Life’s hardships affect everyone, regardless of one’s professed spirituality or religious affiliation. While we know that religion and spirituality don’t prevent hardships, we do know that they can help us cope with them. Therefore, it makes sense that when seeking therapy or counseling, finding assistance from like-minded individuals who respect and even share your values is most helpful. You can find respectful, Christian-affiliated Punta Gorda FL Therapy Groups and counselors to help you heal from any kind of issue affecting your mental health. Though receiving therapy is sometimes viewed as a secular activity, there are many counselors who employ helpful, innovative techniques that will not compromise or conflict with your spiritual and religious values and beliefs.
One example of an innovative type of therapy used by these counselors is EMDR therapy. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. This therapy is also sometimes referred to as ART, or, Accelerated Resolution Therapy. The original name of this therapy may sound a bit intimidating, yet it is fairly simple. The name is partly derived from the term “rapid eye movement”, which we know as the stage of sleep in which we dream. One theory regarding the purpose of dreams is that the mind uses them as a means of working through its own psychological issues on a subconscious level. The purpose of EMDR therapy in is to enable the patient to mimic rapid eye movement while awake, so that the reparative experience of the mind that occurs during dreaming is elevated to a conscious level. This therapy is intended for use on a short-term basis and has proven effective for those suffering from PTSD and similar disorders.
While EMDR therapy is generally performed in a one-on-one environment between therapist and patient, there are also Punta Gorda FL Therapy Groups available to join. Group therapy can be attended as an alternative or in addition to individualized therapy. It is particularly effective because it leads the participants to realize that they are not alone in their experiences, empowering the group to overcome their shared issues. No matter what you need help with, whether it’s anxiety and depression, physical illness or addiction, or familial issues such as death and divorce, there are Christian-based therapists and counselors who are available to assist with care and respect.
