Psychotherapy

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) combines mindfulness strategies with commitment and behavior-change techniques to enhance psychological flexibility. This approach encourages individuals to embrace their thoughts and feelings rather than fighting or avoiding them. ACT helps people commit to actions that align with their values, which leads to a more fulfilling life. It is effective for a wide range of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and stress.

Bereavement and grief counseling provides specialized support for individuals dealing with the loss of a loved one. This therapeutic approach helps people process their grief through various stages, manage intense emotions, and eventually find a way to move forward. Counselors provide a compassionate setting for clients to explore their feelings and begin healing, ensuring they do not feel isolated in their journey.

Brainspotting is an advanced therapeutic method that uses points in a client’s visual field to access unprocessed trauma in the subcortical brain. Developed from EMDR, this technique holds that where you look affects how you feel, and thus, locating the right "brainspot" can tap into and heal the brain's self-scanning capacity. Particularly effective for treating trauma and emotional disorders, Brainspotting works by releasing core neurophysiological sources of emotional/body pain, trauma, dissociation, and a variety of other challenging symptoms.

Brain Working Recursive Therapy (BWRT) is an innovative model of psychology and psychotherapy that provides a rapid method for changing negative emotional or behavioral patterns. Inspired by the latest findings in neuroscience, BWRT is non-invasive and typically delivers noticeable results in a single session by reprogramming the brain’s neural pathways to respond differently to triggers before conscious thought occurs.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a highly effective, evidence-based therapy that addresses dysfunctional emotions and behaviors through a goal-oriented, systematic process. CBT works by challenging and changing unhelpful cognitive distortions and behaviors, improving emotional regulation, and developing personal coping strategies that target solving current problems.

Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) is designed to help individuals develop and cultivate compassion towards themselves and others as a means of alleviating psychological distress. Originally developed for those with high levels of self-criticism and shame, CFT uses techniques from cognitive-behavioral therapy, social psychology, and neuroscience to foster emotional and mental healing through the therapeutic power of compassion.

Couples therapy and pre-marital counseling are designed to help partners improve their relational dynamics. These therapies focus on enhancing communication, resolving conflicts, and building intimacy. For engaged couples, pre-marital counseling provides tools and insights for a healthy marriage, addressing potential issues before they become serious problems.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is designed to help people change patterns of behavior that are not helpful, such as self-harm, suicidal thinking, and substance abuse. This therapy emphasizes balancing behavioral change, problem-solving, and emotional regulation with acceptance, mindfulness, and distress tolerance. DBT is particularly effective for treating borderline personality disorder.

Eclectic Therapy is an adaptable therapeutic approach that combines elements from several different therapy techniques tailored to the client's needs. Therapists may use techniques from psychoanalytic, cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, and other approaches, depending on the situation. This flexibility allows for highly personalized therapy that can address a multitude of psychological issues.

Integrative Psychotherapy is a holistic treatment approach that combines elements from various therapeutic disciplines to tailor treatment to the individual client’s needs. By integrating methods from psychoanalysis, behavioral therapy, cognitive therapy, and more, it addresses complex psychological issues through a more flexible and comprehensive approach. This modality is effective for treating a wide range of psychological distress by considering the client's emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and physiological systems.

Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) is designed to help individuals and couples identify, experience, accept, and manage a wide range of emotions. EFT provides a safe therapeutic environment where clients can explore emotional states that underlie and sustain their issues. By transforming these emotions, clients can increase their self-awareness, improve emotional regulation, and develop better interpersonal relationships. EFT is particularly effective in treating depression, anxiety, and relationship distress.

Existential Phenomenological Therapy is based on the existential philosophy that stresses the importance of human experience and the quest for meaningful living. It explores issues such as choice, responsibility, and the nature of existence, encouraging clients to confront these existential questions and recognize their freedom to shape their lives. Through a focus on personal experience and self-awareness, this therapy helps individuals deal with the inherent anxieties of human existence and find personal meaning in their lives.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a distinctive, research-supported therapy designed to alleviate distress associated with traumatic memories. Through guided eye movements, EMDR allows clients to reprocess traumatic information until it is no longer psychologically disruptive. This approach is particularly effective for treating conditions such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression, helping clients reduce lingering effects of trauma and enhance emotional stability.

Heart-Centered Hypnotherapy is a transformative approach that combines traditional hypnosis techniques with an exploration of deep emotional experiences. This method accesses the subconscious mind to uncover and heal unresolved traumas and emotional patterns, promoting profound personal growth and healing. It is particularly effective for treating issues like anxiety, depression, phobias, and addictions, helping individuals release negative beliefs and achieve emotional freedom.

Insight-Oriented Therapy is a psychological treatment that emphasizes understanding the motivations and patterns behind thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This approach encourages clients to explore their past and present experiences to gain deeper insights into their current psychological state. By fostering self-awareness, Insight-Oriented Therapy helps individuals identify and resolve inner conflicts, leading to profound personal growth and improved mental health. This method is particularly beneficial for those seeking to understand the root causes of their emotional difficulties and enact lasting change.

Integrative Sex Therapy is a therapeutic approach that combines psychotherapy with sex therapy to address sexual issues from both psychological and physical perspectives. It integrates various therapeutic techniques to treat sexual dysfunction and improve sexual health and intimacy. Therapy often involves discussions about sexuality and sexual health, psychological counseling, education, and sometimes medical evaluation, aimed at enhancing both individual and relational aspects of sexual function.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a transformative, evidence-based psychotherapy that identifies and addresses multiple sub-personalities or families within each individual’s mental system. These sub-personalities consist of wounded parts and painful emotions such as anger and shame. IFS focuses on healing these parts by fostering feelings of balance and harmony through self-leadership, allowing the self to assertively lead the internal system.

Limited Dynamic Psychotherapy (LDP) is a focused, short-term approach that targets specific problems and features dynamic therapeutic elements like the exploration of unconscious processes and resistance. This modality concentrates on one or two central issues rather than the full range of psychological functioning, allowing for brief yet effective treatment. LDP is especially suitable for patients with acute psychological distress or those dealing with situational life conflicts, providing them with the insight and tools needed to move forward in a healthier, more adaptive manner.

Motivational Interviewing is a counseling method that helps people find the internal motivation they need to change their behavior. It is a practical, empathetic, and short-term process that considers how difficult it is to make life changes. Therapists help clients to resolve ambivalence, enhance motivation, and commit to change, making it especially effective in cases of addiction and substance abuse.

Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT) is an intensive, comprehensive, family-centered therapy designed primarily for adolescents with drug and behavior problems. MDFT addresses a range of influences on the adolescent’s behavior and develops a multi-faceted treatment approach involving the individual, family, and community factors. This therapy has been extensively researched and proven effective in reducing drug use and improving emotional and behavioral outcomes by strengthening family functioning.

Narrative Therapy is an approach that encourages patients to become the author of their own lives. By viewing their issues as separate from themselves, individuals can identify how they want to rewrite the negative narratives that play out in their lives. This method helps people use their own skill sets to address these issues, promoting resilience and empowerment.

Psychoanalysis is a profound therapeutic approach developed by Sigmund Freud that explores how unconscious thoughts affect current behavior and emotions. This long-term therapy involves frequent sessions that delve into deep-seated fears, fantasies, and dreams. The goal is to uncover and resolve the deep-rooted conflicts that cause psychological pain, thus improving mental health and relational capabilities.

Psychoanalytical Psychotherapy explores how unconscious patterns of behavior, derived from early childhood experiences, influence current thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This therapy involves examining past relationships and experiences to understand and resolve deep-seated emotional pains and conflicts, often leading to profound personal growth and healing.

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy is an in-depth form of talk therapy based on the theories and principles of psychoanalysis. This therapy focuses on the psychological roots of emotional suffering. Sessions involve exploring unresolved issues and unconscious conflicts, with the goal of alleviating psychic tension and leading to a harmonious personality.

Schema Therapy is a psychotherapeutic approach that combines elements of cognitive-behavioral, experiential, interpersonal, and psychoanalytic therapies to treat deep-rooted patterns or themes in thinking, feeling, and behaving known as schemas. This therapy helps individuals identify and change their maladaptive patterns (schemas). By addressing the origins of these schemas, which often stem from unmet childhood needs, Schema Therapy facilitates significant shifts in perception and behavior, leading to improved emotional well-being and healthier relationships.

Sensorimotor Art Therapy combines the principles of sensorimotor psychotherapy with creative artistic expression, providing a unique approach to addressing trauma and emotional distress. This method focuses on the connection between body and mind, encouraging individuals to explore their physical responses to trauma through art. By doing so, clients engage both their sensory experiences and motor responses, facilitating a non-verbal process of healing. This therapy is particularly effective for those who find traditional talk therapy challenging, offering a transformative way to access and heal deep-seated emotional wounds without the need for verbal expression.

Somatic Experiencing Therapy is a body-oriented approach designed to help heal trauma and other stress disorders. This method focuses on the client's physical responses to trauma rather than the events themselves. By guiding individuals to notice and release physical tension that remains in the body after traumatic experiences, Somatic Experiencing supports natural healing and resilience. This therapy is effective for resolving symptoms of chronic stress and returning the body to a state of balance, helping individuals regain a sense of calm and empowerment.

Systemic Experiential Couple Therapy is a dynamic approach that combines systemic and experiential methodologies to improve communication, deepen emotional connection, and resolve conflicts within couples. By focusing on not just individual behaviors but also the interactions and the emotional underpinnings of the couple's dynamics, this therapy helps partners understand both their own and each other's deeper feelings and needs, facilitating lasting relationship transformations.

Systemic Psychotherapy examines the interactions within a person’s community and family system, and how these dynamics influence their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It often involves direct work with families or couples to foster change in relationships and improve the functioning of individuals within these units. The therapy is versatile, being applicable to a range of mental health issues from depression to behavioral problems in children.

Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP) is a highly specialized treatment for borderline personality disorder and other complex personality disorders. It focuses on the relationship between the patient and therapist, using the dynamics of this relationship as a window into unresolved conflicts and maladaptive behaviors. By interpreting and processing these transference patterns in therapy, patients gain deeper insight into their emotional problems and can work towards healthier ways of relating to others.

Transpersonal Psychotherapy integrates spiritual and transcendent aspects of the human experience with traditional psychotherapy practices. It addresses the spiritual dimension of the self, helping individuals to transcend beyond their personal identity and explore issues of consciousness, human potential, and spirituality, fostering a deeper connection to themselves and the world around them.

Therapy is confidential

Confidentiality is one of the most important part of the therapeutic relationship. Therapy is bound by strict confidentiality rules that ensure that the details exchanged in sessions remain private. Your therapist is not allowed to share your personal details or the details of your story with anyone. This confidentiality is protected by law, often even more so than medical records. This ensures that information about your therapy is only passed on with your explicit consent.

Yes, anyone can benefit from therapy

Contrary to popluar belief you do not have to wait till things have fallen apart for you to access therapy. Instead, accessing support earlier results in better outcomes. Seeking support from a mental health professional is beneficial for anyone facing life challenges, from mental health issues such as depression and anxiety to coping with major life changes such as job loss, divorce or bereavement. Through therapy people learn how to cope with  everyday stressful situations such as balancing work and family life, managing chronic illness or improving relationships.

People with physical illnesses also benefit from mental health support because we know that there is a storng connection between body and mind. As people wanting to take care of their overall health, addressing mental health concerns will be critical because emotional difficulties often can manifest themselves in physical symptoms like hypertension, GI problems, diabetes, insomnia and more.

75% of people who participate in talk therapy experience some benefit, (Source: American Psychological Association). 

Therapy helps you understand your thoughts and feelings

Psychotherapy is not just about talking, but also about reflection to understand and change your thoughts and feelings. While friends and family are an invaluable source of support, psychologists have specialized knowledge based on extensive masters and doctoral level training and experience. They use science-based methods to objectively assess and treat mental health difficulties. This deep experitse can often lead to more effective changes in behavior or thought patterns than advice from people close to you.

Therapy is a not a quick fix

While you will feel some relief after a session of sharing your concerns with a trained professional, therapy is not a quick fix; it's a process that involves commitment and patience. Engaging in therapy means starting a journey of self-discovery and growth that requires time to address emotions, understand deep-seated patterns, and implement meaningful changes.

While the benefits of therapy can sometimes be felt immediately, lasting and profound transformations often develop gradually through consistent work and reflection. This journey, though it may take time, is a valuable investment in one's long-term mental and emotional health. Clients typically see changes in therapy in 8-12 sessions, while others may need 16-24 sessions. Some clients also choose to stay in therapy longer to address issues that are beyond what they came in for.

Therapy is a guided process.

You do not have to know what to do in the therapy room, because it is the job of your therapist to guide you and ask you questions or highlight things of relevanace. What is required of you is courage and commitment to show up with your authentic self and follow the treatment recommendations.

Like anything of signifance, starting anything can be daunting and anxiety provoking

Yes, it is a very common reaction to be nervous before your first therapy appointment. Speaking to a complete stranger about your private problems, even though they are a professional, can be difficult.

To help contain some of that anxiety, it might help to know what to expect in the first session:

• We ask that you arrive a bit early with your Emirates ID to complete any necessary paperwork. 
• Your therapist may discuss practical details such as session fees, appointment scheduling and cancellation policies, and confidentiality agreements, supplementing any information previously provided in email. 
• The first session often involves a series of questions that allow your psychologist to better understand your situation. Your psychologist will be interested in understanding both your personal and family history of psychological issues, such as depression or anxiety. They will ask how these issues are impacting your daily life, including any changes in sleep, appetite, or other behaviors. Additionally, your psychologist will inquire about the support you receive from family, friends, and coworkers to get a full picture of your social environment.

It’s crucial to take your time with this assessment process, which might extend over multiple sessions. Your psychologist will guide you, allowing you to share your story at your own pace. As trust builds between you and your psychologist, you might find yourself more comfortable sharing details that were difficult to discuss initially. 

Once your psychologist has gathered a comprehensive history, you'll work together to develop a treatment/ therapy plan. You will contribute to the goals and it is important that you do because then you and your psychologist are both committed to achieving the outcome.

The beginning of therapy usually starts with a conversation about your immediate problems, but can expands to exploring your personal history and the broader context of your problems. Therapy is an interactive, collaborative process where you and your psychologist meet once a week for an hour to work together to identify problems, set goals and measure progress. This may include examining past experiences to better understand current behaviors and making strategic changes to improve future outcomes.

I want to:

• Have a better understanding of my relationship patterns
• Learn healthy ways to manage my anger
• Learn ways to cope with my work related stress
• Learn why I got burnout out to avoid future burnouts
• Learn to express thoughts and feelings clearly and constructively in personal and professional relationships
• Work on recognizing self-worth and overcoming feelings of inadequacy or self-doubt
• Learn to cope effectively with major life changes such as career transitions, retirement, or entering/exiting a significant relationship or any other goal related to your situation.

Therapy is not lifelong.

Theraopy is not intended to be a lifelong process. The duration of therapy varies from person to person and is tailored to the specific needs of each individual. At the beginning of the therapy journey, you and your psychologist will discuss your expectations and develop a treatment plan with the aim of enabling you to deal with your problems yourself.

Check with your insurance provider

The LightHouse Arabia does not do direct billing with any insurance provider, however we fill out the form for you to give to your insurance provider to claim back if mental health services are covered under your plan.

We suggest before beginning therapy verify your benefits and co-pays because insurance coverage for therapy can vary significantly. It's important to check with your insurance provider to understandwhat types of mental health professionals  and mental health services are covered under your plan. Many insurance plans do cover psychological services, but coverage details, such as the number of sessions or the types of therapist that can provide the therapy included, can differ.

Questions to ask your insurance provider:

1. What mental health services are covered under my plan?
2. Are there specific types of mental health professionals (e.g., counselors, psychotherapists, psychiatrists, therapists, psychologists) covered by my insurance?
3. How many therapy sessions does my plan cover annually, up to what amount of money?
4. What are the co-payments or deductibles for mental health services?
5. Do I need a referral from a psychiatrist to see a mental health professional?

You will start to feel better and cope better

 At the beginning of therapy, you and your therapist usually set treatment goals and a general timeline.

Some people feel better after just six to twelve sessions. However, if you don't notice any improvements, you should definitely discuss this with your therapist.

Don't hesitate to initiate this conversation if your psychologist hasn't already done so. Expressing your concerns can be very helpful to your therapy process, as your therapist will support you in a nonjudgmental way. If you are still reluctant to speak to your therapist, you can try writing an email which can feel less confrontational.

Talking about difficult experiences can be painful

It's also normal to feel overwhelmed or experience feelings of anger, sadness or confusion as you delve deeper into therapy. This doesn't necessarily mean that therapy is failing, but can indicate that you're beginning to deal with difficult issues and make important changes. These intense emotions are often a sign of personal growth and the process of therapy pushing you to address difficult truths, even if it feels like things are getting worse before they get better.

Endings are important

It's always best to communicate openly with your psychologist if you decide to stop therapy. While you can technically stop attending sessions at any time, informing your therapist allows for a proper closure of the therapeutic process. This discussion can also provide valuable feedback for your therapist, who can also provide you a summary of your treatment progress and offer insights or suggestions that could be helpful, whether you choose to return to therapy later or seek help elsewhere. Additionally, this conversation respects the professional relationship you've built and ensures that you part ways on clear terms.

You might realize that you need something different

Sometimes we don’t know what we need until we are in the therapy relationship. There we might find out that we have a different preference for the type of therapy, or want a different apporach or a different person. Should you choose to switch therapists, it’s important to communicate openly with your current therapist about your decision to leave and the reasons behind it. A professional therapist will understand and can provide referrals to another therapist who may be a better fit. They will also encourage you not to lose faith in the benefits of therapy just because your first experience with them wasn't successful. When you meet with your next therapist, sharing what didn’t work previously can be instrumental in establishing a more effective therapeutic relationship.

There are many different approaches to psychotherapy. Psychologists generally draw on one or more of these. Each theoretical perspective acts as a roadmap to help the psychologist understand their clients and their problems and develop solutions.

The kind of treatment you receive will depend on a variety of factors: what works best for your situation your psychologist’s theoretical orientation, and current psychological research.

The theoretical orientation of your psychologist significantly influences the activities and focus within the therapy sessions. For instance, psychologists practicing cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) adopt a behavioral and practical approach to treatment. They might assign practical tasks aimed at building more effective coping mechanisms, often including homework assignments. These could range from recording your responses to specific situations as they unfold to engaging in new behaviors, such as a person with elevator phobia practicing pressing elevator buttons. You might also receive reading materials to deepen your understanding of certain topics.

On the other hand, approaches like psychoanalytic and psychodynamic therapies emphasize dialogue over practical tasks. Sessions may revolve around discussing your early life experiences to uncover the roots of your present issues, providing deeper insights.

It's common for psychologists to consider themselves ‘eclectic’ or ‘integrative’ as they utilize techniques from multiple psychotherapeutic approaches. Rather than adhering strictly to one methodology, many therapists prefer to combine elements from various approaches, customizing their treatment to better suit each client's unique needs.