Behavioral health therapy is a resource for parents, caregivers, teens, and children to utilize when they want to strengthen their emotional intelligence and develop skills to improve their overall quality of life. The professionals that work to implement behavioral health therapy are therapists who are trained to treat mental health disorders, as well as support families who are facing specific challenges. But, how do behavioral health therapists treat these disorders or support families? There are several ways that include:
Using evidenced-based techniques. Research has shown that some therapies work better than others for specific issues. Your behavioral health therapist will use techniques that have been researched and proven effective for the specific concern you have presented. These evidenced-based approaches will allow you to obtain the best level of care possible.
Strength based strategies. Behavioral health therapy aims to support you in identifying and emphasizing strengths that you and your family possess. Strength-based approaches assume that you and your family are resourceful, resilient, and fully capable of managing the issues that are occurring. This allows for you to be in control of your therapy sessions and determine what goals best fit your needs.
Identifying patterns. Your therapist will work with you to identify patterns in your child's behaviors or in parenting styles that would benefit from support and redirection. In session, you will work with your therapist to break free from these patterns and develop new strategies that are functional and supportive to your family in a healthy and effective manner.
Collaborations with other professionals. As you work with your therapist, they will also be able to collaborate with others who are important in managing challenges that are being faced. This may include other family members, your pediatrician, teachers, and other support systems. The more individuals who are in your corner and supporting you in a holistic manner; the more effective treatment will be.
Listed above are just a few aspects of a behavioral health therapists role. Behavioral health therapists are professionals who value being non-judgemental, inclusive, and being active-listeners. It is important to therapists that the treatment rooms are safe and secure places to discuss hard experiences and work through any big feelings that result from those experiences. Therapists providing a safe and secure environment value working from a trauma-informed perspective to ensure that the care they are providing is doing no harm to you or your family. It is also important to know that every behavioral health therapist is continually learning, developing new skills, and following up to date research to ensure that they are providing the best quality of care possible.
