Our therapists offer cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in Media, PA

My general approach to addressing a client’s needs in therapy is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT provides a more traditional approach of exploring the impact of thoughts on feelings and behaviors and working to process and manage those thoughts to reduce the impact on our decision-making.

I assist clients in building the following skills to meet their treatment goals:

• Emotional regulation techniques: To better manage physical symptoms of emotions to promote values-based action as opposed to emotional reaction. Examples include preventative strategies, physical coping skills, and grounding techniques.
• Cognitive coping skills: To assist with managing automatic thoughts that impact our emotions and to process core beliefs that impact our perception of the world we interact with. Examples include diffusion and the use of a thought record.
• Acceptance: Working with clients to identify what is outside of their control in the moment and working to shift focus to action on things that they can control.
• Mindfulness: Helps a client to be better grounded in the present moment, build observation skills of clients' internal and external experiences, and move past their judgments to see things and situations as they are.
• Communication skill: Promotes appropriate verbalization and reception of needs before they become larger issues.

I know clients are making progress in therapy when they demonstrate an increased awareness of the impact of thoughts on their feelings and behaviors, are more frequently engaging in appropriate emotional and cognitive coping skills, and are working to restructure unhelpful core beliefs with the assistance of the therapist.

To supplement therapy, clients can practice and implement the skills learned in therapy in their day-to-day lives. It is also important to engage in preventative strategies, such as a regular sleep schedule, healthy diet, appropriate work-life balance, engagement with positive social support, and hobbies, as they can improve our overall emotional well-being throughout the day. While these are not possible all the time, the more we engage with them, the more benefits we receive from that action.

To prepare for their first therapy session, all an individual needs to bring with them is an attitude that is honest and open to alternative perspectives and a willingness to try the interventions suggested in the session. It also can be helpful to have a general idea of what the client’s goals for therapy may be. The client should be prepared to answer some general questions about themselves to give the therapist a clearer picture of who they are.