Glossary
This technique forces our mind and body to focus on regulating our breath, rather than replaying worries in our minds. One may begin by exhaling completely through the mouth, making a whoosh sound. Then close the mouth and inhale quietly through the nose to a count of 4. Soon after, hold the breath for a count of 7. Lastly, exhale completely through the mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of 8.
Alternate nostril breathing also called Nadi Shodhana, is a yogic breath control practice. It improves our ability to focus, supports respiratory function, rejuvenates the nervous system, and diminishes stress. To do this practice, one is encouraged to sit in a comfortable position. Lift your right hand toward your nose, exhale completely and then use your right thumb to close your right nostril. Inhale through your left nostril and then close the left nostril with your fingers. Open the right nostril and exhale through this side. Inhale through the right nostril and then close this nostril. Open the left nostril and exhale through the left side. This is one cycle. Continue for up to 5 times.
Breathwork involves the practice of utilizing breathing exercises to increase one’s conscious awareness. A breathwork therapist may guide their client through meditative practices, involving breathing techniques, that seek to explain one's self-awareness and promote holistic well-being.
CBT is a skills-based treatment modality that focuses on the interrelationship between thoughts, behaviors, and feelings. A CBT therapist utilizes techniques to examine and reduce dysfunctional thoughts and introduce new ways of behaving through homework that may result in positive behavioral and emotional outcomes.
CBT-I, is a therapy used as the first line of treatment for insomnia. CBT-I is used for folks struggling with chronic sleep problems and is a structured program. It helps one identify and replace behaviors and thoughts that create or worsen sleep issues, with habits that promote sound sleep. Unlike reactive interventions like sleep medication, CBT-I helps clients overcome the underlying issues of sleep disruption. Your therapist may utilize techniques such as improvement of sleep hygiene, sleep environment, and may also encourage relaxation training along with many other effective interventions.
Coherent breathing is a very simple breathing technique of taking 5 breaths per minute. The purpose of this type of breathing is to increase heart rate variability. A coherent breathing state is a neutral fluid condition, in that as you inhale you allow for some arousal by moving into your hot system, and as you exhale you allow for restorative action by moving into your cool system. The state achieved with coherent breathing allows for one to experience relaxation whilst also allowing for a quick transition into a state of activation.
In couples therapy, the therapist works with couples from an unbiased and non-judgemental stance, to work through interpersonal issues that may be relevant to their relationship.
Creative arts therapy, often referred to as “Art Therapy”, seeks to improve clients' overall physical and mental well-being. This modality uses techniques derived from various art forms to improve coordination and communication, increase social function, and enable the expression and processing of feelings.
Dance/movement therapy (DMT) is defined as the psychotherapeutic use of body movement to promote cognitive, social, emotional, and physical integration, for the purpose of improving physical and mental health, and overall well-being.
DBT treatment is a type of psychotherapy that implements a cognitive-behavioral approach. However, it emphasizes the psychosocial aspects of treatment. It is support-oriented, skills-based, and very collaborative. It provides clients with skills to manage intense emotions and decrease interpersonal-conflicts. Its 4 main components are mindfulness, distress tolerance, assertiveness or interpersonal effectiveness, and emotion regulation. Mindfulness: bringing awareness to thoughts, feeling, sensations in the present moment Distress Tolerance: employing skills to self-sooth, relax, and cope with crisis and discomfort that are not harmful to oneself Emotional Regulation: learning how to deal with primary emotional reactions before they lead to a chain of distressing secondary reactions Interpersonal Effectiveness: by combining listening skills, social skills, and assertiveness training, one can change situations while remaining true to their values and deepening connection to others
Discernment counseling is a type of brief couples therapy that is designed for couples who are uncertain of whether or not they want to continue in their relationship. This type of therapy aims to help partners consider all options before they make a decision to work on their relationship or terminate their relationship.
ERP is a type of cognitive behavior therapy that is most effectively used to treat OCD. Folks are repeatedly and gradually exposed to thoughts, situations, and images that elicit their obsessions while resisting their compulsions. Through a gradual increase in intensity and frequency of the exposure, folks reach a point where they are desensitized to the trigger, and hence no longer partake in disruptive behaviors or ruminations.
Exposure Therapy is a type of behavioral therapy created to help folks manage problematic fears. In this therapy, one is gradually exposed to the situation that causes them distress. The goal of exposure therapy is to create an environment of safety, within which a person can decrease avoidance behaviors, reduce anxiety, and improve quality of life.
Expressive Art Therapies are the use of the creative arts as a form of therapy, including the distinct disciplines of: expressive arts therapy and creative arts therapy. Unlike traditional art expression, emphasis is placed on the process rather than the final product.
EMDR is a form of trauma treatment that encourages the processing of distressing memories while restoring the brain's organic healing abilities. Along with several other techniques, an EMDR therapist may lead their client in a series of lateral eye movements, while reprocessing or focusing on a distressing memory, encouraging desensitization of overwhelming feelings and allowing for therapeutic healing.
Family Therapy sees individuals as existing within a whole system, with each sub-system affecting the well-being of the other. Family therapy is a therapeutic modality that seeks to nurture change and development, in order to better the psychological health of the family as a whole.
Gaga is a movement language developed by the Batsheva Dance Company in Isreal. Gaga has two educational tracks: Gaga for Dancers is intended for trained dancers and comprises the daily training of the Batsheva Dance Company; Gaga for the People is designed for the general public and requires no dance training. Many folks have stated that after taking Gaga classes, their passion for dance has been re-ignited; they have found new ways to connect to their inner beast without being self-conscious about how the movement looks while at the same time discovering how to deeply listen to their bodies and self. Try one of our a Gaga-informed class through the Repose Studio today!
Gestalt Therapy strives for personal growth by increasing conscious awareness of present moment experiences. A Gestalt therapist engages the client in exercises and discussions that bring awareness to thoughts, feelings, and movements as they arise, enhancing the client’s understanding and acceptance of their inner world and guidance.
Individual therapy is a type of therapy that is typically between a psychotherapist and client exclusively. This type of therapy allows individuals to explore their feelings and thoughts with a trained professional, who may be guided by varying theoretical approaches and principles. In such a modality, the client-therapist fit is crucial, which is why here at Repose, we match you with a therapist that fits your needs.
IFS seeks to increase self-awareness by exploring varying “sub-personalities” of the mind while nurturing our connection to the self. An IFS therapist will work with clients to explore, understand, connect with, and alter disruptive parts of the mind, enabling clients to enjoy the liberation and peace of living a self-determined existence.
Mindfulness is a state of being. It is the quality of being wholly present and completely engaged in whatever we are doing in the moment. Allowing ourselves to be free from judgment and distraction, and fully attuned to our thoughts and feelings without getting trapped in them. This moment-to-moment awareness is one that is trained through breathwork, meditation, and guided imagery, allowing us to enhance this skill and utilize it in our daily lives.
Pre-commitment counseling is an opportunity for you and your partner(s) to actively and intentionally navigate various elements of committed life that you will be sure to face in your marriage, while simultaneously developing skills designed to enhance your relationship
Psychoeducation is an evidence-based therapeutic intervention for clients and their loved ones, it helps to provide information in order to better support, understand and cope with a mental illness.
Psychodynamic therapy is a form of depth psychology that involves the interpretation of emotional and mental processes rather than the exploration of behavior. A psychodynamic therapist may aim to help clients find patterns in their unconscious thoughts, beliefs, and emotions to gain insight into their present selves.
This therapy involves the interpretation of emotional and mental processes rather than focusing on behaviors alone. Psychodynamic therapists attempt to help clients explore and identify patterns in their thoughts, emotions, and beliefs to gain insight into their current selves.
Restorative Yoga is a practice that encourages slowing down and opening up one's body through passive stretching. It strives to eliminate the pull of gravity by bringing the ground up to one's mindfully positioned bodies through the use of props. It allows for deep relaxation of all the muscles in one's body and helps in the cultivation of the skill of conscious relaxation. It down-regulates one's nervous system and allows for healing through the sense of unshackled release. It helps in reducing the production of stress hormones and muscle tension, improves the functionality of the immune system, and helps with insomnia.
Somatic Education is a method of teaching folks how to release chronic muscle tension, improve posture and movement, so they may feel free of the pain and damage they are experiencing in their bodies.
Somatic experiencing is a form of therapy aimed at relieving the symptoms of trauma-related health problems by focusing on the client's perceived body sensations. This involves the therapist introducing small amounts of traumatic material to the client, and then logging the physical sensations that may appear in the response. This is paired with the equipment of self-regulating strategies in an environment of safety.
This therapy involves conscious present moment awareness and explores body sensations, bodily tension, and gestures through a combination of movement, awareness dialogue, and touch
Square breathing is a technique used when taking slow, deep breaths. One may begin by gently exhaling all their air out. Then, gently inhaling through their nose to a slow count of 4. Hold at the top of the breath for a count of 4. Then gently exhale through the mouth for a count of 4 and at the bottom of the breath, pause and hold for a count of 4. This breathing technique can heighten performance and concentration while also being a powerful stress reliever.
TIC is an approach that guides itself from the assumption that an individual is more likely than not to have a trauma history. TIC recognizes the prevalence of traumatic experiences in society and acknowledges the ongoing role trauma may play in an individual's life.
Vinyasa literally means to place with intention. When translated in a yoga class with asana (postures), this refers to synchronizing the breath with the movement of the body - sometimes referred to as a flow class.
Yin Yoga, conversely, is an active practice. Muscles are typically not warmed up beforehand so that heat is generated by way of deep stretching in a pose that is often held for a few minutes at a time. Through a well-being lens, Yin Yoga allows us to sit with our discomfort – a key component of resilience. Yin Yoga may serve as a powerful somatic tool for developing emotional regulation, integrating trauma, and increasing neuroplasticity.
Yoga Nidra is a form of guided meditation also known as “effortless relaxation”. It is most often practiced lying down with a teacher guiding the session. It encourages us to draw our attention inwards, and we develop the skills to surf between states of sleep and wakefulness, where our body returns to its natural state of homeostasis.