Our Values
In our clinical work, we emphasize the importance of identifying one’s values as a key step towards making meaningful change. These are the values we have identified as a practice to guide the meaningful work we do with our clients and colleagues.
1. Psychological Science
We believe in delivering treatment backed by ample research to support its efficacy. Examples of evidence-based treatments we use are: cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), cognitive processing therapy (CPT), and prolonged exposure therapy (PE). A common factor across these treatments is that they emphasize changing the relationship to one’s thoughts and feelings, in order to engage in meaningful actions. These therapies involve learning and practicing new skills that can be applied to daily life.
2. Meaningful Client-Therapist Relationships
Not only do we want our clients to feel supported during their work with us, we know, based on the research literature, that having a positive relationship with one’s therapist is predictive of better treatment outcomes. The relationships we have with our clients are genuine, and we strive for them to feel warm, supportive, and collaborative. We want therapy to be a place where our clients feel truly seen, heard, and understood, a crucial first step towards change. While we have knowledge and tools to share with our clients to help them overcome challenges, we also recognize that every client is unique and that therapy is not a one-size-fits-all product. We rely on our clients to work with us to establish therapy goals, monitor progress, and share feedback, so we can best tailor our interventions to our clients’ unique situations and needs.
3. Cultural Humility
Each client comes to therapy with a unique blend of intersecting cultural, racial, ethnic, religious, sexual, gender, disability, and other personal identities that are inextricably linked to their experience in the world. In therapy, we strive to honor and understand (to the best of our ability) the identities of our clients and the role they play in our clients’ lives. We recognize that such identities can be a source of pride, meaning, community, and joy. We also recognize that oppression and discrimination of individuals with marginalized identities persist at macro and micro levels in our society, and we acknowledge the impact these -isms can have on individuals’ sense of safety, mental health, and well-being. All discussions about identity and its many facets are welcomed in the therapy room, and as therapists we aim to be fully present and attuned with our clients as we journey through these topics together. We also strive to engage in self-reflection of our own identities as an important step towards meaningful engagement in these topics with our clients.
The field of psychology is constantly expanding, as new research sheds light on the intricacies of the human mind and novel possibilities for healing. We strive to continually engage in educational opportunities to hone our clinical craft and stay abreast of new discoveries in our field, in order to provide excellent care to our clients.