Our Psychotherapy Techniques

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Several of our therapists here at Vantage Point have specialized training in ACT and incorporate ACT into their comprehensive treatment plans.  

What is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)?

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy has emerged as a promising type of behavior therapy that is influenced by the eastern philosophy of Mindfulness and Relational Frame Theory. ACT theorists believe that most suffering is caused by psychological inflexibility. The general traits of psychological inflexibility are: 

• Failure to take steps toward clarifying and living your values
• Avoidance of experiences 
• Loss of contact with the present moment 
• Entanglement with distressing thoughts and feelings 
• A rigid attachment to a self-concept 

ACT therapists teach clients the skills that they need to become more psychologically flexible.  Psychological flexibility is the ability to effectively deal with your painful thoughts and feelings in the present moment and to actively move towards creating a more meaningful and fulfilling life. The main skills taught in ACT are: 

• Connection (mindfulness): Mindfulness skills teach client’s to be fully aware and connected to the present moment.  
• Defusion:  Defusion techniques are used to help clients develop the ability to step back from and accept unhelpful worries, thoughts, beliefs, feelings, urges, and memories.  This helps to free up the client's mental energy and allows the client to respond to life's experiences more effectively in the moment. 
• Expansion:  Expansion skills are taught to help the client open up to and stop struggling with painful thoughts, sensations, and emotions.   
• The Observing Self:  Clients are taught to become in contact with the noticing part of the mind that embodies whatever you are feeling, thinking, or sensing in any given moment.  This helps with mindfulness skills. 
• Values:  Clients clarify and explore their values in order to discover what matters most to them.  
• Committed action:  Clients learn to take action that is guided by their values even when it is difficult. 

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on examining the interconnected relationship between our thoughts, feelings and behaviors and how this relationship impacts our everyday decisions and lives.  

At the core of CBT is the theory that our thoughts ultimately impact our mood and behaviors.  

A CBT therapist helps individuals discover negative thinking patterns (also known as Automatic Thoughts), learn to evaluate and challenge the validity of those thoughts, and to replace them with healthier alternatives. 

Exposure and Response Prevention is a type of Cognitive -Behavioral therapy that is used to help clients confront and move past the fears that are disrupting their lives.  Specifically, the therapeutic technique called ""exposure"" means to confront one's fears repeatedly until the fear subsides (a process which is referred to as habituation). The term ""Response Prevention"" means to refrain from any avoidance behaviors or compulsions that a client might engage in when attempting to face their fear. 

Psychodynamic therapy focuses more in depth than some other therapies. In psychodynamic therapy, it is important to understand what has happened in the past and how it affects how we currently feel and relate to the world. For example, a client who almost never feels anger but often feels fear might spend time exploring her upbringing and why she is uncomfortable with anger. 

Psychodynamic psychotherapy contains many other types of psychotherapy under its umbrella. Two types that are often utilized are object relations theory and self psychology. They do not have to be used independently and can all be used together.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy is an in-depth talk therapy that focuses on how you connect in your relationships and relate to the world around you. Our work would focus on patterns in your life and how you continue to notice these patterns repeat.  

You will be encouraged to talk freely about anything that comes to your mind. You will also explore how your relationship with your therapist mirrors interactions you have in your life and examine the underpinnings of these dynamics. 

Connections will be made to help you identify patterns and work towards changing those patterns so you can feel seen, understood, have your needs met, and be assertive and active in your relationships and in your life. Feeling more connected in your life and reduction of unhealthy patterns leads to an  increase in  mental health.