Motivational enhancement therapy (MET) is a short-term technique used in the treatment of alcohol and substance use disorders. This approach to treatment focuses on helping people to feel more motivated to change their destructive, harmful behavior. It integrates aspects of motivational interviewing and is based on the transtheoretical model of change. For people who are […]

Integrative or Holistic Therapy involves selecting the best techniques from different therapeutic orientations best suited to a client’s particular problem. The goal of integrative therapy is to align therapeutic techniques that are empirically proven to be effective in the treatment of a specific problem. By tailoring the therapy to the individual, integrative therapists hope to […]

What is Animal-Assisted Therapy? AAT is the use of animal interactions with patients to aid recovery from health problems or to help people cope with certain medical conditions. Those medical providers and therapists who support AAT believe it has many benefits such as helping with personal and social development, increased self-esteem, improved mental health, better […]

Emotionally focused therapy (EFT) is a type of short-term therapy that is used to improve attachment and bonding in adult relationships. This approach to couples therapy was developed by doctors Sue Johnson and Les Greenberg in the 1980s and is rooted in research on love as an attachment bond. While often used for couples, it has […]

Gestalt therapy is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on a person’s present life rather than delving into their past experiences. This form of therapy stresses the importance of understanding the context of a person’s life when considering the challenges they face. It also involves taking responsibility rather than placing blame. Gestalt, by definition, refers […]

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a modified type of cognitive behavioral therapy that aims to teach people how to live in the moment, develop healthy ways to cope with stress, regulate their emotions, and improve their relationships with others. DBT was originally intended to treat borderline personality disorder (BPD), but it has been adapted to treat other […]

Mentalization-based therapyMentalization-based therapy (MBT) is a form of psychotherapy that helps a person understand their emotions, thoughts, and behavior, and other people’s feelings and thoughts. The main focus of mentalization-based therapy is helping a person living with BPD stop and think before reacting to their emotions and feelings. It helps the person living with BPD recognize […]

Cocaine is a stimulant drug obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South America. Cocaine accounts for almost 6 percent of all admissions to drug abuse treatment programs. Cocaine use induces changes in the brain related to other neurotransmitters—including serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), norepinephrine, and glutamate. There are no specific medications approved […]

Chest pain appears in many forms, ranging from a sharp stab to a dull ache. Sometimes chest pain feels crushing or burning. In certain cases, the pain travels up the neck, into the jaw, and then spreads to the back or down one or both arms. Many different problems can cause chest pain. The most […]

The cell is the smallest functional unit within a living organism, which can function independently. It is made up of several types of organelles that allow the cell to function and reproduce. There are two general classes of cells that exist: the self-sustaining simple cells known as prokaryotic (bacteria and archaea) and the more complex dependent cells known as eukaryotic. The eukaryotic cells […]

Problem gambling or ludomania is repetitive gambling behavior despite harm and negative consequences. It may be diagnosed as a mental disorder according to DSM-5 if certain diagnostic criteria are met. Pathological gambling is a common disorder that is associated with both social and family costs. The DSM-5 has re-classified the condition as an addictive disorder, […]

Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally. Schizophrenia may result in some combination of hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behavior that impairs daily functioning, and can be disabling. People with schizophrenia require lifelong treatment. Early treatment may help get symptoms under control before serious complications develop and may […]

Eating disorders are serious conditions related to persistent eating behaviors that negatively impact your health, your emotions and your ability to function in important areas of life. The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder. Most eating disorders involve focusing too much on your weight, body shape and food, leading […]

Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect approximately 19 million American adults. Anxiety disorders such as Panic disorder fill people’s lives with overwhelming anxiety and fear. Unlike the relatively mild, brief anxiety caused by a stressful event such as a business presentation or a first date, anxiety disorders are chronic, relentless, and can grow […]

Substance dependence occurs when a person is physically dependent on a substance such as alcohol, nicotine, drugs, or medication, to the extent that their body adapts to it and develops a tolerance to it, resulting in withdrawal symptoms when they stop using it. Substance dependence and substance abuse used to be classified as separate health […]