Experiential therapy is a broad term that describes a type of therapy that is emotionally focused and body based.
The experiential therapies I find most effective and am trained in are: Brainspotting, Psychodrama, Exposure therapy and Hypnotherapy.
These therapies use different methods to help people heal from early trauma, overcome ingrained mental and physical habits, gain deep insight into their distress, and have other benefits.
Oftentimes, these methods can be helpful for those who have tried talk therapy but have not had the results that they desired.
Brainspotting
In Brainspotting, the idea is that “Where you look affects how you feel.” This therapy incorporates the use of eye position to find a “brain spot” that is a window into either an encapsulated trauma or resource that is being held in the brain and body. With a trained therapist, the brain spot can be discovered and the trauma or stuckness can be effectively and quickly processed through. I frequently use brainspotting in conjunction with other experiential therapies to speed up their effectiveness.
Psychodrama
Psychodrama is an experiential therapy method where emotions are triggered through the use of props or actors (when done in group work) to recreate a traumatic memory or to make mental process “concrete” . Once the emotion from the trauma is accessed, it can be worked through in a complete way so that the trauma is largely resolved and the survivor can truly move forward. Additionally, there will be an integration in the body, so the survivor will feel the healing through noticing enhanced ability to physically relax, and an absence of body triggers.
Exposure Therapy
Exposure therapy is extremely helpful in the treatment of “Obsessive type anxieties” such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Phobias, Fears, and Panic Disorder. It involves facing one’s fears in a controlled manner while controlling the mind’s desire to “spin” on worries and negative thoughts or engage in unhelpful behaviors. The therapy is very self-reinforcing. The longer one engages in the therapy, the easier it becomes and faster relief is experienced.