Types of Therapy

Art therapy

Art Therapy

Healing Beyond Words: The Power of Art Therapy

Traditional talk therapy can sometimes fall short when emotions are too complex for words. Art therapy bridges this gap by using creative expression to access, process, and heal deep-seated psychological wounds.

What is Art Therapy?

Art therapy is a mental health profession that combines psychological theory with creative practice. Guided by a credentialed art therapist, individuals use materials like paint, clay, and markers to explore their inner thoughts. You do not need any artistic talent or skill to benefit from this practice; the focus remains entirely on the process of creation rather than the final product.

Key Psychological Benefits

Art Therapy
  • Reduces Stress and Anxiety: Creating art lowers cortisol levels and activates the parasympathetic nervous system to induce deep relaxation.
  • Processes Complex Trauma: The brain stores traumatic memories visually. Art therapy accesses non-verbal regions of the brain to safely externalize painful experiences.
  • Improves Emotional Regulation: Translating raw emotions into tangible, visual forms helps individuals gain distance, perspective, and control over their feelings.
  • Boosts Self-Esteem: Completing a piece of art provides a powerful sense of autonomy, mastery, and personal accomplishment.
  • Enhances Self-Discovery: The subconscious mind often reveals hidden insights through symbols, colors, and metaphors chosen during the creative process.

Common Techniques and Practices

  • Free-Association Drawing: Sketching without a planned design to unlock immediate subconscious thoughts and moods.
  • Clay Sculpting: Using tactile materials to physically vent anger, grief, or physical tension.
  • The Guided Mandala: Drawing within a circular frame to establish a sense of safety, centering, and emotional containment.
  • Collage Making: Cutting and pasting existing images to reconstruct identity or visualize future personal goals.

Ready to Start Art Therapy?

Kelly Ledford offers Art Therapy in our Marietta Office.

Request Appointment

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By Fresh Air Counseling, ago
DBT Therapy

DBT Therapy

Understanding DBT Therapy And How It Can Help

DBT Therapy

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a highly effective, evidence-based form of cognitive behavioral therapy designed to help people manage intense emotions, build healthier relationships, and create a life worth living.

This comprehensive guide breaks down what DBT is, how it works, and how it can help you or your loved ones regain emotional balance.

What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?

DBT was originally developed in the late 1980s by psychologist Marsha M. Linehan. Dr. Linehan created it to treat borderline personality disorder (BPD) and chronic suicidal behavior. Today, it is widely used to treat a variety of complex mental health conditions.

The word “dialectical” means holding two seemingly opposing ideas at the same time. In DBT, those two opposing concepts are acceptance and change:

  1. Acceptance: Validating your current emotions, thoughts, and behaviors exactly as they are in this moment.
  2. Change: Recognizing that you must learn new skills to change unhealthy behaviors and improve your life.

Instead of fighting your reality, DBT teaches you to accept your current situation while simultaneously working hard to change it.

The 4 Core Skill Modules of DBT

DBT is not just a talking therapy; it is a skills-based treatment. Therapy typically includes individual sessions and a skills group where you learn four specific behavioral modules:

1. Mindfulness

  • What it is: The practice of being fully present in the current moment without judgment.
  • How it helps: It anchors you to the “here and now,” helping you slow down and observe your thoughts and feelings without immediately reacting to them.

2. Distress Tolerance

  • What it is: Techniques to get through a crisis without making the situation worse.
  • How it helps: It teaches you how to tolerate intense pain or emotional crises using distraction, self-soothing, and radical acceptance when you cannot immediately change the situation.

3. Emotion Regulation

  • What it is: Strategies to manage, navigate, and change intense emotions.
  • How it helps: It helps you identify your emotions, reduce your vulnerability to “emotional storms,” and decrease negative feelings.

4. Interpersonal Effectiveness

  • What it is: Tools to communicate clearly, set boundaries, and maintain healthy relationships.
  • How it helps: It teaches you how to ask for what you need, say “no” assertively, and handle conflict while keeping your self-respect and your relationships intact.

How DBT Can Help You?

If you feel like your emotions dictate your entire life, DBT offers a structured roadmap to stability. Here is how it can transform your mental health:

  • Reduces Impulsive Behaviors: It replaces self-destructive habits (like self-harm, substance abuse, or binge eating) with healthy coping mechanisms.
  • Stops Emotional Overwhelm: It short-circuits the “fight-or-flight” response, preventing small stressors from escalating into massive crises.
  • Improves Relationships: It gives you concrete communication tools to eliminate toxic patterns and express your needs without pushing people away.
  • Validates Your Experience: It provides a compassionate environment where you learn that your feelings are valid, even if your reactions need to change.

Who Can Benefit From DBT?

While initially created for BPD, extensive research shows that DBT is highly successful for treating:

  • Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Eating disorders (Bulimia and Binge Eating Disorder)
  • Substance use disorders

Take the Next Step Toward Balance

You do not have to be controlled by your emotions forever. DBT provides the tangible, actionable skills you need to navigate life’s inevitable ups and downs with confidence and peace.

Ready to Start DBT Therapy?

Schedule with one of our DBT Therapists today!

Kim Roberts, LPC Morgan Dunn, LCSW Erin Bickley, LPC Lavanya Devdas, LPC Melissa Ellis, LMSW Shantay Evans, LPC (SC), LAPC Kelly Ledford, LPC

Request Appointment

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  • Art Therapy

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By Fresh Air Counseling, ago
CBT Therapy

CBT Therapy

CBT Therapy

If you have ever felt trapped in a loop of “worst-case scenario” thinking or found yourself avoiding things you used to love because of stress, you are not alone. Many people look for ways to break these cycles, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective, research-backed tools available today.

CBT is a practical, short-term form of “talking therapy” that helps you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave.

What Exactly is CBT?

At its core, CBT is based on the idea that your thoughts, feelings, and actions are all interconnected. When you think negatively about a situation, it can make you feel bad, which then leads you to act in unhelpful ways.

Unlike some other therapies that focus heavily on your past, CBT is very “here and now”. It focuses on your current problems and teaches you practical skills to solve them in your everyday life.

The “3 Cs” of CBT

A simple way to understand the process is through the “3 Cs”:

  1. Catching: Identifying a negative or “distorted” thought as it happens.
  2. Checking: Looking at the evidence to see if that thought is actually true.
  3. Changing: Replacing that thought with a more balanced, realistic perspective.

Why is CBT Beneficial?

CBT has been scientifically tested in thousands of studies and is often the “gold standard” for treating several mental health conditions.

  • Fast and Structured: Most people see significant improvements in just 5 to 20 sessions.
  • Practical Tools for Life: You don’t just talk; you learn skills like problem-solving, stress reduction, and assertiveness that you can use forever.
  • Empowerment: The ultimate goal is to teach you to “become your own therapist” so you can handle future challenges on your own.
  • Versatile: While famous for treating anxiety and depression, CBT is also highly effective for:
    • Insomnia and sleep issues
    • Phobias and panic attacks
    • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
    • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
    • Chronic pain management

What Happens in a Session?

A CBT session is a collaborative effort. You and your therapist work as a team to identify “thinking traps”—like catastrophizing (assuming the absolute worst) or black-and-white thinking (seeing things as only perfect or a total failure).

Common techniques include:

  • Thought Records: Writing down your thoughts to see them more objectively.
  • Behavioral Activation: Planning small, meaningful activities to improve your mood.
  • Exposure: Gradually facing things you fear in a safe, controlled way to build confidence.
  • Relaxation Training: Learning breathing or muscle relaxation exercises to calm your body.

Is CBT Right for You?

CBT requires active participation. You will often have “homework” to practice your new skills between sessions—which is actually the secret to why it works so well.

If you are looking for a goal-oriented way to gain more control over your life and feel better, CBT is a powerful place to start.

Are you interested in learning more about a specific CBT technique or how it can help with a particular challenge you’re facing?

Ready to Start CBT Therapy?

Schedule with one of our CBT Therapists today!

Kim Roberts, LPC Morgan Dunn, LCSW Erin Bickley, LPC Lavanya Devdas, LPC Melissa Ellis, LMSW Shantay Evans, LPC (SC), LAPC Kelly Ledford, LPC

Request Appointment

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By Fresh Air Counseling, ago