Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, more commonly known as CBT, is the gold standard for treating anxiety, depression, trauma, and adjustment disorders. CBT is a method that examines how your thoughts, feelings, physical responses, and actions all influence each other. During this treatment, you’ll learn how to change the way you respond to anxiety by engaging in something called exposure, which is a fancy way of saying facing your fears in a systematic way. For instance, if you’re afraid of public speaking, the goal would be to get you more comfortable giving talks in front of others. Sometimes, exposure is just practicing something in your head, or learning to allow scary thoughts. We will also address how to relax in specific ways that actually impact the nervous system to reduce the fight or flight response. The final piece is to develop greater awareness of the ways in which your thinking may be holding you back and help you develop more flexible and compassionate thoughts.

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Acceptance & Commitment Therapy in Houston, TX

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I also use a different evidence-based treatment called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Essentially, ACT understands that humans are wired to avoid negative thoughts and feelings, and that avoidance is the crux of our psychological distress. Different from CBT, the goal of ACT is not to change your symptoms or distress. In ACT,  you will learn how to practice mindful awareness of your thoughts and learn not to get hooked into what they’re telling you. Learning to separate who you are from your thoughts is a process called cognitive defusion. At the same time, this therapy helps you to figure out what really matters to you. You will learn how to show up in the moment, accept what’s there, and realize that it’s possible to choose to live in line with your values and start doing more of what really matters to you. 

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**Medications can often be helpful in tandem with psychotherapy for the conditions I treat. I can provide referrals to psychiatrists familiar with your concerns who can further discuss the option of taking medication. If you already have a prescribing physician, I’d strongly encourage you to consider having me consult with them about our treatment to maximize your success.

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Get specialized help for your struggles and start feeling better soon. Click below to get your free consultation and see how psychological treatment can benefit your specific needs.