Treatments

Cognitive behavioral therapy

In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) we assume that your thoughts, interpretations, and your behavior influence how you feel. Research has shown that avoiding fearful things, such as places that trigger fear or situations where you have to stand up for yourself, is more likely to increase than decrease anxiety. When you often look at situations from a negative unrealistic attitude, you are more likely to become sad, anxious or angry. During the therapy we look together for a positive, realistic approach with thoughts that can help you overcome that. Together we look at the behavior that gets you into trouble and teach you to react differently in situations that are difficult for you.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is an active form of therapy that will ask for input from you as a client. Among other things, registration assignments and other homework assignments will be used. We do this because it is the vision of CBT that most of the learning process happens outside of the sessions.

CBT has given me concrete tools with which I can continue working at home. I have learned to make overviews of how I feel in certain situations, which gives me insight into what actually happens to me and how I could act differently next time in a similar situation.

– Rose –

EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR for short, is a therapy for people who continue to suffer from the consequences of a shocking experience, such as an accident, sexual violence or an incident of violence. EMDR was first described more than 25 years ago by the American psychologist Francine Shapiro. In the years that followed, this procedure was further elaborated and developed into a fully-fledged and effective therapeutic method.

Do you want to know more about EMDR? For a detailed explanation with videos, look at: https://www.emdr.nl/wat-is-emdr/

After my car accident, I’ve never fully recovered. When something unexpected happened in traffic, I completely panicked. Due to the EMDR treatment I had at Focus GGZ, the emotional charge of the accident is gone and I can participate in traffic again in a relaxed manner.

– Peter –

Imaginary exposure

Imaginary exposure is a treatment that involves the therapist encouraging you to relive unpleasant memories of the shocking event (s) repeatedly and for a long time.
You discuss the entire story of the shocking event in detail with the therapist and write it down if necessary. Using this story, the therapist initially exposes you to these memories repeatedly and for a long time. Regular and long-term exposure to painful memories gradually reduces anxiety and adjusts incorrect, unhappy thoughts about the shocking event (s). We sometimes use the term ‘extinction’ for the trauma reactions. Treatment will end when that point is reached.

The fears I had limited me in my daily life. I found Imaginaire Exposure intense, but soon found that it helped me more to face my fears, rather than avoiding them over and over. After this treatment I almost no longer suffer from nightmares and annoying thoughts and I dare almost everything again!

– Meryem –

We only work with highly experienced professionals who are always up to date with the latest developments in treatments. We only work with treatment methods that are scientifically proven to be effective and that comply with Dutch guidelines.