By Nancy Belknap, Clinical Counselor
Beginning therapy can bring up many questions, and one of the most common is: What kind of therapy is right for me?
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to healing. Each person brings their own story, needs, and goals into therapy, and treatment is most effective when it is thoughtfully tailored to support those unique experiences.
Below is an overview of several therapeutic approaches I often draw from in my work.
DBT is a structured, evidence-based treatment to help people manage overwhelming emotions, reduce impulsive behaviors, and strengthen relationships. At the heart of DBT is an important idea: acceptance and change can happen at the same time. You can honor where you are right now while also working toward growth.
DBT focuses on the four core skill areas below:
DBT can be especially helpful for individuals navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, emotional overwhelm, substance use, or relationship challenges.
CBT is one of the most widely used evidence-based therapies for treating anxiety, depression, and other emotional challenges. It focuses on identifying unhelpful thought patterns and learning how to challenge and reframe them in more balanced and realistic ways.
The idea behind CBT is that our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are deeply connected. When negative thought loops go unexamined, they can reinforce emotional distress and unhealthy patterns. CBT helps bring awareness to these patterns and provides practical tools to shift them.
This approach is often structured and goal-oriented, making it especially helpful for individuals who appreciate practical strategies and measurable progress.
ACT is also an evidence-based behavioral therapy, but rather than challenging difficult thoughts, it teaches us how to change our relationship with them.
Instead of getting stuck fighting or trying to eliminate painful thoughts and feelings, ACT helps build psychological flexibility, aka the ability to make room for discomfort while still choosing actions that align with your deepest values.
A core part of ACT involves practicing acceptance and defusion, which means learning to step back from thoughts rather than letting them dictate behavior. The focus is less on symptom reduction and more on living a meaningful, values-driven life, even when difficult emotions are present.
ACT can be especially supportive for those struggling with self-judgment, rigid thinking patterns, chronic stress, or situations where overanalyzing thoughts creates more distress.
Integrative therapy is exactly what it sounds like. It is a thoughtful blending of different therapeutic approaches based on what will best support you.
Rather than rigidly following one model, integrative therapy allows treatment to be personalized. For example, one session may focus on mindfulness tools for emotional regulation, while another may explore deeper relational patterns or unresolved trauma.
This flexibility allows therapy to evolve as your needs change.
Relational therapy focuses on the ways our relationships shape how we see ourselves and connect with others.
Sometimes old relational wounds can create patterns of self-protection that once helped us cope but now leave us feeling disconnected, anxious, or stuck. In therapy, the therapeutic relationship itself becomes part of the healing process: a safe space to explore trust, vulnerability, and authentic connection.
This work can be deeply healing for those navigating attachment wounds, relationship struggles, or feelings of loneliness and disconnection.
Trauma therapy helps gently process experiences that may still be impacting the nervous system long after the event has passed.
Trauma can show up as anxiety, emotional numbness, hypervigilance, difficulty trusting others, or feeling disconnected from yourself. Healing trauma isn’t about forcing yourself to revisit painful memories before you’re ready. It’s about creating safety first, building regulation skills, and helping your nervous system learn that the present is different from the past.
Sometimes therapy is less about exploring the past and more about creating practical movement forward. SFBT helps identify strengths, resources, and achievable next steps. Rather than focusing primarily on what’s wrong, we focus on what’s already working and how to build on it.
This approach can be especially helpful when you’re feeling stuck, navigating a life transition, or wanting clarity around a specific goal.
Part of our work together is discovering what feels most supportive for your healing. Some clients benefit from structure and skill-building. Others need space for deeper emotional exploration. Many benefit from an integrative blend of both.
Therapy is not about fitting yourself into a treatment model. It’s about finding an approach that honors who you are and where you are right now.
If you’re curious about beginning therapy or exploring which approach may feel right for you, I would be honored to walk alongside you.
— Nancy Belknap, Clinical Counselor
Walking with you through addiction, trauma, healing, and hope.
License Number: CAS01-052996
License Number: CCAPP-C13641214