The Best Therapy Approach
for You
An evidence based therapeutic approach is a way in which a therapist conducts a therapy session and helps individuals accomplish their goals. The therapist match along with the therapeutic approach utilized matters significantly, as therapy is very individualized, as no session is identical to another.
Offering a diverse set of treatment approaches, clinical and personal experiences allows the client to receive an approach that best fits their comfort level and needs. For example, self-care, exercise and nutrition improves overall mental and physical health, but not everyone uses the same self-care, exercise or nutritional approach. Some go to the gym, others jog, while others choose to ride a bike, some meal prep, log meals and some need the additional support of a nutritionist or registered dietitian. The result is the same: improved overall health. As with individualized personal centered therapy, there are multiple ways to solve mental health and other struggles with a variety of mental health symptoms. Some individuals will find it helpful to utilize more than one approach simultaneously.
Some of our most commonly used approaches at Whole Life are as follows:
Person Centered Therapy Approach
Our approach and individualized treatment plans are rooted in person centered therapy where appropriate.
By definition:
A person-centered approach is where the person is placed at the center of the service and treated as a person first. The focus is on the person and what they can do, not their condition or disability. Support should focus on achieving the person's aspirations and be tailored to their needs and unique circumstances.
Solution Focused
This approach is exactly what it sounds like, therapy with a focus on solutions. Often people are stuck, struggling in relationships or other life challenges because they are dwelling on the negatives, the problems, rather than pursuing strategies to solve the issue. The therapist helps the client to identify what the client wants to happen, teaches them techniques and skills to live out the results they are aiming for. Solution focused therapy is positive and encouraging in nature, as it emphasizes staying present, yet looking forward to the future, seeking out opportunities for growth, and working towards solutions rather than focusing on what is broken or not working. People will likely experience some amount of relief within the first 2 sessions.
Cognitive Behavioral
This approach helps teens, adults, couples and families identify nonproductive thinking patterns and interactions and works to teach skills to change those problematic thinking patterns and behaviors by learning to think differently about self, others, and circumstances. The therapist helps the individual look more closely at thoughts and understand how their thinking patterns generate emotions/feelings, which then results in productive or non-productive behavior toward themselves or other people. The therapist helps the client connect the “dots” between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This approach is very empowering as it enhances the client’s ability to be proactive and gain control over themselves, rather than reacting negatively to the undesired behavior of others, additional helping people better handle day to day stressors and life challenges.
Empathic Connectivity
Healthy relationships and positive connections are needed to support overall mental health. When people are feeling disconnected, they may find it difficult to attempt to reconnect or may make unsuccessful attempts to reconnect or repair relationships. At times the outcome can be increased conflict or increased symptoms of anxiety or depression or feelings of rejection and lack of understanding or even bitterness.
Empathic Connectivity is a therapeutic approach that strengthens a couple’s or person’s ability to connect through a deeper understanding of their partner’s or the other person’s emotional experience. Both men and women have a need to be understood on an emotional level. Therapy will increase a level of understanding promoting feelings of validation, support, and intimacy, which is foundational to relationship fulfillment. The therapist teaches couples to listen to understand their partner, rather than listening to defend themselves or others. This approach allows for increased empathy for the other’s experiences and emotions. Individuals who are willing to do this level of work, often find that the relationship reawakens as the unity and cooperation in relationships are significantly enhanced.
Christian Holistic: Biopsychosocial-spiritual Model
This therapy is based on the modern researched humanistic and holistic view of the human being in health sciences. This approach recognizes the biological, the psychological, the social, and the spiritual as distinct dimensions of the person where no single aspect can be disconnected from the whole person.
For people who desire to include the spiritual aspect of the therapy process, we offer and may provide a faith based holistic approach that utilizes psychologically sound Christian principles. This approach teaches couples how to apply the values of the individual’s Christian faith in overcoming their problems assisting client in symptom reduction or elimination. The blending of proven therapeutic interventions with Christian based ideas and values promotes change and healing on the psychological, emotional, and spiritual level. This approach has the potential to generate significant amounts of hope for individuals who have lost hope.