Therapeutic modalities

Whether you know the modality you are looking for or wonder what all the abbreviations mean, these quick reviews of modalities can help you understand some of the therapeutic approaches that can be combined in a session.

EFT, or Emotionally Focused Therapy, was developed alongside the science of adult attachment and bonding to expand our understanding of what is happening in relationships and to guide therapists. Used with both couples and individuals, research studies show that 70-75% of couples move from distress to recovery, and approximately 90% show significant improvements for those suffering from disorders such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorders, and chronic illness. (learn more at beftcentre.org)

CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, aims to help you identify and challenge unhelpful thoughts and to learn practical self-help strategies. These strategies are designed to bring about immediate positive changes in your quality of life. (learn more at BetterHealth)

CFT, or Compassion-Focused Therapy, aims to help promote mental and emotional healing by encouraging people in treatment to be compassionate toward themselves and other people. Compassion, both toward the self and toward others, is an emotional response believed by many to be an essential aspect of well-being. Its development may often have the benefit of improved mental and emotional health. (more at goodtherapy.org)

CST, or Culturally Sensitive Therapy, is an approach to psychotherapy that emphasizes the therapist's understanding of a client’s background and belief system regarding their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, or other important elements that make up someone’s culture and/or identity. Therapists can incorporate cultural sensitivity into their work to accommodate and respect differences in the opinions, values, and attitudes of various cultures and different types of people and to provide the most effective treatment for a particular client. (learn more at PsycologyToday.com)

MBCT, or Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, is designed to help people who suffer repeated bouts of depression and chronic unhappiness. It combines the ideas of cognitive therapy with meditative practices and attitudes based on the cultivation of mindfulness. The heart of this work lies in becoming acquainted with the modes of mind that often characterize mood disorders while simultaneously learning to develop a new relationship with them. (learn more at MBCT.com)

Motivational Interviewing is a counseling approach designed to help people find the motivation to make a positive behavioral change. This client-centered approach is particularly effective for people with mixed feelings about changing their behavior. (learn more at VerywellMind.com)

SBT, or Strength-Based Therapy, is a positive psychotherapy and counseling that focuses on your internal strengths and resourcefulness rather than perceived weaknesses, failures, or shortcomings. With a positive mindset, you build on your qualities, find your strengths, improve resilience, and change your worldview to one that is more positive. Practitioners believe the main reason to discuss a patient’s problems is to discover the inner strengths clients can tap into in order to build solutions. (learn more at PsychologyToday.com)