Aurene (Alternative Therapist)

1. #1Affirmative Therapyselective

   Keys: Affirmative Therapy

   Overview: Affirmative therapy, or LGBTQ+ affirmative therapy, is a therapeutic approach that validates and advocates for the needs of sexual and gender minority individuals. Affirmative therapy employs a positive and informed lens when working with LGBTQ+ clients, as it celebrates and validates their identities, as well as acknowledges the stigma and obstacles that these clients may face. The opposite of affirmative therapy would be any therapeutic practice that aims to “fix” or change sexual and gender-diverse clients, or that judges or shames them.

   When it is Used: Affirmative therapy involves an awareness of societal challenges like stigma and bias—which can result in stress, anxiety, and depression—and helps clients process and cope with those challenges.

   How it Works: Sexual and gender minority individuals often face challenges of prejudice and bias, which can lead to a unique experience of stress, anxiety, avoidance, and other mental health issues. Affirmative therapy provides a supportive environment for patients to process those experiences while feeling confident that the therapist validates their identity.

2. #2Bibliotherapyselective

   Keys: Bibliotherapy

   Overview: Bibliotherapy is a therapeutic approach employing books and other forms of literature, typically alongside more traditional therapy modalities, to support a patient’s mental health. Though the books recommended by therapists can encompass any genre or theme—from philosophy to memoir to self-help—bibliotherapists typically make use of fiction. Reading specific pieces of literature and talking about them with a therapist (or in a group therapy setting) is thought to help patients understand perspectives other than their own, make sense of a difficult past or upsetting symptoms, or experience feelings of hope, contentment, and empathy. More generally, reading is also thought to improve self-esteem, self-awareness, and feelings of self-efficacy.",

   When it is Used: Bibliotherapy can be applied to patients suffering from anxiety, depression, or other mood disorders; those struggling with trauma or addiction; or those going through grief, a divorce, or other relationship-related challenges. Bibliotherapy can be practiced in either individual or group therapy sessions, or without the guidance of a therapist at all. When conducted with a therapist, bibliotherapy is rarely used as a primary or sole modality of treatment; rather, it tends to be used in conjunction with other approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or psychodynamic therapy.

   What to Expect: Typically, a bibliotherapist will recommend a book or books based on their preferred modality and on the patient’s specific challenges. A cognitive-behavioral therapist, for instance, may recommend a self-help workbook outlining research-supported CBT principles; a therapist specializing in trauma, on the other hand, may recommend a novel about a character who endured childhood abuse. The patient will then, on their own time, read the book or complete the workbook exercise as prescribed. Upon returning to therapy, the book or exercise will be discussed and used as a jumping-off point to explore coping mechanisms, personal history, or other factors relevant to the therapeutic experience.

   How it Works: Reading books—particularly those offering a new perspective or taking a reader outside their comfort zone—can increase empathy, tolerance for others, and interpersonal skills, such as the ability to read the emotions of others. In a therapeutic setting, bibliotherapy is thought to be effective because it provides an additional outlet for patients to work through problems and can help an individual recognize that they are not alone in their struggles. This process may occur in four stages: Identification (the reader affiliates with a character in the text and identifies with their problems and goals), Catharsis (the reader experiences the character’s emotions, struggles, and hopes from a safe, removed position), Insight (the reader recognizes similarities between the characters or situations in the text and the reader’s own circumstances and the decision to apply ideas from the text to the reader’s life), and Universalization (the reader realizes they are not alone. Others have experienced similar challenges and found ways to navigate them).

3. #3Christian Counselingselective

   Keys: Christian Counseling

   Overview: Christian counseling is a broad category of emotional and relationship support that draws on the principles of Christianity to help clients cope with challenges. Because religious faith can play a significant role in an individual’s life, many prospective therapy clients who identify as Christian feel more comfortable seeing a counselor who shares their beliefs or who is at least prepared to discuss their faith openly and without judgment.

   When it is Used: When working with Christian clients, they may discuss the applicability of biblical principles or how a client’s religious values can guide them through challenges. Like other clients, individuals who identify as Christian may seek help for a range of challenges—including mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, relationship problems or marital discord, or non-clinical issues such as grief or anger.

   What to Expect: Christian psychologists will typically make use of other therapeutic modalities, such as CBT, psychodynamic therapy, or trauma-informed therapy. While employing cognitive-behavioral techniques, for example, a Christian therapist may also encourage discussion of Christian values and the role they might play in addressing the client’s challenges, work through any questions or contradictions the client sees in their faith, or help them uncover strategies to better express their faith or integrate it into their daily life. In some cases, therapist and client may directly discuss biblical verses or parables, or other aspects of Christian teachings. Clients who begin therapy with specific problems they hope to solve might receive guidance or advice that is based specifically on the teachings of the Bible.

   How it Works: Many people identify as somewhat or strongly religious. Thus, someone's emotional or psychological well-being can be closely intertwined with their faith. Religion can have a positive effect on individuals’ lives, offering a source of meaning, creating a sense of community, or encouraging values like forgiveness and compassion. Effective Christian psychologists can draw on these principles over the course of psychotherapy, using them to help clients identify the values that are most important to them and use their faith to bolster their well-being. On the other hand, many religious people struggle with their faith and may even come to feel that this struggle is contributing to their emotional or interpersonal challenges; an effective Christian counselor can help them navigate these questions and better understand the place religion has in their life.

4. #4Dance Therapyselective

   Keys: Dance Therapy

   Overview: Dance therapy, sometimes referred to as dance/movement therapy or DMT, is a mental health treatment that uses dance and other forms of physical movement to improve someone’s emotional and psychological functioning. Dance therapy has been used to treat a wide variety of mental health disorders including depression, eating disorders, and PTSD, as well as non-clinical issues such as low self-esteem, body image concerns, or grief. Because dance is a form of exercise, the therapy may also result in physical benefits such as improved sleep and increased energy, in addition to its cognitive/emotional effects.

   When it is Used: Dance therapy can be utilized for a wide variety of conditions and challenges, including anxiety, autism, dementia, depression, interpersonal issues such as family conflict or domestic violence, low self-esteem, and more. While it can be used on its own, dance therapy is often used as a complement to more traditional therapies.

   What to Expect: Dance therapy sessions often start with a warm-up or a verbal check-in, and often both. Therapist and client may decide on a “theme” to explore that session, based either on the client’s needs or on a program designed by the therapist. During the session itself, the therapist will guide the client through dance or other forms of movement that aim to express their internal emotional state. Clients are often encouraged to free-associate; in some cases, they may be asked to create specific visual metaphors to represent an internal challenge. Therapists may move with the client or simply observe; some therapists engage in what is known as “mirroring,” or matching a client’s movements, in order to illustrate empathy or validate the client’s self-expression. Clients may be asked to pay specific attention to certain bodily movements or to their breath, in an effort to encourage mindful awareness and keep the focus on the present moment. After a session is complete, the therapist and client will discuss and process what occurred.

   How it Works: Dance therapy aims to strengthen the connection between the brain and the body by allowing for authentic, non-verbal expression of emotions in a safe, non-judgmental environment. Some people who struggle to express themselves verbally—due to anxiety, trauma, low self-esteem, or other challenges—may find physical expression to be easier and less threatening and thus may especially benefit from dance therapy. What’s more, people with eating disorders or body image issues often feel disconnected from or angry toward their bodies; dance therapy is thought to restore their connection with their physical self and foster a greater sense of appreciation for what the body is capable of. Dance can also serve as a form of exercise, which can itself bolster physical health in addition to mental health.

5. #5Eclectic Therapyselective

   Keys: Eclectic Therapy

   Overview: Eclectic therapy is a form of psychotherapy that adapts to the unique needs of each patient, depending on the problem, the treatment goals, and the person’s expectations and motivation. An eclectic therapist draws from a variety of disciplines and may use a range of proven methods to determine the best combination of therapeutic tools to help a patient. In effect, an eclectic therapist customizes the therapeutic process for each individual by using whatever form of treatment, or combination of treatments, has been shown to be most effective for a particular problem.

   When it is Used: Eclectic therapy can be useful when a therapist believes that a patient may benefit from a multi-modal approach or when a particular treatment type is not providing results and a therapist and patient want to try another avenue.

   What to Expect: Eclectic therapy can take many paths, depending on the approaches invoked by the therapist. For this reason, it may seem unstructured at first. Working with the therapist, the client may try different techniques before treatment becomes more consistent when what works best for them has been discovered.

   How it Works: Using a flexible approach, rather than a more traditionally structured and straightforward one, the eclectic therapist tailors the therapeutic process to the needs of the patient and determines which treatment types will be most helpful for that person. The therapist is not restricted to a one-size-fits-all modality and is not looking for universal behavior patterns. Instead, the therapist gathers very specific information from the patient, then matches the form of treatment to the individual and his or her disorder.

6. #6Experiential Therapyselective

   Keys: Experiential Therapy

   Overview: Experiential therapy is a category of therapeutic techniques in which expressive tools and activities—such as role-playing or acting, props, arts and crafts, music, animal care, guided imagery, or various forms of recreation—are used to allow clients to re-enact and re-experience emotional situations from their past or their relationships. The objective of experiential therapy is to focus on the activities and, through these experiences, better identify emotions associated with success, disappointment, responsibility, and self-esteem. Under the guidance of a trained experiential therapist, the client can explore and cope with feelings of anger, hurt, or shame, related to their past experiences, that may have been ignored or pushed away previously.

   When it is Used: Experiential therapy may be used to treat a wide range of psychiatric disorders and life challenges, including trauma, eating disorders, behavior disorders, anger management, grief, and loss; it is also regularly used as one component of substance abuse treatment. It may also be recommended for individuals who don’t have diagnosable disorders but who struggle with painful, unhappy, or otherwise bad feelings from past experiences or who simply desire to change the nature of their current and future relationships.

   What to Expect: Experiential therapy can take a variety of forms. Some commonly used techniques include psychodrama, in which the client creates and performs a brief play based on a past life event that caused or continues to cause distress. Re-enacting this situation in a safe space, sometimes more than once, is thought to allow the client to process and let go of negative emotions triggered by the event, as well as develop more adaptive ways of responding to similar situations in the future. The therapist will focus on the client’s awareness and perceptions of what they are experiencing through these interventions, and help them explore the meaning of their emotions. Such conversations with the therapist may take place while the client is performing the activity or in a counseling session afterward.

   How it Works: A fundamental premise of experiential therapy is that one’s perception determines one’s behavior. By harnessing various types of creative expression to re-experience and release negative emotions, the client may experience positive feelings such as love, forgiveness, and calm in the present. By participating in experiential interventions with guidance from a therapist, the client is thought to gain deeper access to their own emotional processing, creativity, inner thoughts, and motivations that drive their interactions with others. At the same time, they will learn to reflect on their experiences to more comfortably make their own choices and decisions. Many forms of experiential therapy also call on the client to directly confront a situation or memory that is troubling to them; in this way, experiential therapy can help clients resolve internal conflicts that have long been ignored.

7. #7Expressive Arts Therapyselective

   Keys: Expressive Arts Therapy

   Overview: Expressive arts therapy combines psychology and the creative process to promote emotional growth and healing. This multi-arts, or intermodal, approach to psychotherapy and counseling uses our inborn desire to create; such a therapeutic tool can help initiate change. For some people who have a hard time articulating what they are feeling, self-expression through art can be useful. Expressive arts therapy draws from a variety of art forms, and this integration of methods can help patients access their emotions.

   When it is Used: Expressive arts therapy is used with both children and adults, as individuals or in groups, to nurture deep personal growth and transformation. Journaling, storytelling, reading literature and poetry, as well as making life maps, videos, and memory books are all forms of expressive art therapy; this can help more mature clients review and make meaning of their lives; this is a way to tell their life stories, as well as work through and heal from traumatic experiences. It also helps patients better engage with family and other significant people in their lives.

   What to Expect: Expressive arts therapy can be accomplished via the creation of different art forms; the commonality is the use of multiple senses to explore the client's inner and outer worlds. A therapist or counselor helps them to communicate feelings about the process and accomplishment of making art, and together with the therapist, the client uses the creative process to highlight and analyze problems and difficulties. Throughout the process, the client learns new and different ways to use the mostly nonverbal language of creativity to communicate inner feelings that were not previously available to them by simply thinking or talking about them.

   How it Works: At the core of expressive arts therapy is the concept of poiesis, the Greek root word for poetry, which refers to the natural process of moving from everyday expectations into the world of imagination and creativity that results in art-making. Art comes from a deep emotional place within the client, hence, creative endeavors will enable them to undergo a profound process of self-discovery and understanding. Creativity becomes the pathway to the expression of inner feelings, leading to a process of self-discovery and understanding, and the creative process becomes the client's road to emotional health. Many therapists also incorporate other modalities such as cognitive-behavioral or mindfulness-based cognitive therapies.

8. #8Human Givens Therapyselective

   Keys: Human Givens Therapy

   Overview: Just as humans have physical needs for water, food, and shelter, it is believed that humans are born with emotional needs that they must meet. These nine primary emotional needs are security, attention, a sense of autonomy and control, feeling part of a larger community, intimacy, privacy, status within social groups, competence and achievement, and meaning and purpose. When these needs are unmet, or cannot be met by an individual’s innate resources and instinctive knowledge, the result is likely to be stress, anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns. The human givens therapeutic approach is to help people learn ways to think and act that will enable them to meet their core needs.

   When it is Used: This approach is geared toward helping people overcome a range of emotional and behavioral difficulties including anxiety, depression, stress, OCD, self-harm, relationship issues, trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), phobias, addiction, pain, anger, workplace stress, eating disorders, bereavement, psychosis, and stress.

   What to Expect: It is believed mental health concerns often develop from being in an environment that prevents the client from meeting their core needs; from having been conditioned to respond to challenges in unhealthy ways; or from a lack of social and emotional skills that can help them meet their needs. Therapists who follow the human givens approach aim to offer practical help, often through direct instruction, for dealing with mental and emotional distress in the here and now, based on their determination of what is keeping the client from being able to meet their needs. Therapy sessions tend to be less focused on exploring the past and its influences on clients’ issues or going on lengthy voyages of self-discovery into their psyche, but they do attempt to drill down on a client’s specific challenges and develop solutions tailored to their individual needs, challenges, and level of emotional resources. Through the sessions, human givens therapists hope to provide the client with the coping skills they need to address their immediate concerns and hopefully, those that will arise in the future.

   How it Works: It is believed that when people’s resources are used properly, and their environment is healthy, their emotional needs should be generally satisfied: They are emotionally well, their lives have meaning, and they flourish. When some or all of these needs are not met—perhaps because of misused resources or inadequate or faulty beliefs—individuals may become distressed and develop mental health problems that negatively impact their lives and relationships. The human givens approach thus looks at the areas in which a person’s life is, and is not, working well, with the goal of identifying missing emotional needs or misused resources—in other words, which needs are not being met and how they can be met. Its pragmatic, adaptable framework allows therapists to tailor brief, highly personalized interventions that typically integrate education and solution-driven thinking with some of the most effective elements of other therapeutic styles, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy, reflective listening, motivational interviewing, mindfulness, hypnotherapy, and guided imagery. Clients will receive education about their specific problem. A human givens psychotherapist will also help clients shift to taking on a healthier perspective, learn the skills necessary to resolve their difficulties, and rehearse making changes in their lives.

9. #9Integrative Therapyselective

   Keys: Integrative Therapy

   Overview: Integrative therapy is an individualized, holistic approach to therapy that combines ideas and techniques from different therapeutic schools of thought depending on the unique needs of a given client. By merging elements of different psychological theories or modifying standard treatments, integrative therapists can often offer a more flexible and inclusive approach to treatment. Sometimes referred to as holistic therapy, integrative therapy seeks to consider an individual’s mental, physical, and emotional health in a unified way. Through integrative therapy, the therapist and client will work together to understand the sources of the client’s anxiety, unhappiness, physical discomfort, or unhealthy behavior patterns.

   When it is Used: Integrative therapy may be beneficial for clients that seek to have a voice in the direction of their therapy, and who view the therapeutic relationship as a partnership. An integrative approach can also be used to treat a range of psychological concerns, including depression, anxiety, personality disorders, grief, low self-esteem, self-harm, trauma, PTSD, relationship issues, sleep concerns, sexual challenges, substance use disorders, and eating disorders.

   What to Expect: The therapist first seeks to discover and understand the individual's personality traits, preferences, needs, spiritual beliefs, openness, and motivation level. The therapist also seeks to understand the client's specific area of concern. Finally, the therapist uses different evidence-based therapeutic approaches to help the client's areas of concern.

   How it Works: A single approach to therapy does not always deliver the best benefit to the client, thus an integrative therapist will regularly evaluate a client’s progress with whatever modality is currently being tried, and be ready to pivot to a different approach when it becomes clear that they are not benefiting, or no longer benefiting, from it. These shifts are discussed with the client before being put into action. An integrative therapist draw upon a wide range of strategies and techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), motivational interviewing, mindfulness, art or music therapy, psychodynamic therapy, humanistic therapy, psychodrama, meditation, family systems therapy, gestalt therapy, trauma-informed therapy, and more. The therapist may initially follow one primary approach but introduce elements of other techniques as the therapeutic relationship progresses, or as predetermined targets and goals are met. For example, on realizing that a client struggles with social anxiety, a therapist who takes a humanistic approach to a client's long-term goals and concerns may share techniques from CBT that specifically target the individual's situational anxiety.

10. #10Music Therapyselective

    Keys: Music Therapy

    Overview: Music therapy is a form of treatment that uses music within the therapeutic relationship to help accomplish the patient’s individualized goals. This evidence-based approach involves techniques such as listening to, reflecting on, and creating music under the guidance of a trained music therapist.

    When it is Used: Most effective when used with other therapies, music therapy can help clients to manage physical pain as well as providing comfort and boosting energy. Music therapy can be particularly helpful for clients with autism or depression. Music therapy can also help in lifting the client's mood, increasing their joy and awe, reducing anxiety, regulating difficult emotions, facilitating self-reflection, and assisting in the processing of trauma.

    What to Expect: After an initial assessment, a music therapist will tailor techniques to fit a client's musical ability, interests, and specific needs. One approach is to create music: humming a nostalgic tune from one’s childhood, singing as part of a choir, or improvising on instruments such as the drums, piano, guitar, or chimes. If the client is able to discuss the experience, a therapist might ask what memories the sounds provoke or what they’re feeling. The therapist and client might listen to a song together and discuss the emotions and memories the song elicits. Or the client might write a song, which can illuminate a character or conflict in their lives or provide a cathartic release. The therapist may engage the client in breathing exercises, with or without music, to release tension and calm anxiety. All of these exercises allow the therapist and client to explore the psychological, familial, social, cultural, and spiritual components of the person’s inner world. Music therapy fundamentally employs music as a tool for reflection and communication.

    How it Works: Music therapy can help patients cope with emotional trauma and physical pain, or feel more confident, joyful, and connected. Music can stir emotion, prompt discussion, facilitate expression, and lower stress. Even when dementia or brain damage strikes, music therapy can still be effective, as music is processed and produced through a different pathway than verbal speech. Bypassing this pathway allows patients to express themselves, communicate with loved ones, and experience the world more vibrantly.

11. #11Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)selective

    Keys: Neuro-Linguistic Programming, NLP

    Overview: Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is a set of principles and techniques aimed at enhancing self-awareness, increasing confidence, building communication skills, and motivating positive social actions. Therapists who practice NLP often start by building a rapport with their client, mirroring the client’s verbal and nonverbal behavior to create empathy and connection. The therapist will gather information about the client’s objectives and identify problem areas to work on. Along the way, the therapist may correct any language that leads to negative thinking and faulty communication. NLP-based therapy will conclude with a plan for how the client can continue to integrate the positive behavioral changes into their daily life.

    When it is Used: NLP may be helpful in treating anxiety, depression, fears and phobias, poor self-esteem, weight management, substance misuse, stress, and PSTD.

    What to Expect: Based on their sensory experiences, people develop their own Preferred Representational System (PRS), which is their unique way of viewing the world. Therapists may employ NLP techniques to identify their client’s specific PRS and adjust their communication style and therapeutic goals accordingly.

    NLP Techniques Anchoring: In anchoring, the therapist focuses on helping the client associate an external or internal trigger with a healthier response until it becomes automatic. Belief Changing: In belief changing, the therapist focuses on helping the client replace negative thoughts or beliefs with constructive thoughts and beliefs that help the client to achieve their goals. Reframing: In reframing, the therapist focuses on helping the client see the situation in a different context in order to elicit an adaptive reaction, so that the client avoids following the same maladaptive behavioral patterns. Visualization: In visualization, the therapist encourages the client to form a mental image of what the client wants. Visual-kinesthetic Dissociation: In visual-kinesthetic dissociation, the therapist guides the client in relieving past trauma by evoking an imaginative and out-of-body experience.

    How it Works: Neuro-linguistic programming is intended to help clients understand their own minds and how they come to think and behave the way they do. With the aid of NLP techniques, clients can learn to manage their moods and emotions and 'reprogram' the way they process information. At the same time, NLP is designed to help clients see why they have been successful in the past and determine how they can most easily and efficiently repeat that success in other areas of their lives. NLP therapists believe that their clients have the answers to their problems within themselves, and it is simply a matter of the therapist helping them to draw out those answers.

12. #12Play Therapyselective

    Keys: Play Therapy

    Overview: Play therapy focuses on understanding children and their needs by observing their play, and helping solve problems through play. Play therapy takes place in a comfortable playroom where few rules are imposed on a child, allowing the child free and spontaneous expression of feelings. The therapist, schooled in child psychology, usually has an array of toys that children can use to act out their feelings. In addition, the therapist may ask children questions about the toys they’re using that reveal hidden worries and concerns. Play therapists pay special attention to the child’s choice of play objects, the types of play the child engages in, and well as the style of play. In addition, the therapist and child set up a trusting relationship between them that has therapeutic value. Through play therapy, children learn to express their thoughts and feelings in appropriate ways, learn about the feelings of others, learn ways of controlling their own behavior, and learn how to solve problems they encounter.

    When it is Used: Play therapy is typically targeted to children ages 3 to 11 who have social, emotional, or behavioral difficulties. It can be helpful for children who are in distress, who have experienced a dramatic upset or trauma, who are facing serious medical procedures or struggling with chronic illness, who have been physically or emotionally abused, or who have been bullied. Play therapy or its techniques can also be used with adults under cognitive behavioural therapy, along with creative writing, music, or art.

    What to Expect: The play therapist begins by conducting an interview with the child's parents to gather information about the child, and learn about what the presenting problem is. The play therapist may then interview the child separately and watch the child play on their own. Observation of the parent-child interaction can provide the therapist with information about the parent-child relationship, the nature of the child's attachment to their parents, and how well the child and parents manage separation. The play therapist can learn more about the child through observing how the child interacts with objects in the playroom. A child may be given access to trucks and phones and other toys, to drawing and painting materials, to dolls and action figures, to puppets, to stuffed animals, to masks and costumes, to sand play, and more. A child may be asked to tell a story about their family through the use of puppets. Or a child may be given a magic wand and asked to make a few wishes. Sometimes play therapy is more directed, and a play therapist might engage with the child in a play situation. For example, the therapist and child might role-play an experience the child finds overwhelmingly stressful, such as the first day of school, allowing the child to express their anxieties while discovering that their worst fears do not materialize. During the role-play, the child might be asked to play out a variety of scenarios and to come up with ideas for making them turn out as they wish. Or the therapist may construct play activities the therapist believes will help a child heal from emotional injuries. As a play partner, the therapist can help children with social or emotional deficits learn to communicate and interact more skillfully.

    How it Works: Play therapy is used to understand what is on a child’s mind because play is children’s natural medium of expression. While play therapy, like all therapy, is conducted by way of appointment, few rules may be imposed on the child’s play, and it is the choice of play objects and how they are used that often provide clues to (1) a child’s developmental level, (2) their family and social relationships, (3) the difficulties they are experiencing in life, and (4) their inner world. Unlike many other forms of therapy, play therapy is directed by the child. Yet children typically draw or play out scenarios that mirror problems in their real lives. The play therapist might engage in a narrative that articulates and interprets the inner experience of the child. The freedom to direct the therapy helps children in many additional ways: It communicates complete acceptance, it helps children discover themselves, it helps them develop a sense of self-mastery, and it is a stimulus to learning new ways of behaving. Both directive play and nondirective play have their uses. Play therapists may use both approaches depending on the circumstances.

13. #13Somatic Therapyselective

    Keys: Somatic Therapy

    Overview: Somatic therapy is a form of body-centered therapy that looks at the connection of mind and body and uses both psychotherapy and physical therapies for holistic healing. In addition to talk therapy, somatic therapists use mind-body exercises and other physical techniques to help release the pent-up tension that negatively affects a patient’s physical and emotional well-being. Somatic therapy holds that the mind and body are intimately connected, and bodywork can help where talk therapy has reached its limits. Somatic therapy may draw on Somatics, Somatic Experiencing, the Hakomi Method, and Sensorimotor Therapy. Ultimately, what underlies somatic therapy is the belief that the body can manifest mental unease, and can also help to heal it.

    When it is Used: Somatic therapy can help clients suffering from trauma and PTSD, stress, anxiety, depression, grief, addiction, and sexual dysfunction.

    What to Expect: Somatic therapy combines mindfulness, talk therapy, and physical therapy. The somatic therapist helps the client to focus on their body as memories of traumatic experiences are recalled. Attention is then paid to any physical responses the client has when the emotion is experienced or when the memory is recovered. Treatment techniques for syptoms include deep breathing, relaxation exercises, meditation.

    Somatic Therapy Concepts: Somatics: Somatics theorizes that a cause of chronic pain for clients is due to sensory motor amnesia, which occurs when neurons in the brain have lost their ability to properly control muscle tissue. Through education, mindfulness, and vigorous, intentional movements similar to physical therapy, a client can reinvigorate their mind-body pathways and relieve chronic pain. Somatic Experiencing: Somatic Experiencing theorizes that when humans experience trauma, they can become trapped in the 'freeze' part of the 'fight, flight, or freeze' response. As a result, clients can remain frozen in many parts of life as a reaction to traumatic experiences, and these fronzen parts accumulate energy but expend it in ways that are harmful to clients, such as stress and anxiety. The goal of Somatic Experiencing is thus to redirect this energy accumulated in healthier directions. Hakomi Method: The Hakomi Method emphasizes the physical nature of how clients live in their bodies. It relies on deep and sustained mindfulness. Sensorimotor Therapy: Sensorimotor Therapy draws upon the fundamentals of the Hakomi Method as well as cognitive-behavioral therapy and neuroscience.

    Somatic Therapy Techniques: Physical Awareness: A key part of Somatic Therapy is helping the client achieve physical awareness. A therapist might help the patient get into a mindful state by asking them to notice certain things: If they are upset, what is it in their body that tells them they are upset? Is it a tightening in the stomach? Or a dark feeling in the chest? Then the therapist asks the client to focus on those sensations, and by observing the client’s gestures and postures, find out what movement the client would have liked to have made, but couldn’t. Centering: Centering involves helping the client develop a calm home base in their body. This is achieved through the somatic therapist helping the client build awareness of the client's muscles, breath, and mood. Through slowing down their breathing, clients are better able to feel wht is going around them and inside them. Bodywork: Bodywork involves the somatic therapist working with the motion of a client's body or face. It can also involve the therapist manipulating the client's tissue or teaching the client breathing patterns and guided meditation.

    How it Works: Somatic therapy emphasizes helping clients develop resources within themselves in order to self-regulate their emotions, or to move out of the fight/flight/freeze response and towards a higher-functioning mode where they can think more clearly. Through developing awareness of the mind-body connection and using specific interventions, somatic therapy helps to release the tension, anger, frustration, and other emotions that remain in a client’s body from these past negative experiences. The goal is to help free the client from what is preventing them from fully engaging in their lives. Physical Awareness, Centering, and Bodywork are somatic therapy techniques that can be used during somatic therapy sessions.

14. #14Transpersonal Therapyselective

    Keys: Transpersonal Therapy

    Overview: Transpersonal therapy addresses the mental, physical, social, emotional, creative, and intellectual needs of a client with an emphasis on the role of a healthy spirit in healing. Transpersonal therapy integrates spiritual traditions and rituals into modern psychology and focuses on a broader conception of how a client achieves meaning, purpose, and happiness.

    When it is Used: Transpersonal therapy can be helpful for clients with anxiety, depression, addictions, or phobias. It can also be useful for clients that are open to exploring their spirituality, who are more spiritually aware, or who are having trouble finding meaning in their life.

    What to Expect: Transpersonal therapists aim to aid clients in transcending their current view of themselves, and to open their minds to new ways of approaching the challenges in their lives. Transpersonal therapists use a variety of approaches, some taken from Eastern traditions and others from Western psychology, to help clients explore their spiritual self and create meaning in their life. These include meditation, guided visualization, hypnotherapy, dream work, art making, music therapy, journaling, or holotropic breathwork.

    How it Works: To facilitate healing and growth, transpersonal therapy places great emphasis on honesty, open-mindedness, and self-awareness on the part of the therapist as well as the client. A transpersonal therapist may draw from a variety of different religions and spiritual practices for tools and methods that can help the client explore areas of their consciousness not typically accessed, and use the client's spirituality to guide them through troubled times.

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