Definitions

Therapy

Therapy is an overarching term describing mental health treatment. Therapy can be either long or short term, depending on the goals that you have. Therapists (such as MFT’s) work with you to define goals and gain skills in a holistic manner. This means that therapy takes a look at various aspects of your life, the strengths you have, and the desires you want to help you achieve your goals and live a healthier life.

LMFT (Temp)

In the state of Tennessee, Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT’s) are required to be under supervision for a certain amount of time. While they are being supervised, they are granted a temporary license [LMFT (Temp)] so they can practice. This stage of therapists' careers is similar to when medical doctors graduate and spend several years in a residency program.

Marriage and Family Therapist

MFT’s are recognized as core mental health professionals alongside psychologists, psychiatrists, social work, and licensed professional counselors. As an MFT, I strive to look at your life through the context of your relationships, your experiences, your everyday encounters, and more to get the most accurate depiction of you.

AAMFT | AAMFT Approved Supervisor

“The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) is the professional association for the field of marriage and family therapy. [They] represent the professional interests of more than 72,000 marriage and family therapists throughout the United States, Canada and abroad.”

AAMFT approved supervisors guide supervisees (therapists either pursuing their graduate degree or their full licenses) through their clinical work. According to AAMFT, they have “…attained the educational, experiential and supervisory training required for the competent supervision of marriage and family therapists and trainees.”

Evidence Based Care

Evidence Based Care/Evidence Based Practice refers to an ongoing, collaborative approach to making decisions about services. This means that clinicians evaluate what the specific client may need as far as treatment modality and then decides treatment approaches based on scientifically and emperically backed evidence. Basically, using evidence based practice means that I work collaboratively with my clients using only treatment modalities that have been proven to work. To read more about this, please visit AAMFT’s blog by clicking here.

Modalities

Treatment modalities (also referred to as modalities) are the ways that clinicians go about helping you meet your goals. They are primarily ways of thinking about treatment and include interventions. Common modality terms you’ll see on my website, as well as others, are:

CBT: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; This is the most known modality due to it’s scientific evidence. It’s principle is changing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Experiential Therapy: This modality focuses on having a client encounter an experience that helps reinforce change and growth outside of the therapy room.

Restoration Therapy: This modality believes that all people work out of pain until they encounter peace and actively pursue it.

Play Therapy: This is a modality that encourages play as a healing intervention. Whether this is imaginative, drawing, or building legos, play therapy speaks to the child inside of us.