Treatment Philosophy
Dr. Lisa Michelle Griffiths tailors therapy to her clients' needs. She explores their values and their range of choices, bringing them closer to what they want in life.
Dr. Griffiths believes in the most practical approach to counseling - tailoring her clients' treatment to their needs. Simply put, she monitors what works and does not work for her clients and addresses each client's needs on an individual level. Dr. Griffiths primarily draws from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Simply put, Dr. Griffiths:
- Uses the most practical therapeutic approach
- Explores client values, in which clients identify their range of choices and make decisions that would most align with what they want in their lives
- Is action-oriented, promoting that clients do something different in order to move towards a life filled with meaning and purpose
- Collaborates with the client on a plan of action, working to overcome the obstacles that may get in the way of client success or progress
- Focuses on client behaviors and evaluates what did and did not work for the client in the past
- Recognizes patterns of behavior that do not work to bring clients closer to their goals
- Believes that with practice and mindful awareness, people can choose to act in opposition of their negative thoughts and feelings
- Disconnects clients from the negative language or self-concepts they have about themselves
- Creates opportunities for clients to practice mindfulness, often associated with the Buddhist tradition
- Assesses progress and reevaluates treatment goals initially established in partnership with the client
- Encourages client self-acceptance and acceptance of others, recognizing that letting go and compassion towards self and others are likely paths to desired change
- Acknowledges that suffering is common for all humans and people experience a wide range of emotions, which is normal and healthy
- Facilitates clients in facing the negative emotions they tend to escape most, as confronting what they avoid is often a freeing, cathartic process
- When appropriate, may incorporate some of the major principles of DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), such as tolerating distress, recognizing and regulating one's emotions, and increasing skills for interpersonal effectiveness.
For more information about ACT, please consult http://www.contextualpsychology.org/act or the incredibly helpful workbook Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life by Steven C. Hayes, Ph.D.