Dr. Gallagher draws flexibly from training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and mindfulness. She works with clients to create a treatment plan that addresses each person’s unique needs. Her style is straight-forward, genuine, and change-oriented while also being compassionate, non-judgmental, and emotionally-engaged.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based psychotherapy used to treat a wide range of issues, including but not limited to depression, anxiety, mood disorders, eating disorders, and substance abuse. CBT is generally a short-term, present-focused, and structured treatment. The primary focus is to notice and examine what you are thinking, feeling, and doing and learn skills to develop healthier patterns of thinking and behaving. For more information on CBT, click here.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy:
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that was created by Marsha Linehan, Ph.D. to treat suicidal individuals diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). It has since been modified for children and adolescents and shown to be effective for the treatment of a wide range of psychological problems, including eating disorders, substance abuse, and PTSD. It is a skills-based approach for individuals experiencing intense and overwhelming emotions. The overarching goal of DBT is to help clients create a life that feels worth living. DBT teaches skills to help individuals stay in the present moment, tolerate distress and get through difficult situations without making it worse, replace harmful behaviors with more effective behaviors, understand and manage emotions, and improve relationships and communication. We do not offer comprehensive DBT or group skills training; however, we do provide DBT-informed treatment and can work with other clinicians and practices who provide DBT skills groups, when appropriate. We draw from DBT skills and concepts frequently in individual therapy. For more information on DBT, click here.
Mindfulness:
Mindfulness techniques and practice are incorporated in both CBT and DBT. Mindfulness involves staying in the present moment, on purpose, without judgment. It is the practice of noticing your emotions, thoughts, sensations, and experience without reacting to them or becoming overwhelmed by them. By staying in the present moment and accepting your experience as it is, we are often able to let go of the past and stop worrying about the future and more fully enjoy pleasant moments.
In addition to teaching and incorporating mindfulness into treatment, our staff also provides individual mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). MBSR is a program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn that is based on mindfulness meditation and incorporates body awareness and yoga. It has been scientifically shown to be effective for a wide range of both medical and psychological conditions, including chronic pain, anxiety, insomnia, stress, and depression. MBSR has been used as a complementary program to enhance effectiveness of medical treatments and/or improve the quality of life and reduce stress for individuals diagnosed with asthma, cancer, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, heart disease, hypertension, and hot flashes. MBSR helps individuals respond differently to the stress and discomfort in their lives and lead healthier, more adaptive lives. For more information on MBSR, click here.