We are all tackling challenges that can be hard to overcome alone. Therapy can be a great way to discover the root causes of your problems and solutions to help life be more manageable. It can be a comfort to know about the different types of therapies you can choose from to avoid feeling like therapy, in general, is not for you.
If you or a loved one wants to try different therapies for your mental illness or substance abuse — Call Alta Loma Transformational Services today (866) 457-3843
Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychodynamic therapy is speaking with a therapist about relationship patterns, unconscious thoughts, and any blind spots. Becoming aware of how the past affects your life can help you see why you fall victim to specific habits.
For example, you may have an obsession with winning everything and always having successful results. A therapist may discover that you are seeking perfection because your parents never made you feel validated. Maybe if you keep proving how skilled you are, they will be proud of you and give you the attention you have been craving.
After learning about how past events affect your current life, you and your therapist can work out a plan to make changes to improve your mood and behaviors. Psychodynamic therapy can help those with depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, and substance abuse problems.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
If you feel stuck in the same unhealthy thought patterns, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can help change these harmful thoughts into positive ones. CBT can help you set new goals and change your behavior.
For example, instead of saying, “Nothing will get better,” CBT can teach you to say things like, “I may feel bad right now, but I know seeing my friends will make me feel better.” Instead of revisiting your past, CBT can help you focus on the problems you are dealing with right now. Your therapist will ask you where you see yourself by the end of therapy and help you create goals to get there.
Group Therapy
Struggling with a mental health or substance use disorder can make you feel like you are alone. Group therapy can show you many others are dealing with similar or worse challenges. Sharing your insights with others will give your challenges new meaning.
Group therapy is always facilitated by a certified group therapist who will deal with any conflicts and ensure safety in the group. Surrounding yourself with people with shared struggles can bring individuals closer together.
Self-help techniques like meditation and exercise can be great ways to relieve stress if you do not have access to therapy. However, these methods may not help you if you are looking for therapy methods that incorporate both mental and physical techniques. A new technique called emotional freedom techniques (EFT) is both a mental and physical exercise to help you handle your anxiety.
EFT Tapping
EFT tapping is when you tap different points of your body. Originating from Traditional Chinese Medicine, EFT Tapping uses acupuncture without needles to release negative thoughts or emotions and help you stay grounded in the present. EFT can be used to treat anxiety, depression, and PTSD. This practice can be done on your own, at home, or with a practitioner to help you find the root causes of your distress.
How It Works
Just like acupuncture, EFT focuses on meridian points to help release energy. While focusing on your negative thoughts or a troubling memory, tapping can break these thought patterns and change the emotions you have attached to these memories. Tapping can help promote calmness by sending signals to the parts of the brain that control stress. One study found that EFT can reduce cortisol levels by 43%.
How to Do EFT at Home
The best way to try EFT is at home by watching a tapping video on the theme you are working on. You can find EFT tapping videos on YouTube as a starting point. If you want longer-lasting results, it is best to attend EFT training or work with a practitioner.
When choosing to do EFT at home, first, choose a problem you need to work on, like stress. Second, rate the level of intensity of the problem on a scale from one to ten. You can even see where the stress is coming from in your body, such as your neck or back.
Then, tap the side of your hand while repeating a statement two or three times about accepting yourself. Finally, tap each point of your body, repeating a reminder phrase about what you are feeling. These points are the top of your head, eyebrow, side of the eye, under the eye, under the nose, chin, collarbone, and underarm. Repeat these steps and rate how you feel after.
EFT tapping works like acupuncture without needles, where you tap specific points in your body to relieve stress. Focusing on your negative memories while tapping each part of your body can give you the comfort you seek. At Alta Loma, we understand how important it is to find ways to relieve anxiety and depression.
Contact Alta Loma Transformational Services
We all have inner struggles that we want to overcome. If these struggles interfere with your life, it may be time to speak to a therapist. A therapist can help you heal from any mental health disorder or substance abuse issue. If one type of therapy does not work, there are many others you can try. At Alta Loma, near Austin, Texas we have a team of dedicated mental health specialists that are skilled in various therapeutic modalities. Call us at (866) 457-3843 for more information.
