Treatment
Most problems will be treated by ways of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing). According to the Dutch Mental Health guidelines, CBT is a first-choice treatment option for anxiety disorders, light to mild depressions and burn out. EMDR on the other hand is the go-to treatment for problems arisen from traumatic experiences. Anxiety disorders and mood disorders that have an obvious point of origin are also treatable with EMDR, with proven results. Headway has ample experience in both forms of treatment.
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The so called 'third generation' cognitive behavioural therapies such as 'acceptance & commitment therapy' (ACT) and 'mindfulness based cognitive therapy' (MBCT) are also often applied. The framework from which all treatments at Headway are given comes from 'solution focused therapy'. Their motto: 'do more of what works and less of what doesn't'.
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Which therapy form or elements of a therapy form are included in your treatment is always determined in collaboration with the client and focused on you as a person. There is no standard procedure or protocol. Elements from existing protocols can be applied to your treatment should they seem appropriate.
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EMDR
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Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing (EMDR) is a treatment method discovered in the late '80s in the USA and is applied to help treat symptoms caused by traumatic or shocking experiences. Since the late '80s, a lot of research has been done on EMDR and it's effects in treating PTSD and other trauma-related symptoms, have been scientifically proven over and over. The following video explains in a clear way the application and operation of EMDR.
These days, EMDR is not just applied to trauma-related symptoms anymore but also to many other symptoms. It has proven very effective in treating anxiety disorders. Ater all, anxiety disorders can also begin following an unpleasant experience. Even low moods, feelings of guilt of a low self-esteem can be the result of (multiple) unpleasant experiences. By identifying the unpleasant experiences and subsequently treating them with EMDR, the symptoms will lessen or even disappear completely.
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Cognitive behavioural therapy
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Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a proven effective form of psychotherapy. Consulting the Dutch mental health care guidelines, CBT proves to be the designated treatment method for both mood- and anxiety disorders. CBT integrates the old modalities of cognitive therapy and behavioural therapy. Cognitive therapy focuses mainly on exploring and changing negative thoughts. By doing so we also change the elicited negative emotions and destructive behaviours. Behavioural therapy on the other hand, works in the opposite direction and focuses mainly on exploring and changing behaviours which elicit problems. By changing these behaviours, our negative emotions and thoughts also change. Integrating these theories and changing both thoughts and behaviours, room is created to lessen negative emotions such as anxiety, low mood an insecurities. The following video explains this further.
Recent years has seen the existence of new forms of CBT. The most common forms are acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT). Both forms of therapy focus on acceptance of things we can't change. By accepting these situaties as they are, we free energy normally used for resisting and fighting negative obstacles / emotions. By freeing this energy we can bestow it upon other things, things that are more important to us. A calmer state and a considerably milder view of ourselves is created.