Types of Third-Generation Therapies
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Its goal is to help create a rich and meaningful life for the patient while accepting the pain that inevitably comes with it.
ACT has been effectively applied to a wide range of problems, including anxiety, alcoholism, eating disorders, chronic pain, obsessive-compulsive disorders, social phobia, drug use, psycho-oncology issues, depression, schizophrenia, and psychotic episodes, personality disorders, work-related stress, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, hypersexuality issues, trichotillomania, epilepsy, burnout cases, and domestic violence.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Uses both individual and group therapy to help people learn and use new skills to develop a life worth living.
Standard DBT clients receive three basic treatment modalities: individual therapy, skills group, and telephone coaching. Unlike traditional group therapy, these training groups are more like classes where skills are learned – Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation, and Distress Tolerance.
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT)
Teaches patients to cultivate skills in compassion and self-compassion, which can help regulate mood and generate feelings of safety, self-acceptance, and comfort.
CFT has been shown to effectively treat long-term emotional problems, including anxiety disorders, mood disorders, personality disorders, eating disorders, hoarding disorder, and psychosis, by addressing patterns of shame and self-criticism that can significantly contribute to mental health problems.
