Therapy Treatments
Therapies for PTSD & Trauma Reactions
Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)
Prolonged Exposure was developed to reduce the lasting emotional pain and challenges in daily life that are associated with PTSD. PE is an active therapy that teaches you to thoughtfully and gradually approach and process trauma-related memories, feelings, and situations that you have been avoiding or pushing away since you survived your trauma(s). By revisiting these challenges in a safe and structured manner, you can train your body and mind to react in new, more adaptive ways. Science has shown that PE helps individuals with PTSD improve their mood and alleviate anxieties, reduce unwanted and intrusive memories of their trauma, and feel more at ease in their bodies. Ultimately, PE helps you to live your life again.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
PTSD can change the way people think and feel about themselves and the world. Cognitive Processing Therapy offers a structured way to recover from PTSD by identifying how traumatic experiences change beliefs and how thoughts can affect current emotions and behaviors. CPT involves processing the effects of trauma through writing and guided reflection. In CPT, you can expect to revisit themes of safety, power and control, trust, esteem, and connectedness in your life. Decades of research show that CPT helps reduce the symptoms of PTSD, allowing you to focus on living a life less hindered by your trauma memories.
Written Exposure Therapy (WET)
Written Exposure Therapy is a short-term treatment that helps you to focus on and process your trauma experiences through writing and discussion with Dr. Carlile. By writing about these experiences in session, you have the opportunity to train your mind and body to think and react in new, more helpful ways.
Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR)
Skills Training for Affective and Interpersonal Regulation is a treatment designed for individuals who have survived trauma in their lifetime and are currently experiencing challenges in their relationships. STAIR places emphasis on learning cognitive and behavioral (CBT) skills to improve effectiveness in interpersonal dynamics and to regulate uncomfortable emotions. Compared to other trauma-focused therapies, STAIR is unique in that individuals work to reduce post-trauma reactions without having to disclose specific details of the traumatic experience(s). Said another way, you do not have to talk about your trauma(s), but you will be encouraged to discuss how trauma has impacted you.
Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)
Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) is a flexible trauma-focused psychotherapy approach that helps individuals process and integrate their traumatic experiences by constructing a coherent narrative of their past. It involves creating a detailed timeline of significant events and systematically addressing the associated emotions and reactions. By reconstructing the narrative in a safe and supportive environment, individuals can gain a sense of mastery over their traumatic memories and promote healing and resilience. NET has been shown to be effective in treating various forms of trauma, including PTSD, and has been adapted for use in diverse cultural contexts.
Treatments for Sleep Problems
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)
The overarching goal of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia is to improve the quality and quantity of sleep. When someone has difficulty falling or staying asleep or waking up too early, they will most like experience challenges during the day. This treatment helps people with insomnia to reset their body’s sleep cycle, which may be disrupted after months or years of sleep problems. CBT-I is a structured approach that is tailored specifically to your sleep needs and lifestyle. Therapy helps you to identify and replace behaviors and thoughts that contribute to sleep problems with habits that promote sound sleep. Unlike medication or supplements, CBT-I helps you to overcome the underlying causes of your sleep problems.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Nightmares (CBT-N)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Nightmares helps to reduce how often nightmares occur and to lessen how upsetting they are. There are two main CBT-N treatments: (1) Exposure Relaxation Rescripting Therapy and (2) Imagery Rehearsal Therapy. Both of these treatments involve learning about nightmare development and then provide a collaborative and structured environment that allows you to examine your nightmares and process the emotions associated with these distressing dreams. When the frequency and intensity of your nightmares is reduced, your sleep will improve, and it's likely that you will also feel better during the day.
Learn more about Exposure Relaxation Rescripting Therapy
Learn more about Imagery Rehearsal Therapy
CPAP Machine and Mask Desensitization for Sleep Apnea
A main treatment of sleep apnea involves the use of CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine and mask. These tools can be challenging to use but are essential for improving one's sleep and health. The CPAP machine and mask desensitization protocol aims to alleviate any initial discomfort, promote gradual adaptation, and ultimately ensure successful long-term use of CPAP therapy for effective management of sleep apnea.
Treatments for Sexual Health or Gender Needs
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Sexual Health
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Sexual Health targets a variety of needs, including physiological or emotional problems with arousal, function, or intimacy. This treatment is holistic and structured. It provides education, skills training, and strategies for improving your sexual wellness whether individually or in relationships.
Learn more about CBT for Sexual Health
Sensate Focus Protocol
The goal of Sensate Focus is to enhance intimacy or connection within romantic partnerships. It emphasizes positive emotions as well as physical feelings and responses while reducing any negative reactions. It involves a series of homework behavioral exercises that are structured to reduce anxiety and improve communciation around intimacy. It has been shown to be helpful for arousal difficulties, lack of desire, pain during sexual activity, premature ejaculation, and erectile dysfunction.
Learn more about Sensate Focus
Identity Affirming Psychotherapy
Identity Affirming Therapy is an approach to working with gender or sexual orientation diverse clients. It celebrates and supports individual identity and expression, as well as addresses how one’s identity intersects with other areas of lived experience. Any science-based treatment listed may be conducted within the framework of identity affirming therapy.
Learn more about Gender Affirming Therapy
Learn more about LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a treatment that focuses on intentional behavior change coupled with mindfulness and acceptance techniques with the goal of increasing flexibility in thinking. ACT helps people to identify what is meaningful in their lives and to move toward intentionally living in a way that aligns with those values. ACT has been shown to be effective for improving sexual health concerns, including those related to medical conditions or health problems. Furthermore, ACT is particularly beneficial for individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ as it focuses on clarifying personal values and goals aligned with authentic identities, which fosters resilience and decreases internalized stigma.
Trans-Affirmative Narrative Exposure Therapy
Trans-Affirmative Narrative Exposure Therapy (TA-NET) is a specialized therapeutic approach that supports transgender or gender non-conforming individuals by addressing their unique experiences and challenges. TA-NET helps transgender individuals process traumatic events, such as gender dysphoria or discrimination, by empowering them to share their narratives and reframe their life stories. TA-NET integrates mindfulness, cognitive restructuring, and exposure techniques to gradually confront distressing memories while fostering resilience and self-compassion. By affirming diverse gender identities and expressions, TA-NET aims to promote healing, self-acceptance, and well-being within the transgender community.
Treatments for Depression, Anxiety, and Other Needs
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a broad treatment approach that helps people learn how to identify and change unhelpful thought patterns that have a negative influence on actions and emotions. CBT is based on three core principles of the human experience:
- Mental health problems are based, in part, on unhelpful or inaccurate ways of thinking;
- Mental health problems are based, in part, on learned patterns of unhelpful behavior;
- Individuals who experience mental health problems can learn better ways of coping with them, and thus, alleviate their symptoms and become more effective in their lives.
CBT encompasses a range of strategies that have been shown to be effective for many concerns, including anxiety, depression, anger, trauma, health problems, and sleep problems. CBT helps you to quickly identify and address your specific challenges. This approach empowers you to improve your emotion regulation strategies and to practice new skills in your daily life.
Interpersonal Psychotherapy
Interpersonal Psychotherapy represents a broad therapy approach designed to improve your life by focusing on the impact of your relationships in the past and present. This treatment is flexible and may be tailored to meet your specific goals. Often you will be encouraged to reflect and process your interactions with important people in your life, learning how problematic behavior patterns may contribute to the challenges you face. You will then learn strategies and techniques to approach situations in a new way, ultimately leading to improved emotional health and relationships.
Learn more about Interpersonal Psychotherapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a treatment that focuses on intentional behavior change coupled with mindfulness and acceptance techniques with the goal of increasing flexibility in thinking. ACT helps people to identify what is meaningful in their lives and to move toward intentionally living in a way that aligns with those values. ACT has been shown to be effective for improving adjustment to chronic health problems, depression, anxiety, and chronic pain.
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Motivational Interviewing is a treatment approach developed to aid individuals in navigating complex decisions in a way that leads to meaningful life changes. MI emphasizes a collaborative therapy space that empowers the individual to examine their goals and values, which may provide clarity and direction in their overall wellness. MI has been shown to be especially beneficial with management of chronic health concerns and reduction in unhelpful habits (e.g., smoking, risky sexual behavior, etc.).
Behavioral Activation (BA)
Behavioral Activation is designed to reduce common symptoms of depression, especially lack of enjoyment and withdrawal. BA places emphasis on identifying activities and relationships that are positive and important to you, focusing on those valued areas to move forward. You may notice the return of pleasant feelings, positive emotions, and a sense of accomplishment or mastery. BA also helps you to decrease reliance on activities that are negative or that keep you stuck in depression. This treatment is highly customizable and can be adjusted to fit your specific needs, interests, and goals.
Exposure Therapy (Exposure Response Prevention)
Exposure Therapy is a flexible treatment that was designed to help people gradually approach their anxieties or fears in a way that helps them to engage in life and feel better. When people feel anxious or are fearful of something, they tend to avoid the feared situations or objects. Although staying away may alleviate distress in the short term, over time this avoidance makes things worse and their world may start to feel smaller. In Exposure Therapy a safer and deliberate environment is created to allow the individual to approach the things that are feared and avoided. This approaching process (or exposure) serves to reduce anxiety, decrease avoidance, and contribute to meaningful participation in your life.
Learn more about Exposure Therapy
Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP)
Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders was developed to improve your mood and reduce anxiety by learning new ways to respond to uncomfortable emotions. This treatment helps you engage in the present moment, to foster self-awareness, to examine your unhelpful thoughts, and to try new behaviors. UP is unique compared to other therapies because it allows for focus on different problems related to emotion, rather than targeting only one concern.