Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is a crucial aspect of treatment when it comes to battling mental health issues and emotional challenges. At Agentic Mental Health, we utilize psychotherapy, along with medication and a personalized approach, to improve your mental well-being. We are dedicated to helping you regain agency over your life and mental health. 

Our therapists collaborate with you to help you acquire the skills needed to take control of your life and learn healthy coping mechanisms when responding to challenging situations.

Understanding Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy includes a range of treatments that help identify and provide symptom relief from various mental health conditions, improving your daily life and functioning.

Also known as talk therapy, psychotherapy involves speaking with a licensed and trained mental healthcare professional in a safe and confidential environment. During these sessions, you and your therapist work together to gain a deeper understanding of your troubling emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.

These sessions help us learn about your specific issues and how your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors influence your mood and daily life. 

There are several types of psychotherapy, each offering unique approaches to addressing mental health concerns. Among these, psychodynamic psychotherapy is central to our approach.

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Psychodynamic therapy is a type of talk therapy that goes beyond surface-level thoughts and everyday feelings to uncover deeper underlying issues. 

It focuses on your unconscious mind - exploring your past experiences, emotions, and memories that can influence your current feelings, choices, and behavior.

What is Psychodynamic Therapy?

Rooted in psychoanalysis, which emphasizes the impact of unconscious thoughts and desires, psychodynamic therapy addresses the psychological roots of your emotional suffering. However, it takes a more streamlined approach, also examining how you interact with the world and navigate your relationships with others. 

It is less intensive and shorter in duration when compared to psychoanalysis. During therapy sessions, our therapists evaluate the thinking and behavioral patterns you have developed over time. 

Although the structure of your sessions will vary based on your specific condition, the common approach includes these steps:

  • Understanding how you express and experience emotions
  • Recognizing and addressing attempts of avoidance
  • Uncovering recurring themes and behavior patterns 
  • Exploring past experiences 
  • Identifying defense mechanisms and creating healthier coping strategies

Other Types of Psychotherapy

In addition to psychodynamic therapy, we utilize various other types of psychotherapy. Our team tailors and combines these therapies based on your mental health needs and specific conditions. These include:

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT helps identify and address negative thoughts, patterns, and beliefs that impact your life. It equips you with practical tools and strategies to cope with your dysfunctional thoughts, behaviors, and emotions.
  • Eye movement desensitization & reprocessing therapy (EMDR): EMDR works by reducing the emotional distress stored in the brain from past traumas. It uses dual stimulation, such as eye movements or tapping, to enable you to reprocess traumatic experiences and reduce emotional distress. 
  • Interpersonal therapy: Interpersonal therapy focuses on improving your relationships with others. It helps address your communication patterns, interpersonal conflicts, and social isolation to promote healthier interactions and connections.
  • Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): DBT combines mindfulness, acceptance, and emotion regulation techniques to help you manage intense emotions. It's a type of CBT but with a stronger focus on accepting difficult emotions while also learning skills to change them. 
  • Acceptance & commitment therapy (ACT): ACT is a mindfulness-based therapy that helps you become more aware of your thoughts and emotions and accept them without judgment while committing to actions that align with your values.
  • Socialization therapy: It focuses on enhancing your confidence and comfort in social settings by teaching essential social skills. This therapy helps improve your interactions with others and fosters better social connections. 

Your therapist will consider your individual condition and preferences to determine which approach or combination of approaches is best suited to your needs.

Conditions Treated with Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy can help treat a wide range of mental health conditions and challenges. Our skilled and compassionate team is effective in addressing:

  • Anxiety disorders, such as general anxiety, social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), phobias, panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Mood disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder (MDD), and treatment-resistant depression (TRD)
  • Substance abuse issues, such as alcohol use disorder, drug dependence
  • Personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder or dependent personality disorder

You do not always need to have a diagnosed mental health condition to benefit from psychotherapy. It can also help deal with life struggles and psychological challenges of daily life. These can include:

  • Thoughts of self-harm
  • Relationship and family issues
  • Severe or long-term stress 
  • Grief and loss
  • Trauma
  • Stress related to medical conditions
    • Cancer
    • Autoimmune conditions
    • Chronic pain

Our Approach to Psychotherapy

At Agentic Mental Health, we understand that mental health is multifaceted, and everyone experiences unique and complex challenges. This is why we believe the best approach to healing is tailored to your unique needs. 

We begin with a thorough understanding of your specific condition, but our focus goes beyond your symptoms. Our psychodynamically oriented team uncovers the root causes of your current challenges by exploring your past that might be unconsciously influencing your present.

Our therapists guide you on a journey to uncover deep-seated emotions, forgotten memories, and unresolved conflicts. By bringing these hidden factors to light, you gain a deeper understanding of why you react to situations in certain ways. 

This process helps you recognize patterns and triggers that lead to unhelpful responses. With this understanding, we help you develop healthier ways to cope. We work collaboratively with you to devise a treatment plan that addresses and helps you overcome your negative thought patterns and emotions. 

Moreover, uncovering and resolving past emotional baggage helps you experience emotional healing and regain control over your thoughts and actions. 

Our ultimate goal is to restore your hope and agency, empowering you to reach a better mental and emotional state. Our approach helps enhance your self-esteem and empower you to navigate life's challenges with confidence and resilience.

In addition to psychotherapy, we offer social skills training based on your needs and conditions, which helps combat feelings of loneliness and hopelessness often seen in mental health patients.

Social Skills Training for Quick Improvement

Social skills training (SST) is a type of behavioral therapy that helps enhance the communication and social understanding of people with mental disorders.

Many mental health conditions can lead to a sense of isolation and disconnection. When struggling with these challenges, you often lose touch not only with yourself but also with others. 

This can not only impact your social relationships and overall quality of life but also contribute to worsening the symptoms. SST can help you improve quickly by directly addressing the social aspects that can exacerbate your symptoms. 

SST uses principles and techniques of behavior therapy to help people express their emotions and requests effectively. It helps in refining their social skills, improving their ability to connect with others, form meaningful relationships, and navigate social situations effectively. 

For patients with mental health conditions, SST can help them acquire essential interpersonal and independent living skills, leading to improved functioning and a better quality of life. Moreover, it helps combat feelings of loneliness and hopelessness, contributing to an overall improvement in mood.

Skills training can be valuable for a wide range of mental health conditions, including:

Beyond Your Mental Health Condition

While psychotherapy and medications are crucial, a healthy mind thrives within a healthy body supported by a balanced lifestyle. Our approach includes not only resolving mental health conditions but also promoting emotional and psychological health. 

We utilize various modalities, such as mindfulness practices, exercise, your mental health diet, and social engagement, including volunteer work, to help you live a fulfilling, hopeful, and socially connected life.

Effective Psychotherapy Treatment in Virginia

At Agentic Mental Health, our skilled team is here to support your mental health and help you regain control over your life and happiness. We provide personalized psychotherapy services to treat various mental health conditions.

To book a consultation, call us at 434-284-5980 or schedule an appointment online.  

1200 Five Springs Road, Suite 201
Charlottesville, VA 22902

Monday-Friday
8am - 6pm

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