Glossary

Types of Mental Health Care

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) – A form of community-based mental health care for individuals experiencing severe mental illness that interferes with their ability to live in the community, attend appointments with professionals in clinics and hospitals, and manage mental health symptoms. ACT programs rely on multidisciplinary teams of professionals with expertise in psychiatry, nursing, social work, substance use treatment, and employment counseling.

Case Management/Care Coordination – A collaborative process of assessment, planning, care coordination, and advocacy for services to meet an individual’s comprehensive health needs and promote patient safety, quality of care, and cost effective outcomes. Case managers often help clients navigate complex healthcare systems, assist with appointments, and help find resources to meet basic needs.

Clinical Mental Health Evaluation – A biopsychosocial assessment (including biology, psychology, and socio-environmental factors) to determine mental health diagnoses and treatment recommendations.

Couples Counseling – This typically brings couples or partners together for joint therapy sessions to improve the relationship. Working with a therapist, couples learn skills to resolve conflict, build communication, and strengthen the overall relationship. Depending on the level of distress in the relationship, counseling can be short-term or over a period of several months.

Court-Ordered Mental Health Evaluation – An evaluation that is ordered based on a person’s mental health history and current legal charge. The evaluation includes a biopsychosocial assessment (including biology, psychology, and socio-environmental factors) to determine mental health diagnoses and treatment recommendations. A person is then required by the court to complete the treatment recommendations.

Court-Ordered Treatment – Treatment that a person is ordered to complete by the court system related to a legal charge. This typically involves mental health, substance use, anger management and/or domestic violence treatment.

Crisis Stabilization – Short-term intervention that helps de-escalate the severity of a person’s distress and/or need for urgent care related to a substance use or mental health disorder. Typically a 24/7 service.

Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) – A technique designed to assist first responders and others in dealing with the physical or psychological symptoms associated with exposure to a traumatic situation. CISD focuses solely on an immediate and identifiable problem following a traumatic incident. Debriefing allows those involved with the incident to process the event and reflect on its impact.

Custody Evaluation (Parenting Evaluation) – A legal process in which a court-appointed mental health expert, or an expert chosen by the parties, evaluates a family and makes a recommendation to the court for custody matters, usually including residential custody, visitation, and a parenting plan.

Family Counseling – Designed to promote understanding and collaboration among family members to address specific issues affecting the health and functioning of a family unit. It can be used to help a family through a difficult period, a major transition, or behavioral health problems in family members.

Gastric Bypass Surgery Evaluation – Psychological evaluation of a patient before bariatric surgery to better understand an individual’s motivation, readiness, behavioral challenges, and emotional factors that may impact their coping and adjustment through surgery and the associated lifestyle changes.

Genetic Testing for Personalized Medications – DNA can impact a person’s response to medications. With a small blood or saliva sample, genetic testing for medications can help determine if a medication may be an effective treatment for an individual, what the best dose of a medication is, and whether the person could have serious side effects. To learn more, visit the Mayo Clinic website.

Group Counseling – A form of therapy in which a behavioral health professional meets with a group of individuals all together. Those participating in the group typically share similar struggles and challenges.

In-Home Counseling – Therapy that takes place at the home of a person in therapy, rather than in an office.

Individual Counseling (Outpatient) – With the help of a therapist, individual counseling can help a person overcome obstacles to their well-being. Counseling can be helpful for increasing an individual’s self-awareness, encouraging self-exploration, identifying boundaries, enhancing communication skills, and increasing the use of healthy coping skills. Individual therapy is also called therapy, psychotherapy, psychosocial therapy, talk therapy, and counseling.

Inpatient Psychiatric Treatment (Hospital) – The most intensive level of psychiatric care, which involves an overnight or longer stay. Treatment is provided in a 24-hour secure, medically staffed environment. The goal of the inpatient stay is to stabilize an individual who is experiencing an acute psychiatric condition with a relatively sudden onset, severe course, or a marked decompensation due to a more chronic condition. Typically, the individual is an imminent danger to self or others, is very impaired, and/or behavioral or medical care needs are unmanageable at any available lower level of care. Active family involvement is important unless clinically contraindicated.

Intensive Case Management – A community-based package of care, aiming to provide long-term care for severely mentally ill individuals. It consists of management of mental health problems as well as the rehabilitation and social support needs of the individual, by a team of people who have a fairly small group of clients. Case managers often help their clients navigate complex healthcare systems, assist with appointments, and help find resources to meet basic needs.

Intensive Outpatient Mental Health Treatment (IOP) – A structured therapeutic environment that meets 3 to 5 times a week for 3 to 4 hours each day, and typically runs for 5 to 8 weeks. IOP may be a good treatment option for individuals who are on leave from work or school, those needing more support than once-a-week counseling, or those who have recently completed a hospitalization. IOP assists people to continue their recovery, offering group and individual therapy for those with depression, anxiety, substance use, or other mental health issues.

Mediation – A process in which parties discuss their disputes with the assistance of a trained impartial third person who assists them in reaching a settlement or coming to an agreement.

Medication Management – Several different types of drugs are available to treat mental illnesses, including antidepressants, along with anti-anxiety, antipsychotic, mood stabilizing, and stimulant medications. Medications are often used in conjunction with other therapies for relief from mental health distress. Psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and primary care doctors are the most common prescribers of psychiatric medications.

Partial Hospitalization/Outpatient Day Treatment – Structured outpatient program which is one step down from inpatient care. The patient continues to live at home, but commutes to a treatment center during the week to attend outpatient groups and individual therapy for about 20 hours per week.

Peer Services – Services provided by a peer specialist, who is a person in recovery from a mental health disorder, substance use disorder, or both. Peer specialists share their personal experience and help facilitate the recovery for others.

Psychiatric Evaluation – An evaluation to assist in diagnosis and to determine which psychiatric medications are appropriate and recommended. The evaluation may include an assessment of emotional, behavioral, or developmental conditions.

Residential Treatment Centers (RTC) for Adults – Residential treatment centers are clinically focused, intensive, live-in facilities where patients are continually monitored and supervised by trained staff. RTCs offer intensive rehabilitation services to individuals who are considered unable to live or work in the community due to social, emotional, or physical disabilities resulting from substance use or mental health challenges.

Residential Treatment Centers (RTC) for Children – Intensive help for youth with serious emotional and behavioral problems. While receiving residential treatment, children temporarily live outside of their homes in a facility where they can be supervised and monitored by trained staff.

Respite Care – Respite care provides temporary relief for primary caregivers. It can be arranged for just an afternoon or for several days or weeks. Care can be provided at home, in a healthcare facility, or at a day center.

Telehealth/Online Counseling – A therapist or counselor provides psychological counseling and support through video conferencing, online chat, or a phone call. Telehealth improves access to care for people who live in remote areas, who have limited transportation or who, due to illness or mobility problems, can't leave home.

Testing/Assessment–Neuropsychological Evaluation – Standardized testing and assessment designed to determine a person’s strengths and weaknesses in cognitive and behavioral functioning. Typically used to help with a diagnosis, recommend treatment, or establish a baseline in functioning.

Testing/Assessment–Psychological Evaluation – Testing and assessment are two parts of a psychological evaluation. Tests may be administered to measure a specific area of functioning. An assessment gathers information including clinical interviews, various test scores, and observed behavior. An evaluation can help determine current functioning, identify treatment needs, and differentiate between diagnoses.

WPATH Letter for Gender-Affirming Care – The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) has established standards and ethical guidelines regarding care. Mental health professionals may provide letters of readiness for gender-affirming surgery.

Types of Substance Use/Addiction Care

Acudetox/Acupuncture – Acudetox is a well-established method of acupuncture that targets specific points on the ear involving detox and craving pathways. It has been shown to reduce cravings for alcohol and drugs including nicotine, minimize withdrawal symptoms, help control agitation and anxiety, while increasing calmness, energy, concentration, and sleep. To learn more about the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association protocol, visit the NADA website.

Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment – Treatment involves counseling by a healthcare professional. A detoxification program in a hospital or medical facility is recommended for those who need additional assistance. Medications are available to aid in controlling the desire to drink.

Court-Ordered Substance Use Evaluation – A evaluation is used to identify the possible presence and extent of an offender’s drug and/or alcohol problem, and it also allows for the development of a treatment plan designed to address the person’s specific circumstances. The evaluation impacts how a judge sentences an offender and can sometimes reduce, eliminate, or increase penalties that would otherwise be imposed. The evaluation can also be a condition of probation or part of a diversion, deferred sentencing, or similar program.

Court-Ordered Substance Use Treatment – The requirements of court-ordered treatment vary depending on the individual. Many local and state courts apply drug or alcohol treatment requirements to people convicted of crimes, as part of, or instead of, incarceration. Those who have committed minor crimes, and who are not repeat offenders, may be offered help finding a detox and rehabilitation program as part of their sentence rather than going to jail.

Detoxification (Medical) – Medically assisted stabilization in an inpatient, residential, or outpatient medical setting, to support initial withdrawal and stabilization following cessation of alcohol or other drugs as the body rids itself of a drug and its metabolites. Medical professionals monitor and manage withdrawal symptoms using medication or other supplements.

Detoxification (Social) – A non-medical detox program to emotionally and psychologically support individuals through the initial withdrawal process, as the body rids itself of a drug and its metabolites. Social detox is considered only for individuals who do not require medical supervision and are not facing life-threatening withdrawal symptoms.

DUI Education and Treatment – If a person receives a DUI/DWAI, a court may order the individual to take DUI classes as a condition of their probation. Individuals will be ordered to enter into either a Level I or a Level II program, depending on the severity of the offense and number of prior DUI convictions. Level I and Level II services can be completed only at programs licensed by the Office of Behavioral Health to provide these services. DUI classes focus on topics including how alcohol and other drugs affect driving performance and safety, the legal and personal consequences of a DUI/DWAI conviction, and ways to avoid drinking and driving in the future.

Halfway House or Other Transitional Housing – Allows people with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities, or those with criminal backgrounds, to learn (or relearn) the necessary skills to reintegrate into society and better support and care for themselves. As well as serving as a residence, halfway houses provide social, medical, psychiatric, educational, and other support services. Halfway houses are between completely independent living and inpatient or correctional facilities where residents are highly restricted.

Inpatient Addiction Treatment – The most intensive level of care, which involves an overnight or longer stay. Treatment is provided in a 24-hour, secure, medically staffed environment. The goal of the inpatient stay is to stabilize the individual who is experiencing acute symptoms associated with alcohol or drug withdrawal, or a co-occurring substance use and mental health episode. Typically, the individual is an imminent danger to self or others, is very impaired, and/or behavioral or medical care needs are unmanageable at any available lower level of care. Typically, programs include medical detox and integrated mental health services.

Intensive Dual Disorder Treatment (IDDT) – An evidence-based model that improves quality of life for people with co-occurring severe mental illness and substance use disorders. The IDDT model combines substance use and mental health services and uses a collaborative, multidisciplinary team approach to coordinate every aspect of a client’s recovery and ensure that service providers involved in the client’s care are working toward a common goal.

Intensive Outpatient Treatment for Substance Use Disorders (IOP) – A structured therapeutic environment that meets 3 to 5 times a week for 3 to 4 hours each day, and typically runs for 5 to 8 weeks. IOP may be a good treatment option for individuals in a variety of situations, including those on leave from work or school, those needing more support than once-a-week counseling, or those who have recently completed a hospitalization. IOP assists people in continuing to work on their recovery and maintain sobriety through group and individual therapy.

Intervention – When a group of people comes together (usually with the help of an addiction specialist/interventionist) to confront a person who is addicted to alcohol. The group tries to persuade the person to not just make changes in their life, but to seek help from a professional or a rehab center to deal with substance use. An intervention group typically includes very close friends and family of the person with an addiction.

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for Alcohol – Medication treatment to help reduce substance dependence. For alcohol dependence, MAT can be a daily oral pill or a monthly shot. There are different kinds of medications, some of which stop the individual from consuming alcohol and others that reduce the pleasurable effects from alcohol, which helps reduce consumption. Some common medications are Antabuse, Vivitrol, and naltrexone among others.

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for Opioids – Medication treatment to help reduce substance dependence. For opioid dependence, MAT is typically a daily tablet, injection, or sublingual film. There are different kinds of medications, some of which stop the individual from using opioids by blocking the effects and others that partially reduce the effects of opioids, which reduces consumption. Medications reduce cravings and are paired with other therapies like groups or individual therapy. Some common medications are methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone.

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for Other Substances – Medication treatment to help reduce substance dependence. MAT currently exists for tobacco, as well as for alcohol and opioids. MAT is used to decrease cravings by either blocking or reducing the pleasurable effect when using the substance. When appropriately prescribed and monitored, medications have been proven to prevent overdoses and help people sustain recovery.

Opioid Use Disorder Treatment – Program that addresses opioid use that impacts a person’s relationships, work, or daily activities. Opioids include heroin, morphine, and fentanyl or prescription painkillers such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and codeine.

Outpatient Treatment for Substance Use Disorders/Addiction – Treatment that can involve individual therapy, groups, and medication management (MAT), where the client attends appointments to gain tools and support to manage their substance use. Outpatient treatment can be range from 1 to 9 hours a week.

Partial Hospitalization/Outpatient Day Treatment – Structured outpatient program which is one step down from inpatient care. A person attends groups and individual therapy during the week for about 20 hours per week. People can continue working on their recovery in an intensive supportive environment while still going home every night.

Recovery Coaching – Recovery coaches engage with and encourage those in recovery from substances to maintain sobriety, participate in recovery-oriented activities and develop a network of sober supports. Recovery coaches work with clients on a daily basis to help them establish habits and behaviors that encourage and reinforce a healthy lifestyle.

Residential Treatment Centers – Residential treatment centers are clinically focused, intensive, live-in facilities where patients are continually monitored and supervised by trained staff. RTCs offer intensive rehabilitation services to individuals who are considered unable to live or work in the community due to social, emotional, or physical disabilities resulting from substance use or mental health challenges.

Self-Help Groups (Peer-Based Recovery Support) – Self-help or support groups are peer-run groups that provide support and encouragement to participants in recovery. They provide a supportive space for people who have similar experiences or challenges with the misuse of drugs or alcohol. People share their stories, receive encouragement, and learn ways to manage their recovery. Self-help groups include programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and SMART Recovery, as well as other community support groups. Other groups, such as Al-Anon, offer support for family and friends impacted by another person’s substance use.

Sober Living Homes – Housing that provides safe, supportive, and structured living conditions for people exiting substance use rehabilitation programs. Sober living houses serve as a transition between such programs and mainstream society. Most sober living communities offer services to the members of just one gender, encouraging a communal form of healing, in which all residents work together to help and support one another.

Substance Use Assessment/Evaluation – A substance use evaluation, also known as a drug and alcohol evaluation, is a process that takes place between an individual and an addictions counselor to assess whether or not an individual’s alcohol and/or drug use is a problem. If it is determined that there is an alcohol and/or drug problem, the addictions counselor will make a diagnosis and make treatment recommendations to best meet the needs of the individual.

Substance Use Education – Psychoeducation about substances (both illegal and legal substances) that are abused. Education includes how these substances affect individuals, warning signs of addiction, effects of addiction on an individual and their loved ones, how to get treatment/help and how to support someone who is struggling with a substance use disorder.

Telehealth/Online Counseling – A therapist or counselor provides counseling and support through video conferencing, online chat, or a phone call. Telehealth improves access to care for people who live in remote areas, who have limited transportation or who, due to illness or mobility problems, can't leave home.

Tobacco Treatment–Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) – A treatment to help people stop using tobacco and nicotine products. Examples of NRT include transdermal patches, nasal spray, inhaler, gum, and lozenges. NRT replaces the nicotine in the brain without the additional chemicals and carcinogens contained in tobacco and e-devices. NRT aids in the reduction of withdrawal symptoms and nicotine cravings when the individual stops using tobacco products. A combination of different types of NRT, along with behavioral therapy, have been found to be more effective than using just one type of NRT.

Tobacco Treatment–Non-nicotine Cessation Medications – Besides nicotine replacement therapies, some prescription medications can help with nicotine withdrawal and cravings. Bupropion (Zyban) is an antidepressant used for nicotine dependency. Varenicline (Chantix) is also used to reduce nicotine cravings. Using these medications in combination with NRT can increase quitting success.

Tobacco Treatment–Smoking/Tobacco Cessation Counseling – Nicotine is the addictive substance in tobacco. When people have an addiction to nicotine, they have a compulsive need to use tobacco despite the many unwanted physical and psychological consequences. During smoking/tobacco cessation treatment, a person works with an addictions specialist to learn tools to decrease their tobacco use in an effort to stop all together. Counseling, behavioral therapy, medications, and nicotine replacement therapies may be used to help a person quit smoking.

Treatment Approaches

12-Step Facilitation – A set of guiding principles and course of action for recovery from addiction, compulsion, or other behavioral problems. In this model, people can help one another achieve and maintain abstinence from substances of abuse, but healing cannot come about unless people with addictions surrender to a higher power. Although the 12 Steps are based on spiritual principles, many nonreligious people have found the program helpful. The language emphasizes the presence of God as each participant understands a higher power, allowing for different interpretations and religious beliefs.

ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) – ACT encourages people to open up to their thoughts and feelings rather than fighting them or feeling guilty, and commit to facing the problem head on rather than avoiding the distress. ACT develops psychological flexibility and is a form of behavioral therapy that combines mindfulness skills with the practice of self-acceptance.

Activity Therapy – A therapeutic approach using actions, movements, and activities to help people face their problems and concerns and improve their quality of life.

Animal-Assisted Therapy – Incorporates animals (such as horses, dogs, cats, pigs, and birds) into a treatment plan. It is used to enhance and complement traditional therapy. Benefits include helping with personal and social development, increased self-esteem, improved mental health, better social skills, and increased empathy and nurturing skills.

Art Therapy – A form of expressive therapy that can be beneficial when exploring deeper, subconscious feelings and patterns that may otherwise be hard to verbalize. The creative process involved in expressing one’s self artistically can help people to resolve issues as well as manage behaviors and feelings, reduce stress, and improve self-esteem and awareness.

Attachment Therapy – Looks at the connection between early childhood attachment experiences with primary caregivers, usually with parents, and the child’s ability to develop normally and ultimately form healthy emotional and physical relationships as an adult.

Behavior Modification – A process of changing patterns of behavior over the long-term using various motivational techniques, mainly consequences (negative reinforcement) and rewards (positive reinforcement).

Biofeedback – A mind-body technique that uses visual or auditory feedback to gain control over involuntary bodily functions, as for example, gaining voluntary control over heart rate, muscle tension, blood flow, pain perception, and blood pressure. Tools used during a biofeedback could include deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, and mindfulness meditation.

Brainspotting – A relatively new treatment approach that works by identifying, processing, and releasing stored negative or traumatic experiences from the brain to help affected individuals heal. Brainspotting locates points in the client’s visual field that help to access unprocessed trauma in the subcortical brain.

Brief Intervention – Evidence-based practices designed to motivate individuals at risk of substance use and related health problems to change their behavior by helping them understand how their substance use puts them at risk and to reduce or give up their substance use.

Brief Therapy - A focused process that relies on assessment, client engagement, and rapid implementation of change strategies. It incorporates many different therapeutic techniques and aims to develop realistic solutions quickly, rather than keeping people in therapy for longer periods of time.

Career Counseling – Helps individuals know and understand themselves and the work world in order to make career, educational, and life decisions. This type of counseling can help with choosing, changing, or leaving a career and is available at any stage in life. During the process, individuals plan their careers and steps to achieve employment goals.

CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) – CBT works by changing people’s attitudes and behavior by focusing on the thoughts, images, beliefs, and attitudes that they hold. CBT helps a person become aware of inaccurate or negative thinking so they can view challenging situations more clearly and respond to them in a more effective way.

Christian Counseling – Combines a person’s faith with the principles of psychology to improve their mental health and relationships. This approach uses scripture and biblical teachings to help navigate through life’s challenges.

Contingency Management/Motivational Incentives – A behavioral therapy that uses motivational incentives and tangible rewards to help a person become abstinent from drugs or alcohol. To encourage sobriety and behaviors that support healthy living, clients receive rewards when they reach goals and make lifestyle changes in their day-to-day lives.

Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) – Psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive, and physical integration of the individual. A modality of the creative arts therapies, DMT looks at the relationship between movement and emotion and is centered around physical expression instead of words. DMT can help individuals improve self-esteem and body image, develop effective communication skills, expand movement vocabulary, gain insight into patterns of behavior, and create new options for coping.

DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) – A type of cognitive behavioral therapy. DBT’s main goals are to teach skills to help people live in the moment (mindfulness), cope with stress in healthy ways and increase distress tolerance, manage painful emotions, and decrease conflict in relationships.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) – A procedure, done under general anesthesia, in which small electric currents are passed through the brain, intentionally triggering a brief seizure. ECT seems to cause changes in brain chemistry that can quickly reverse symptoms of certain mental health conditions. ECT is most commonly used in patients with severe major depression or bipolar disorder that has not responded to other treatments.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) – EMDR enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress resulting from disturbing life experiences. During an EMDR session, an individual relives a traumatic or triggering experience in brief doses while the therapist directs their eye movement side-to-side. Proponents of EMDR believe that the brain’s information processing system naturally moves toward mental health. If the system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of a disturbing event, the emotional wound festers and can cause suffering. Once the block is removed, healing resumes.

Emotion-Focused Therapy – A type of therapy based on attachment and bonding theories that aims to help individuals gain a greater awareness of their emotions and provide strategies to effectively cope with, regulate, and transform their emotions. According to this approach, emotions are also a guide for individual choice and decision-making, and assumes that lack of emotional awareness or avoiding unpleasant emotions can cause harm.

Emotional Freedom Techniques – An alternative treatment for physical pain and emotional distress, also referred to as tapping or psychological acupressure. According to EFT, tapping helps a person access the body’s energy and send signals to the part of the brain that controls stress. Blocks or imbalances in the flow of energy can lead to ill health, and tapping on certain meridian points with the fingertips restores the balance of energy to resolve physical and emotional issues.

Equine Therapy – A form of experiential therapy supervised by a mental health professional in which a person interacts with a horse through grooming, feeding, haltering, and leading the horse. Horses can help people uncover parts of themselves they may not have had access to in the past, whether due to trauma or a diagnosed mental illness. Through interacting with these loving and calm animals, people learn soothing, emotion-regulating behaviors. The goal of equine therapy is to help a person develop accountability, responsibility, self-confidence, problem-solving skills, and self-control.

Existential Therapy – Focuses on free will, self-determination, and the search for meaning. The goal of existential therapy is to understand the way an individual sees the world and help them make choices based on this insight. Authenticity and focusing on the here and now are used to explore the uniqueness of each individual, their way of being in the world, and an awareness of one’s own existence.

Experiential Therapy – A number of different types of therapeutic interventions are incorporated that use expressive tools and activities, such as role-playing or acting, props, arts and crafts (Art Therapy), music (Music Therapy), animal care (Equine Therapy), guided imagery, or various forms of recreation that allows for the development of insight and realization into the nature of one’s inner thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

Exposure Therapy – A behavior therapy to treat anxiety disorders and help people confront their fears that involves exposing the client to the anxiety source or its context without the intent to cause any danger. When people are fearful, they tend to avoid the feared objects, activities, or situations. Although avoidance might help reduce feelings of fear in the short-term, over the long-term the fear can become worse. Exposure therapy is used to help treat phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Family Systems Therapy – The goal of therapy is to support people in resolving conflicts or problems that exist within a family, and help family members improve communication, understand and handle special family situations (for example, death, serious physical or mental illness, or child and adolescent issues), and create a better functioning home environment. Therapy is conducted on the basis that all family members contribute to the dynamic of whether the family functions in a healthy or dysfunctional way.

Feminist Therapy – An integrative approach that focuses on gender and the particular challenges and stressors that women face as a result of bias, stereotyping, oppression, discrimination, and other factors that threaten their mental health. The purpose of Feminist Therapy is to help the individual eliminate their thoughts and feelings on gender standard and encourage them to explore or create their own identity.

Gestalt Therapy – Therapists use techniques to help the clients become more aware of their experiences, perceptions, and responses to events in the here and now, rather than focusing on past events. Increased awareness allows for roadblocks to be identified, challenged, and moved out of the way to find healing and personal growth.

Gottman Method – An approach to couples therapy that includes an assessment of the couple’s relationship and that helps couples achieve greater understanding, connection, and intimacy in their relationships. Many couples unknowingly react in negative ways, which can deteriorate the relationship. The Gottman Method suggests that by reducing negative reactions and by replacing them with positive ones, a relationship can prosper.

Hakomi Therapy – A form of mindfulness-centered somatic psychotherapy. The Hakomi Method regards people as self-organizing systems, organized psychologically around core memories, beliefs, and images; this core material expresses itself through habits and attitudes that tend to guide people unconsciously. Hakomi helps people discover and recognize these patterns, to transform their way of being in the world through working with core material and changing core beliefs.

Humanistic Therapy – Emphasizes the importance of being your true self in order to lead the most fulfilling life. The goal of humanistic therapy is to help people become more self-aware and accepting of themselves. The fundamental belief of humanistic psychology is that people are innately good and that mental and social problems result from deviations from this natural tendency.

Hypnotherapy – Also referred to as guided hypnosis, this is a form of psychotherapy that uses relaxation, extreme concentration, and intense attention to achieve a heightened state of consciousness or mindfulness. Hypnosis is used to create a state of focused attention and increased suggestibility during which positive suggestions and guided imagery are used to help individuals deal with a variety of concerns and issues. Hypnotherapy can be used to treat anxiety, phobias, sexual dysfunction, undesirable spontaneous behaviors, and substance use including tobacco. It can also be used to improve sleep, and help with learning disorders, communication, and relationship issues.

IFS (Internal Family Systems) – Combines systems thinking with the view that the mind is made up of relatively discrete subpersonalities, each with its own viewpoint and qualities. The IFS model aims to differentiate the Self from the other parts making up a person’s inner world. The goal of IFS is to unburden or restore extreme and wounded parts and establish a trusted, healthy, harmonious internal system that is coordinated by the Self.

Interpersonal Therapy – A time-limited, focused approach to treat mood disorders, based on the idea that personal relationships are at the center of psychological problems. The goal of IPT is to improve the quality of a client’s interpersonal relationships and social functioning to help reduce their distress.

Jungian – Analytical form of talk therapy designed to bring together the conscious and unconscious parts of the mind to help a person feel balanced and whole. Jungian therapy aids in the discovery of innate potentials from which an individual has become estranged and integration of these potentials into conscious living to discover meaning, improve mental health, or provide relief to psychological suffering. Jungian analysis can help people with emotional problems, including depression and anxiety, those who seek better relationships, and those who seek growth and deeper meaning in their lives.

Life Coaching – A life coach encourages and counsels clients on a range of professional and personal issues. Life coaching is distinct from giving advice, consulting, counseling, mentoring, and providing therapy. Typically, life coaching can help with specific professional projects, personal goals, and transitions.

Matrix Model – Provides a framework for engaging stimulant (e.g., methamphetamine, cocaine) users in treatment and helping them achieve abstinence. Individuals learn about issues critical to addiction and relapse and receive direction and support from a trained therapist. Treatment draws from other tested treatment approaches and includes elements of relapse prevention, family and group therapies, drug education, and self-help participation. Other components include family education groups, early recovery skills groups, combined sessions, urine tests, 12-step programs, relapse analysis, and social support groups.

Medication Management – The process of psychiatric care in which an individual agrees on a medication and the medication is prescribed for a trial period to observe the effectiveness. Prescribers monitor the medication over time to determine if the treatment meets the patient’s goals.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) – Combines cognitive behavioral techniques with mindfulness. MBCT therapists teach clients how to break away from negative thought patterns that can cause a downward spiral into a depressed state, which helps clients fight off depression before it takes hold. Some MBCT techniques include body scan exercises, yoga, walking and sitting meditations, sitting with thoughts, sitting with sounds, and mindfulness stretching.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) – An eight-week, evidence-based program that offers secular, intensive mindfulness training to assist people with stress, anxiety, depression, and pain. MBSR helps individuals become more aware of habitual reactions and helps them relate to themselves in a new way to create more choice in life. Originally designed for stress management, it is also used for treating illnesses such as depression, anxiety, chronic pain, cancer, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, skin and immune disorders.

Motivational Interviewing – An approach that attempts to move an individual away from a uncertainty or ambivalence and toward finding motivation to make positive decisions and accomplish goals.

Multicultural – Therapy that addresses the concerns of those whose race, ethnicity, religion, gender identification, income, disability, or other social factor falls outside of the majority. The multicultural theory recognizes that all psychology occurs within the framework of a culture or society. It takes into account the variations and differing viewpoints that inform the worldview of those from other cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. It also recognizes that all cultures have their strengths and weaknesses.

Music Therapy – The use of music to accomplish goals within a therapeutic relationship. Music therapy is used to address the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of a group or individual. It uses activities such as listening to, reflecting on, and creating music. It can provide a distraction for the mind, it can slow the rhythms of the body, and it can alter our mood, which in turn can influence behavior.

Narrative Therapy – A method of therapy that separates a person from their problems. This allows clients to get some distance from the issue to see how it might actually be helping them, or protecting them, more than it is hurting them. With this new perspective, individuals feel empowered to make changes in their thought patterns and behavior and “rewrite” their life story for a future that reflects who they are, what they are capable of, and what their purpose is, separate from their problems.

Nature-Based Therapy – Also known as Ecotherapy, nature-based therapy is a project-based, goal-oriented approach that takes mental health therapy out of the office and into the natural world. Ecotherapy is based on the idea that people are connected to and impacted by the natural environment. The beneficial effects of nature result not only from what people see but from what they experience through other senses as well.

Neurofeedback – Neurofeedback is a reward-based training system for a person’s brain. This intervention provides feedback from a computer-based program that assesses a client’s brainwave activity. The program then uses sound or visual signals to reorganize or retrain the brain and works toward improving the source of unwanted symptoms.

Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) – The practice of understanding how people organize their thinking, feelings, language, and behavior to produce the results they do. A person’s inner communication is looked at to understand how that person perceives and filters information and communication coming in and going out.

PACT (Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy) – A fusion of attachment theory, developmental neuroscience, and arousal regulation. PACT is based on the understanding that the human need for connection can help couples form more secure attachments and deepen their existing attachments by developing secure-functioning relationships based on mutuality, sensitivity, collaboration, and fairness. PACT can effectively treat some of the most challenging issues many couples face.

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) – An intervention to treat children between ages 2 and 7 with disruptive behavior problems. PCIT is conducted through "coaching" sessions during which the parent/caregiver and child are in a playroom while the therapist is in an observation room watching the interactions. The therapist provides in-the-moment coaching on skills to manage the child's behavior. PCIT focuses on decreasing the child’s externalizing behavior problems (e.g., defiance, aggression), increasing social skills and cooperation, and improving the parent-child attachment relationship.

Person-Centered Therapy – Focuses is on the person, not the problem, and the client does most of the talking. Techniques used in therapy include congruence, unconditional positive regard and acceptance, empathy, and reflection of feelings. The goal is for the client to achieve greater independence, and allow the client to better cope with problems they may face.

Play Therapy – Children may not be able to process their emotions or articulate problems to parents or other adults. Play therapy capitalizes on children’s natural ability to express their feelings and resolve conflicts through play. It helps children and families express their emotions, improve their communication, and solve problems.

Psychodynamic – Also known as insight-oriented therapy, psychodynamic therapy focuses on unconscious processes as they are expressed in a person’s present behavior. The goal of psychodynamic therapy is to increase a client’s self-awareness and understanding of the influence of the past on present behavior. Psychodynamic therapy is primarily used to treat depression and other serious psychological disorders, especially in those who have lost meaning in their lives and have difficulty forming or maintaining personal relationships.

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) – A short-term therapy that helps individuals identify self-defeating thoughts and feelings, challenge the rationality of those feelings, and replace them with healthier, more productive beliefs. Like all of the cognitive therapies, REBT seeks to help individuals change their self-defeating thoughts so they can feel better about themselves and alter their behavior to be more adaptive in situations.

Relapse Prevention – Treatment that teaches individuals how to recognize the warning signs of relapse and intervene before returning to addictive behaviors. Individuals work with their therapist to identify triggers specific to their life that can lead to relapse, allowing them to develop alternate ways of coping with problems that do not involve alcohol or drugs. Relapse prevention can also be used to treat mental health conditions.

Relational Therapy – A therapeutic approach based on the idea that mutually satisfying relationships with others are necessary for one’s emotional well-being. Relational therapy can help individuals recognize the role relationships play in shaping daily experiences, and help people understand patterns appearing in the thoughts and feelings they have toward themselves.

Reunification Therapy – A form of family therapy, entered into voluntarily or court-ordered, used to reunite an alienated parent with their children. The therapist helps parents and children reduce their stress in response to feelings of anxiousness, fear and/or anger. The primary goal of this therapy is to re-establish the parent-child relationship.

Sand Play – Primarily used with children, sand play is a nonverbal, therapeutic intervention that makes use of a sandbox, toy figures, and sometimes water, to create scenes of miniature worlds that reflect a person’s inner thoughts, struggles, and concerns. When children “busy” their hands and let their minds wander, it opens up lines of communication that they might not have pursued otherwise. Through play, children can learn new coping mechanisms and appropriate emotional expression.

Sex Therapy – Helps individuals and couples address medical, psychological, personal, or interpersonal factors impacting sexual satisfaction. Some people choose to attend sessions alone; others bring their partner with them. Talking about sex and intimacy may initially feel awkward or cause anxiety, but sex therapists are trained at putting people at ease and are skilled at identifying and exploring sexual concerns.

Solution-Focused Therapy – A goal-directed approach that focuses on solutions, rather than on the problems that brought clients to seek therapy. Emphasis is placed on a person’s present and future circumstances and goals rather than past experiences, and on what clients can do versus what they can’t do.

Somatic Experiencing – An integrative body‐focused therapy for treating people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Somatic experiencing is based on the idea that our bodies hold memories and imprints of our past experiences, that the trauma at the root of our anxiety and depression, and unwanted behaviors can’t be resolved without our body finding a way to release these memories and imprints. Somatic experiencing helps an individual move beyond the cognitive process of understanding trauma. It’s a process that reprograms the body’s primitive survival instincts, allowing one to feel a greater sense of connection, safety, and ease in one’s body.

Transpersonal Therapy – Transpersonal therapy takes a holistic approach to talk therapy by focusing not only on the mind but also on the wellness of the spirit. It integrates the spiritual, social, emotional, intellectual, physical, and creative aspects of a person’s being to facilitate healing.