'Team’ cognitive behavioral therapy

Team-CBT is a cutting-edge approach to therapy developed by Dr. David Burns at the Stanford School of Medicine.  Dr. Burns was a pioneer in the development of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), one of the most widely researched and practiced forms of therapy worldwide.  After years of process research, Dr. Burns developed a new form of therapy called TEAM-CBT.  It is not a new “school” of therapy, rather, it is a framework for the session, utilizing methods and techniques from a number of therapeutic models.  TEAM-CBT is supported by neuropsychological tenets regarding how we know learning and emotions work in the brain.  There are four critical components- Testing, Empathy, Agenda setting, and Methods.

T= Testing 

All clients are tested (very briefly- think three minutes) before and after each therapy session so I can see exactly how you are doing in several different dimensions.  I can also see how helpful I have been (or not been) to you.  This keeps me accountable at all times to the client and your well-being.  Why test?  Research has shown therapists’ perceptions of symptom severity and the strength of the therapeutic relationship are less than 10% accurate.  I want to make sure we are on the same page about the work we are doing.  This also gives me a beautiful road map if we do get off-course (which is, ironically, when some of the best breakthroughs are made).  

E= Empathy

According to research, unconditional empathy is absolutely critical for real healing.  I have been trained in advanced empathy skills in order to see the world through the client’s eyes.  Together, we will explore your struggles, concerns, hopes, and dreams.  And you will have plenty of time.  I offer 90-minute sessions so we can be as productive as possible each time we meet.

A= Agenda Setting/Assessment of the resistance

“ We yearn for change, but cling to the familiar.” -Anthony de Mello, Jesuit Priest and psychotherapist

And for good reason.  We usually consider our symptoms to be entirely negative and in need of a "cure".  However, I will show you how even your most self-defeating thoughts and feelings are a positive reflection of your deepest beliefs and values.  Let us honor what is beautiful in you and determine with this new perspective what real change is needed, eliminating the need to cling to what is not working in your life.  

M= Methods

We will tailor methods from myriad therapies to find what works for you now, then with relapse prevention I will show you how to keep them working for you.