are motivated by unconscious desires, thoughts, emotions, and memories.
The following techniques are commonly used to help individual tap into their subconscious:
Transference Analysis
Recognizes that an individual's thoughts and behaviors toward the therapist are indicative of conditioning from childhood experiences with caregivers and authority figures. As the therapist analyzes the individual, they become aware of their own unconscious feelings and thoughts about the patient — known as countertransference.Dream Analysis
By analyzing recurring symbols and imagery from an individual's dreams, the therapist can help them explore potentially maladaptive patterns of thought and behavior.Interpretation
By focusing on an individual's body language, emotional expression, as well as verbal and non-verbal cues, the therapist interprets the narrative surrounding the individual's conscious and unconscious thoughts and behaviors.Free Association
Allows the individual to talk openly about whatever is on their mind in a free-flowing stream-of-consciousness where they are able to recognize unconscious thoughts and beliefs, empowering them to adapt thought and behavior patterns with a greater sense of agency. -
This form of therapy avoids treating specific issues an individual is experiencing in favor of a systemic approach that accounts for physical, mental, existential, and social contributing factors in order to promote more beneficial and fundamental improvements in overall health.
Various modalities of holistic therapy include:
Breathwork
This form of therapy helps an individual regulate their nervous system with techniques that increase awareness and control of the breath, while also creating a meditative state while the focus is uniquely trained to the breath.Somatic Experiencing
This form of therapy focuses on how the body stores unprocessed or unreleased emotions. The goal is to help an individual become aware of physical sensations in the body and identify the trapped emotions in order to release them.Hypnosis
This form of therapy allows an individual to experience deep relaxation and focus in order to alter their state of consciousness and improve mood and mental outlook.Body Work
This form of therapy focuses on releasing pain, discomfort, and tension throughout the body by inserting thin needles at various pressure points throughout the body.Reiki
This form of therapy focuses on an individual's energy and attempts to remove blockages that may be contributing to physical, mental, and emotional health issues.Expressive Therapies
This form of therapy helps an individual express emotion they may otherwise struggle to recognize, fully experience, or communicate. Techniques vary but can include music, dance, art, and performance drama.Yoga Therapy
This form of therapy involves adopts principles from the practice of yoga to improve emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing. Specific techniques may include body postures (asanas), breath work, meditation, visualization, and relaxation techniques.Recreational Therapy
This form of therapy promotes positive emotions and improved mental outlook by engaging in recreational or leisure activities.
Service Providers
Types of Mental Health Providers
Seeking mental health support for the first time can be intimidating. Understanding where to start can help.
While not exhaustive, the following summary of providers is intended to help individuals seek support from a professional best suited for their particular needs and circumstances.
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Psychiatrists are physicians specialized in the treatment of mental illness.
Functions typically performed:
🟢 Diagnose mental health condition(s)
🟢 Prescribe and manage medication
🟡 Provide therapy
A key benefit to having a psychiatrist as part of your care team is to receive greater depth of knowledge on psychiatric medications and alternative treatment modalities than a primary care doctor is typically able to provide.
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A clinical psychologist holds a doctorate in psychology.
Functions typically performed:
🟢 Diagnose mental health condition(s)
🟡 Prescribe and manage medication
🟡 Provide therapy
If you are not working with a psychiatrist, a clinical psychologist can be a great alternative due to their expertise in testing and diagnosis, combined with their ability to coordinate care with other therapy and medication management providers.
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Licensed therapists typically train in one of several related disciplines.
Licensed clinical social workers (LCSW) hold a masters or doctoral degree in clinical social work. They tend to specialize in one specific area (e.g., adolescents, addiction recovery, etc.).
Licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT) hold a masters or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy. They specialize in treating mental illness across one or more members of a family.
Licensed professional counselors (LPC) and licensed mental health counselors (LMHC) hold a masters or doctoral degree in counseling, clinical psychology, or school psychology.
Functions typically performed:
🟢 Diagnose mental health condition(s)
🔴 Prescribe and manage medication
🟢 Provide therapy
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Family care doctors, pediatricians, and internists can diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe medication.
Functions typically performed:
🟢 Diagnose mental health condition(s)
🟢 Prescribe and manage medication
🔴 Provide therapy
Primary care physicians are a great option when quick accessibility and existing trust/rapport are key factors. Due to less specialization, they may wish to provide bridge care as you wait to be seen by a psychiatrist, PMHNP, or clinical psychologist.
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PMHNPs are psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners who can prescribe and monitor medication, as well as provide counseling. This role may also be referred to as advanced practice psychiatric nurses.
Functions typically performed:
🟢 Diagnose mental health condition(s)
🟢 Prescribe and manage medication
🟡 Provide therapy
PMHNPs can be a great alternative to a psychiatrist if availability and cost are important factors in your care.
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School psychologists hold a masters, specialist, or doctoral degree in school psychology, or a closely related field. Various degree designations include Master of Education (M.Ed), Education Specialist (Ed.S), Master of Arts (MA) or Science (MS) in psychology paired with a certificate of advanced study, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in psychology or education, Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D), and Doctor of Education (Ed.D).
School psychologists conduct psychological testing and diagnosis as well as counseling. They champion investment in resources that support the development of healthy behaviors and prevent avoidable challenges students with various mental health conditions may encounter.
Functions typically performed:
🟢 Diagnose mental health condition(s)
🔴 Prescribe and manage medication
🟡 Provide therapy
Levels of Intensive Care
When an individual is experiencing severe mental health issues there are more intensive options for seeking care.
Examples of situations that may merit intensive care include an inability to function or cope with daily life, substance abuse, lack of a safe and supportive environment, suicidal ideation, or psychotic episodes. Severe mental health issues don’t necessarily present suddenly; they can build gradually but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take them seriously.
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Inpatient care is often used during crises or psychiatric emergencies.
Inpatient programs involve participants living at a treatment center or hospital to receive around the clock supervision and care through therapy and medication management.
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Combining aspects of inpatient and outpatient programs, PHP provides patients the flexibility to continue normal living activities while receiving more intensive care than outpatient programs provide.
It typically involves about 5 hours of therapy per day (including group and individual therapy) for five days a week. Medication management is also provided if deemed necessary.
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Outpatient programs provide structured treatment without living at a treatment center or hospital. Adolescents attend at least 6 hours of normally scheduled therapy sessions per week, while adults attend at least 9. Programs vary in length but typically last 6 weeks.
Crisis Support
Dial or text 988 if you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or experiencing a mental health crisis.
Trained crisis counselors are available 24/7 and will listen empathetically and without judgment.
Crisis counselors work to help you feel safe and will explore options for mental health services near you.
Finding a Provider
It can be challenging to find a therapist or psychiatrist to trust with personally sensitive matters.
Psychology Today is a great resource to find providers in your area.
I’m always happy to share referrals to a provider or discuss types of therapy that may be most appropriate to your needs.