Experiential

Experiential modes of therapy focus on the “here and now” of what unfolds in the therapy session. We may spend time talking about the past or future, but the goal is to check in and see how this narrative is experienced in the present. Experiential questions sound like this: “How is this for you now? What do you notice internally (bodily or physical sensations) as you talk about this? What feelings do you notice now?”

Experiential practices help us access the cognitive, physical, and emotional parts of ourselves and integrate them. Our high functioning lifestyles and culture tend to favor our cognitive experience (thinking, analyzing) over our emotional or physical. While this can be adaptive and functional, it can also leave us feeling disconnected from our bodies and emotions. Experiential practices are used in therapy to help people gain access to and deepen the emotional and physical parts of oneself.

Relational

Healing occurs within a caring and supportive relationship. This approach values the therapeutic relationship and works to create a safe, enjoyable, and trustng interaction. The relational aspects of therapy provide individuals with a corrective relational experience that allows for deeper connection with self and others.

Emotion Focused

An emotion focused approach connects individuals to their emotional experience in therapy and works to enhance emotional expression. This approach values emotions as adaptive and necessary agents that help us navigate our environment and feel integrated as humans. This kind of therapy enables clients to be more open and engaged with their inner experience and with other people—to be more alive.

Transformational

A transformational approach in therapy is one that privileges strength and the capacity for survival and healing over pathology (disease). We need to notice and focus on this drive for healing because it is an important part of who we are and how we’ve adapted. Therapy is a great place to learn about this transformational drive because it is often what causes us to make the call, send the email, or step through the door for help.  It is important to realize that despite the chaos, problems, pain, and suffering, there also exists a strong transformational force that wants to bring us healing and growth. This is a powerful and important force to pay attention to.

Somatically-informed

Somatic therapy means to bring in the awareness of physical sensations and shifts in our internal experience throughout the therapy session. Acknowledging, noticing, and naming these sensations within the body allow for a deeper and more resonate healing experience. Somatic therapy is informed by poly-vagal theory that helps us understand how and why our nervous system responds to stress in specific ways. By connecting our thoughts, emotions, and sensations, we’re better able to feel more regulated as well as have more flexibility in our autonomic responses.