New Paradigm Recovery psychologists offer expert psychotherapy to address mental health disorders for residents of Northern Virginia and the Washington, DC, area.
Psychotherapy effectively treats most mental health conditions. It usually occurs in individual or group settings. In these sessions, a therapist leads a structured discussion one-on-one with a client or moderates a group. As a result, the therapist works to achieve specific clinical outcomes. At New Paradigm Recovery, our psychotherapists bring advanced training, hold licenses, and have extensive experience in treating a wide range of mental health disorders. This expertise enables us to offer personalized and effective care that meets each client’s unique needs
When treating mental health conditions, one approach does not fit all. Psychotherapy methods and tools vary based on each client’s needs. Skilled clinicians quickly identify those needs and choose the best therapeutic interventions for each client.
What to expect from psychotherapy
Contrary to many media depictions, psychotherapy is an active and structured conversation between an engaged client and a focused, skilled therapist. Individual therapy sessions take place in a private, comfortable clinical office that fosters a peaceful and productive atmosphere.
Building trust and ensuring privacy are key elements of a successful therapeutic relationship. Clinical offices are designed for privacy, often incorporating soundproofing and noise generators to ensure confidentiality. During sessions, therapists may take notes to capture key insights and ideas for future discussions. A strong rapport between client and therapist is crucial for successful therapy. Therapists focus on building trust so clients feel comfortable sharing important information. The more at ease clients feel, the more effective the therapy becomes. As a result, many people come to enjoy their relationships with therapists, even while working through challenging issues.
Psychotherapeutic modalities
Numerous psychotherapeutic modalities (or methods) have been proven effective through clinical trials and real-world use and study. Experienced psychologists may be trained in numerous psychotherapeutic modalities (types of psychotherapy) as each addresses different needs, and clients may be more receptive to certain modalities.
Some of the psychotherapies used at New Paradigm Recovery include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- CBT is a form of psychotherapy used to treat various conditions, including depression, anxiety, relational disorders, addictive disorders, and more. CBT is based on the concept that humans can develop maladaptive responses to thoughts and stimuli and that they can learn to respond differently to these damaging perceptions. CBT often teaches specific skills and techniques that help people process thoughts differently and to reduce symptoms of their conditions. According to the American Psychological Association, CBT has been proven highly effective. It
- Mindfulness CBT (MCBT) combines CBT with mindfulness and meditation practice to help clients develop more ways to reduce the symptoms of conditions like depression and anxiety. A growing emphasis on the value of mindfulness within the mental health field is a testament to its efficacy and far-reaching benefits.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
- DBT is a highly effective therapy that helps people accept and manage difficult feelings. DBT can treat anxiety and mood disorders and is especially effective at treating suicidality. The four DBT skills are mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotional regulation. Essentially, DBT is a change-based approach that helps people learn to accept their negative emotions and thoughts and alter their responses to them by adapting their behaviors.
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
- Motivational Interviewing (MI) focuses on building trust and addressing the fear of change. It stimulates a person’s desire to make positive changes, though most people naturally resist change. For those with mental health conditions, the idea of change can feel especially overwhelming. MI relies on a strong foundation of trust between the clinician and client, helping clients recognize the benefits of making changes while acknowledging the challenges involved. Our clinical team excels at fostering open, trusting relationships, making MI and other therapies more effective.
Gestalt Therapy
- The premise of Gestalt Therapy is to spend more time in and being aware of the present moment. Learning to be present and experience the feelings and emotions of one’s current state of being can help to reduce ruminations and negative thoughts related to past and future events to experience less guilt, shame, and fear.
Psychanalysis
- Psychoanalysis is one of the longest-lived psychotherapeutic modalities and stems from the Freudian idea that people are affected by unconscious or suppressed thoughts and memories and that relief can be achieved by identifying and processing them. Unlike other modern modalities, psychoanalysis may take longer and involve delving into early childhood experiences, relationships, and dreams.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a leading, evidence-based therapy for trauma. It actively engages clients by using guided eye movements and therapist-led reviews of past traumatic events, which work to change how memories are stored. As a result, EMDR helps individuals process trauma and reduce the debilitating effects of unresolved experiences. These effects often include emotional disconnection, hypervigilance, anger, and even suicidality. By directly addressing trauma, EMDR allows individuals to develop healthier emotional responses and improve their overall well-being.
These are some therapeutic modalities employed by New Paradigm Recovery, but additional tools are available, and clinicians utilize a combination of therapies to meet client needs.