Types of Therapy (Continued)
This week we are highlighting four additional therapy approaches our clinicians may use: Mindfulness-Based Therapy, Trauma-Informed Therapy, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT).
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Focus: Present-moment awareness and reducing reactivity
Mindfulness-based therapy helps individuals become more aware of their thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations without judgment. Instead of trying to eliminate difficult thoughts or feelings, this approach teaches how to observe them with greater calm and acceptance. This can help reduce emotional reactivity and increase a sense of control in stressful situations.
In practice, this may include:
Breathing exercises
Body awareness techniques
Learning to pause before reacting
Noticing thoughts without immediately believing them
Helpful for:
Anxiety and overthinking
Stress
Emotional reactivity
Trauma-Informed Therapy
Focus: Safety, trust, and understanding the impact of trauma
Trauma-informed therapy recognizes that past experiences—especially overwhelming or distressing ones—can shape how we think, feel, and respond in the present. Rather than asking “What’s wrong with you?”, trauma-informed care asks, “What happened to you?”
This approach prioritizes:
Emotional and physical safety
Building trust at a comfortable pace
Understanding how trauma affects the body and nervous system
Avoiding re-traumatization
Helpful for:
Trauma and PTSD
Chronic stress
Feeling constantly on edge or unsafe
Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP)
Focus: Breaking cycles of anxiety and avoidance at a pace that feels manageable and supportive.
ERP is a highly effective, evidence-based treatment often used for anxiety and OCD. It works by gradually helping individuals face fears (exposure) while reducing the urge to engage in avoidance or compulsive behaviors (response prevention). Over time, this helps the brain learn that feared situations are manageable and not as dangerous as they feel.
In practice, ERP may involve:
Gradual exposure to feared situations
Reducing reassurance-seeking or avoidance
Building tolerance for discomfort
Helpful for:
OCD
Phobias
Panic and anxiety disorders
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
Focus: Building solutions and identifying strengths
SFBT is a goal-oriented approach that focuses on what is already working rather than what is wrong. Instead of spending a lot of time analyzing problems, this therapy helps identify strengths and small, achievable steps forward. It is often short-term and practical.
In practice, this may include:
Identifying past successes
Setting clear, achievable goals
Focusing on small, meaningful changes
Highlighting strengths and resources
Helpful for:
Life transitions
Goal setting
Feeling stuck or overwhelmed
Closing Thoughts
There are many effective ways to approach mental health and personal growth. Exploring different therapy styles can help you find what resonates best for you—and remind you that support can be tailored to your needs.
