How I approach therapy, theory, and ‘about me.’

Hello! 

My name is Brian Abbott, LCSW, owner of Cedar House Counseling. I am a therapist practicing in North Kansas City MO, aka, Northtown. I recently moved my practice from Overland Park KS and am very excited to offer my counseling services to the community here. I'm a big fan of Northtown and am personally invested here. 

This blog will help me communicate with clients, let them get to know a bit of me, and what to expect if they decide to work with me. For established clients this blog may provide additional resources, and engagement. 

As a therapist I take my craft very seriously and have an ethical responsibility to my clients. One of my favorite parts about being a therapist is the professional imperative of ongoing growth in knowledge and training. It feels good to learn and have a sense of purpose in what I do. I feel very fortunate to be here. Research shows that when therapists have a combination of knowledge and clinical skills it translates into competence; clients can sense it and gain trust in their therapist. I advise all clients: it's important that you like your therapist and feel like you're in good hands. Otherwise it's best to keep shopping to find a good fit.   

My approach to therapy

Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy- AEDP

I am somewhat eclectic as a therapist but I am primarily an attachment oriented, emotion-focused therapist with training in AEDP. This is not just a training I breezed through for a piece of paper or to fulfill a CEU requirement. Beyond my level 1 training I am engaged in a deep and ongoing study of the model, and ongoing supervision by an expert psychologist and leader in AEDP. 

Person-centered therapy  

I am a person-centered therapist which means I believe in my clients innate ability to transform, given the right conditions. (Also a core component of AEDP). I want to join you where you are at. This approach informs my open, curious, and empathic attitude toward my clients. I strive for authenticity in session. I truly want to create a sense of freedom and acceptance in our work together. 

In a sense it isn't natural to show up in a strangers office and tell your life story and talk about your problems. It's against our social programming, no? That's why I encourage clients to take their time. We will both work through the anxiety together. We will get comfortable with each other and our work will take its shape. Please feel free to move at a comfortable pace. You get to decide what/when to share with me. This understanding can especially be important for those needing to process trauma. You are not 'under the gun' to spill your guts. Our therapeutic work moves at the speed of trust. It grows along with our connection in my office. This is what I love about being a therapist. 

Emotion-focused therapy for individuals

EFT has its theoretical foundations in attachment theory. I believe attachment theory is the most compelling lens for understanding human development and behavior, both in the direction of health and dysfunction, or pathology. 

An EFT therapist is interested in processing emotions together in session. A distinction here can be made with a cognitive approaches. Of course I am interested in cognitive processes as a therapist, but I am more inclined to look at a client's emotional and affective processes, as well as their attachment story than I am to explore and isolate 'core beliefs,' and faulty thinking style, as cognitive therapists do. EFT therapists are trained to make use of the therapeutic relationship as a means to explore emotion process. For example, a client struggling with anxiety may not have adequate experience in their life feeling helped and accepted (by parents for instance) in a way that leads to effective processing of anxiety. We may come to find in our work together that underneath anxiety is something deeper, i.e. an unprocessed primary emotion, that has perhaps been waiting to feel like it's safe to come out. Anxiety is, after all, concerned with ---SAFETY!  

Another essential aspect of emotion-focused therapy is the importance of experiential engagement in session with my clients. I am always paying attention to what is happening in my client's experience and in my own. Our experience together, along with emotions that come up, provide valuable information for us to explore and make sense of together. 

Behavioral resourcing 

I also love to teach my clients resources, such as simple mindfulness practices, relaxation techniques and focusing techniques that are very helpful in reducing anxiety and overwhelming emotions.