What is Psychotherapy?
Our behavioral health professionals are licensed and trained to help individuals work through current life challenges to live healthier, happier and more productive lives. Psychotherapy is a collaborative process between therapist and client. Grounded in dialogue, it provides an empathic and supportive environment that allows the individual to express their feelings and thoughts openly with a qualified professional who is objective and nonjudgmental. Our Creative Arts Psychotherapists work alongside you to identify as well as change thought and behavior patterns that prevent you from discovering your potential. Treatment involves learning and practicing new skills to cope more effectively. Our clinical approach integrates cognitive behavioral strategies with creative arts therapy.
Why Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) ? Cognitive Behavioral Therapy involves monitoring and tracking one’s thoughts and feelings that influence behavior. It involves identifying dysfunctional thought patterns and replacing these maladaptive thoughts with positive ones. Therapeutic work between sessions is often a crucial component to enhancing progress in treatment. CBT can help a client change unhelpful thinking habits and behavior to improve one’s overall mood and functioning.
Why Creative Arts Therapy? In addition to using traditional verbal psychotherapy, our psychotherapists also have a specialization in creative arts therapy. Creative Arts Therapy is a licensed mental health field under the category of Mental Health Practitioner in the state of New York. This category includes Creative Arts Therapists, Mental Health Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Psychoanalysts. A Licensed Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) is required to complete a Masters degree from a licensure qualifying program, pass a national board certification examination, satisfy continuing education requirements, and have at least 1500 hours of post graduate supervised clinical experience under a qualified licensed mental health professional. Creative arts therapy can serve a non-threatening medium when words are not enough. There is no artistic skill or experience needed to participate in a creative arts therapy session.
What is Art Therapy? Art Therapy is the therapeutic use of art making as a form of social and emotional expression. Art therapists foster the healing potential of art in the utilization of specified art materials to help regulate emotional states as well as gain insight into the story behind the art product. Art therapy combines traditional psychotherapy theories and techniques with an understanding of the creative process. Art therapists can assess developmental levels as well as address emotional and behavioral issues. http://arttherapy.org
What is Music Therapy? Music Therapy utilizes the properties of music, sounds, rhythm and the universality of song within the therapeutic relationship. Music therapy interventions include singing, listening to music, playing instruments, songwriting, and improvisation. It provides emotional comfort and relief as the medium can serve as a safe outlet for expressing difficult feelings. http://www.musictherapy.org
What is Dance Therapy? Dance Therapy is the use of movement as a form of psychotherapy to further the emotional, cognitive, physical, and social integration of the individual. It seeks to improve self esteem and relieve stress while increasing self-awareness. Dance therapy creates a link between feeling, thought, and action by connecting mind and body. http://adta.org
What is Drama Therapy? Drama therapy integrates methods of psychotherapy within the use of theater techniques such as role play, storytelling, projective play, and improvisation. The modality of drama creates an opportunity for active engagement through an experiential approach which allows an individual to tell his/her story, problem solve, express feelings, as well as improve interpersonal skills and relationships. http://www.nadta.org