Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a structured, practical type of therapy that focuses on the connection between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. In CBT, we gently notice the stories your mind tends to tell, and explore more balanced ways of looking at situations so you can respond differently.

Dialectical behavior(al) therapy (DBT) is a type of talk therapy that helps people who experience emotions very intensely learn skills to manage those emotions, cope with crises, and improve relationships, while holding both acceptance and change at the same time. DBT helps people who feel things very intensely learn how to manage big emotions, get through crises, and have more balanced relationships. DBT balances two ideas at once, accepting yourself as you are right now, while also working toward meaningful change. DBT focuses on four sets of skills: staying present (mindfulness), getting through tough moments without making things worse (distress tolerance), understanding and regulating emotions, and communicating more effectively in relationships.

Mindfulness-based therapy is a type of therapy that helps clients slow down, notice what they are feeling, and relate to their thoughts and emotions with more awareness instead of reacting automatically.

The core idea is: thoughts and feelings are real experiences, but they do not have to control every choice. Clients learn to observe what is happening in their mind and body without immediately judging it, avoiding it, or getting swept away by it.

It can be especially helpful for anxiety, depression, stress, trauma responses, emotional reactivity, chronic pain, ADHD, and burnout. For example, someone with anxiety may learn to notice, “My chest is tight, my mind is predicting danger, and I’m having the thought that something bad will happen,” instead of instantly spiraling or trying to force the anxiety away.

Mindfulness-based therapy can include practices like breathing exercises, grounding, body scans, mindful movement, noticing thoughts, self-compassion, and learning how to pause before responding. It is often woven into approaches like DBT, ACT, MBCT, and trauma-informed therapy.

Strengths-based therapy is a counseling approach that focuses on what is already working in a client’s life, not just what feels wrong.

Instead of viewing the client as a “problem to fix,” the therapist helps them identify their strengths, values, skills, supports, resilience, past successes, and inner resources. The goal is to help the client use those strengths more intentionally to manage challenges, build confidence, and create meaningful change.

Person-centered therapy is a counseling approach that puts the client’s experience, perspective, and inner wisdom at the center of the work.

Instead of the therapist acting like the “expert” who tells the client what to do, the therapist creates a warm, nonjudgmental, supportive space where the client can better understand themselves and make choices that feel authentic. The therapist listens deeply, reflects patterns, validates emotions, and helps the client connect with their own values and needs.

A big belief behind person-centered therapy is that people are naturally capable of growth when they feel safe, accepted, and understood. So the relationship between therapist and client is a major part of the healing.

It can be helpful for anxiety, depression, grief, identity exploration, self-esteem, relationship issues, life transitions, and people who feel disconnected from themselves or overly shaped by others’ expectations.

Trauma-focused therapy is counseling that helps clients understand, process, and heal from painful or overwhelming experiences.

The goal is not to force someone to relive everything that happened. Instead, trauma-focused therapy helps clients feel safer in their body, understand how trauma has affected their thoughts and relationships, reduce shame, and build healthier ways to cope.

Trauma can impact the nervous system, sense of safety, trust, self-worth, memory, emotions, and relationships. A client may notice symptoms like anxiety, panic, numbness, irritability, nightmares, flashbacks, people-pleasing, avoidance, difficulty trusting others, or feeling “stuck” in survival mode.

Trauma-focused therapy may include grounding skills, emotional regulation, nervous system education, identifying triggers, processing traumatic memories, rebuilding self-trust, and strengthening boundaries. Some therapists use specific approaches like EMDR, trauma-focused CBT, somatic therapy, narrative therapy, or parts work.

Although Day One Counseling provides psychotherapy and does not prescribe or manage medications. Your mental health care should feel connected. At Day One Counseling, we take an integrative approach to psychotherapy, tailoring treatment to your individual needs, experiences, and goals. When psychiatric medication support may be helpful, we can assist with referrals and, with your written permission, collaborate with your psychiatric provider to support a coordinated approach to care.