Individual Counseling in Lafayette, Louisiana
At Aucoin and Associates in Lafayette, Louisiana, the activity within individual therapy sessions can be described as goal-oriented, empirically-based, and is designed to provide the client with tools and techniques for continual forward progression. Goal attainment and life enhancement are considered significant markers of session effectiveness.
Individual therapy in Lafayette, LA aids in the development of general life and social skills, equipping clients with the tools they need to cope with the day-to-day, whether they are grieving, mentally ill, or overwhelmed by life stressors.
The diverse backgrounds of our associates lend to the diverse therapeutic practices offered by Aucoin and Associates. Some of the therapeutic techniques employed within our clinic include play therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), anger management, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Trauma-Focused CBT. Each practice has a unique and distinct approach. Play therapy, for example, is used to foster self-discovery and provide a way for young children to communicate their emotions and experiences to their therapist through play. Rather than placing emphasis on past experiences, SFBT highlights the desired outcome of therapy. SFBT is forward-progress-oriented and focused on identifying the steps that lead to the end goal.
Many of our clinicians utilize techniques such as CBT, ACT, and DBT, all of which involve the therapist encouraging the client to become more aware of their own thought processes and how their thoughts influence feelings and behaviors. Both CBT and DBT are focused on attempting to alter the patterns of thought that lead to negative emotions and behaviors so that thought processes become more conducive to developing coping strategies, whereas ACT is focused on allowing the unpleasant thoughts and feelings without struggling with them and committing to new positive goals through mindfulness and identifying values. CBT and ACT have been successful for adults and children struggling with a variety of mental health issues, including anxiety disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse disorders, and phobias. DBT is heavily focused on mindfulness and learning skills to help regulate emotions and to improve interpersonal relationships, and this approach has been particularly beneficial to adolescents and adults with tendencies for self-harm and those who struggle with intense, variable emotions and a pattern of negative relationships.
