Alternative Therapies
While we firmly believe that talk therapies are the gold therapeutic standard, the healing power of alternative treatments are undeniable. Methods which incorporate the breath, our body, or non-ordinary states of consciousness can be profoundly healing. A number of techniques are quickly changing the therapeutic paradigm to address ailments stemming from trauma, anxiety, and depression.
The Power of Going Within
Spiritual Coaching
Establishing a solid internal foundation.
There may be times when we may need to find some direction and guidance outside of a traditional psychotherapeutic lens. Learn how to remain present to the here and now.
Breathwork, EMDR, Havening Techniques, Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy, and Psychedelic Integration, Oh My!
A number of alternative treatments exist outside of traditional talk therapies. Many of these treatments can be a fantastic adjunct to your existing psychotherapy or may be healing all on their own.
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What is Breathwork?
Breathwork for example is a conscious connected breathing exercise that can elicit strong emotions that may be trapped in our somatic and emotional domains. Breathwork normally consists of a prolonged breathing pattern similar to one that would promote a hyperventilation. Through this exercise individuals enter a deep meditative state and often confront early experiences or traumatic moments, but this time in a safe and supported environment. There are a number of breathwork theories including Relational, Energy, Regulation, and Consciousness Models which can be adapted to the individual's healing process. Breathwork can be done alone with a therapist or in a group setting.
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How Can EMDR Help Me?
Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an empirically supported modality that can help individuals resist and lessen the effects of a previously traumatic event that may still affect us today. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for example is the result of an traumatic event that was not properly stored in our brain's memory system. The brain expects a certain flow of information and stores events into categories, similar to the way we may create a mental filing system. However, when we are unexpectedly presented with an overwhelming event, our brain can't create an adequate file and thus the memory becomes dislodged, continuing to cause errors in our system. EMDR helps us reprocess these errors and effective create a better filing system to accommodate for these events.
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What are Havening Techniques? - The Magic of Touch.
We've all experienced trauma. You may not remember it all, but odds are that you were once in your crib crying wondering where your caregiver may be. You may have been shocked to learn that your favorite toy broke or that your family dog went missing or passed. As a child, it is likely that these times were incredibly scary and uncomfortable. Others may have attempted to allay our experience by physically soothing and and caressing us. Their instincts kicked in, but we had not yet known how to sooth for ourselves. Instead, we were just left with our disteressing thoughts and emotions. Havening Techniques allows us to learn how to sooth today and revisit some events that can allow us to heal what we didn't quiet know how to address at the time.
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Ketamine Treatments for Depression, Anxiety and OCD.
Ketamine is one of the most popular analgesic and anesthetic drugs used worldwide and is prominently listed as one of the World Health Organization’s Essential Medicines. It is commonly used in ICU’s, emergency rooms, surgical environments, and in diagnostic procedures. However, near the turn of the century, clinicians began to notice an interesting side effect. Patients given Ketamine were seemingly experiencing a significant decline in depressive symptoms following their procedures. Continued research has demonstrated its efficacy in the temporary reduction of depression and other psychiatric disorders. In 2012, researchers hailed as the “biggest breakthrough in depression research in a half century”.
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What is Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy and Psychedelic Integration?
These are exciting times for researchers, clinicians and individuals seeking treatment. After a 30-year hiatus, the research on psychedelics has been gradually making a comeback. The resurgence of this movement has spurred a flurry of public interest and research activity. Early research appears to present a profound healing potential which may create a significant shift in both psychiatry and psychology. In combination with therapy, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy may become a leading alternative to those suffering with a number of psychological disorders. While we await a change of status from current regulations, the Love Discovery Institute assist those that have already taken a substance and are needing to process and integrate their experiences. Many of these experiences can be destabilizing or bring forth unconscious material which has resurfaced as a result of their experience.
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The team at Love Discovery Institute is ready to help you expand your awareness. Our therapists are ready to help you explore how some of these modalities can be useful for you and your healing journey.