Types of Counseling
Learn about: Emotionally Focused Therapy, Gottman Couples Therapy, EMDR Therapy, and EMDR Intensives
Gottman Method Counseling (Couples)
Based on over 40 years of research with thousands of couples, the Gottman Method for couples therapy is one of the most widely utilized couples therapies in the world founded by Drs. John and Julie Gottman. Gottman Therapy includes a thorough assessment of your relationship and integrates research-based interventions based on the Sound Relationship House Theory. The goals of Gottman Method Couples Therapy are to disarm conflicting verbal communication; increase intimacy, respect, and affection; remove barriers that create a feeling of stagnancy; and create a heightened sense of empathy and understanding within the context of the relationship.
EMDR Therapy (Individuals)
EMDR is a trauma-informed therapy that was founded by Francine Shapiro in 1987 for the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Since then, research studies have proven it highly effective at assisting individuals at overcoming many other mental health disorders and stressors including performance anxiety, depression, chronic pain, grief and loss, sleep disturbances, anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias. EMDR is widely recognized as one of the most effective trauma treatments available at this time. Contact us to find out if you may be a good fit.
EMDR Intensives (Individuals)
Some clients are great candidates for EMDR Intensive therapy. EMDR Intensives can be especially helpful when you have a specific goal that you would like to accomplish in counseling that could take weeks or months and time is limited. EMDR Intensive counseling work takes larger time periods (2 hours, 4 hours and 6 six hour options) to spend brief, focused time working through past traumatic events. EMDR Intensives can be used as a stand alone counseling service or an adjunct to ongoing counseling services provided by the clinician or another therapist. Contact us to schedule a 90 minute intake to determine if you are a good candidate for this service.
Other Counseling Methods Commonly Incorporated
Becoming Counseling values meeting you where you are at as you begin the counseling process. Many times it can be helpful to take an eclectic approach to counseling to ensure that the counseling method is a good fit for you and your current needs, not the other way around. Other types of counseling methods commonly utilized by Ashton include Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, DBT and Person-Centered Therapy. Ashton will work collaboratively with you to determine your current goals for counseling and develop an individualized treatment plan for services.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (Couple and Individuals)
Emotionally Focused Therapy can be utilized in Couples and Individual sessions. For couples, EFT works to break the negative emotional cycles within relationships by creating an empathetic understanding of each partner's emotions that can create more healthy, connected cycles of interaction between partners. This approach works to emphasize the importance of the attachment bond between couples. Individuals can benefit from EFIT, which works to change unhelpful and maladaptive emotional experiences like loss, shame, and and fear by understanding and managing them in healthier ways. Dr. Sue Johnson, author of "Hold Me Tight" and "Love Sense", developed EFT and EFIT for use with couples and individuals.
My Approach
You deserve thorough assessments, collaborative care, and a holistic approach.
My goal is that you have access to high quality counseling services in a space that feels comfortable to you. I find value in identifying areas of needed support as quickly as possible through the completion of assessments at the beginning of the counseling process so that you feel like you get some answers about what may be affecting you or your relationship as early in the counseling process as possible. We all also bring in strengths to the counseling process, so identifying strengths already held by individuals and couples is prioritized throughout the counseling process.
I value working collaboratively to identify goals that are meaningful to you. The more you identify with your goals being worked on in counseling, the more motivated you will feel to create lasting change. It's your process and it's my goal to meet you where you are at as you begin services and provide education and clinical support as needed along the way. With my history serving diverse populations with a variety of research-based practices, I can offer suggestions about what types of therapeutic approaches will assist you in getting to your identified goals the quickest.
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Finally, I value a holistic approach to your mental health. Physical health, support systems, spirituality health, environments you live in and past and current family relationships all play a role in your ability to reach your maximum mental health. I view clients and relationships through many lenses to assist you in utilizing supports outside of the counseling relationship to become your ideal self. Being well connected to the Central Texas community, I am happy to support you in accessing needed referrals to other medical professionals, organizations, and religious supports as needed.
