What is Evidence- Based Practice (EPB)?  Why is this important to me?

Have you ever been given a diagnosis or even been looking for a diagnosis and haven’t known where to get the latest, most up-to-date information? Where to get the best treatment available for the condition you are struggling with or want to know more about?

Healthcare systems now try to address some of these concerns with the introduction of Evidence-Based Practices (EPB’s). These treatments ensure that those seeking help for a particular condition know and can access the best treatment possible for that condition, treatment built on the latest and best research.  Therapists can be trained in and utilize these treatments for the conditions their clients come to them with. Individuals then have confidence that they are receiving the best care possible.

While I have spent much of my career providing DBT, I also have experience offering other Evidenced-Based Practices. These practices are structured differently than DBT but can often offer much the same benefit. I will frequently use the Treatment Workbook with clients because it solidifies the learning that happens in session by the reading and homework outside of session. Here are several of the treatments I offer:

Unified Protocol

Ever feel like your emotions get way out of control? Does it feel like emotions are so overwhelming that it is hard to do the things you really value in life? Some of the things that may be true for you are :

• You have frequent and strong emotions.
• You view your emotional reactions negatively and judge yourself for them.
• You try to avoid your emotions.  Avoiding your emotions ultimately leads to even stronger emotions and limits what things you participate in in your life- you don’t want to feel those emotions so you stop doing things that are important to you.

The Unified Protocol is a form of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that is applied to a range of different disorders with strong emotional components (e.g. unipolar depression, anxiety related disorders, borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, impulse control disorders.) What is unique about this treatment, is that it is not a disorder-specific treatment, but combines effective elements for the same key underlying issues that occur in a variety of disorders. The goal of the treatment is to become more comfortable with emotional experiencing, which then leads to a reduction in many of the problematic behaviors the individual is seeking treatment for.  

The Renfrew Unified Treatment for Eating Disorders and Comorbidity

Many individuals with eating disorders also experience symptoms of anxiety, depression, borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other emotion-based disorders. Most Evidence-Based treatments for eating disorders, however, do not take these components into consideration when treating the eating disorder, thereby leaving elements of the disorder untreated.

This treatment may be appropriate for you if you experience:

Depression, Difficulties with Guilt and Shame, Difficulties with regulating emotions, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder or other anxiety disorders such as OCD

AND

Ongoing efforts to control eating by restricting and purging, binging or overeating and an overfocus on issues of shape and weight.

The workbook exercises assist individuals in identifying and better understanding how eating and emotional issues interact, to address thoughts and behaviors that underlie both eating and emotional disorders, and to develop the ability to live in a less restricted and more fulfilling way.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Many individuals experiencing mental health symptoms such as anxiety, depression and difficulty regulating emotions in general, tend to try to manage, suppress or control their emotions to the detriment of living their lives fully.  If you tend to struggle with flexibility in thinking and find that you are not living your life in accordance with your most deeply held values, ACT may be an effective treatment for you.

ACT incorporates Mindfulness and Acceptance. It teaches an individual how to have a thought or feeling and not be consumed by it or do what it says.  Mindfulness and Acceptance of the present moment allow a person to have their experience, while also continue to move in a direction in life that aligns with their values.

If you think one of these treatments might fit with your specific needs, please reach out and we can tailor a treatment that fits.