Evidence Based Therapeutic Support

At MH², ACT is used to help clients break the cycle of living according to rigid, achievement‑ or approval‑based self‑worth and instead cultivate a life oriented toward personal values and meaning. ACT integrates mindfulness processes, cognitive defusion, acceptance strategies, and committed action to foster psychological flexibility—the ability to respond adaptively to internal experiences and external situations. For clients whose identity is tied to external factors like affiliation, or performance metrics, ACT helps them shift from chasing external validation toward living in a way that aligns with their deeply held values, even in the presence of distress. ACT’s empirical base is substantial, with randomized controlled trials demonstrating efficacy across depression, anxiety disorders, chronic pain, and transdiagnostic self‑esteem problems (Hayes et al., 2006; A‑Tjak et al., 2015). Meta‑analyses consistently show ACT’s effectiveness in improving functioning, reducing experiential avoidance, and enhancing well‑being.

DBT at MH² is designed for clients with intense emotional reactivity, interpersonal instability, and difficulty tolerating distress. It combines cognitive‑behavioral strategies with mindfulness and acceptance‑based approaches. Clients develop skills in four primary areas: mindfulness (increasing present‑moment awareness), emotion regulation (reducing vulnerability to extreme mood swings), distress tolerance (navigating crises without making them worse), and interpersonal effectiveness (asserting needs while maintaining relationships). DBT is particularly well suited for individuals whose patterns of over‑involvement in social situations lead to perceived rejection and subsequent withdrawal or aggression. The well-established modules in DBT also help clients learn and master distress tolerance and emotion regulation skills to assist in developing more effective interventions when feeling overwhelmed by emotion. Decades of research, including large randomized controlled trials, support DBT’s efficacy for borderline personality disorder, self‑harm, suicidal ideation, and emotion dysregulation across diagnoses (Linehan et al., 2006; Kliem et al., 2010) and have been generalized to other disorders.

CBT at MH² focuses on identifying and modifying maladaptive thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors that contribute to low self‑esteem, anxiety, depression, and panic disorder. Clients learn to recognize cognitive distortions such as overgeneralization or all‑or‑nothing thinking and to replace them with balanced, reality‑based appraisals. Behavioral interventions—such as exposure therapy for social anxiety or panic and behavioral activation for depression—are used to reduce avoidance and increase engagement in reinforcing activities. CBT has one of the most robust evidence bases in mental health, supported by hundreds of randomized controlled trials across psychiatric disorders (Hofmann et al., 2012). Specific CBT protocols, such as Panic Control Treatment, are well established in reducing panic attacks and fear of bodily sensations (Barlow et al., 1989).

MBT at MH² is aimed at improving clients’ capacity to understand their own and others’ thoughts, feelings, and intentions—especially in emotionally charged situations. This reflective capacity, or “mentalizing,” supports emotional regulation, identity stability, and interpersonal effectiveness. MBT is particularly effective for clients who struggle with interpersonal sensitivity, misinterpretation of social cues, and unstable self‑concepts, as is often seen in personality disorders and some autism spectrum presentations. Therapy sessions focus on slowing down reactions, exploring alternative perspectives, and fostering curiosity about mental states. The evidence base for MBT is growing, with randomized controlled trials demonstrating improvements in interpersonal functioning, reductions in self‑harm, and decreased emotional dysregulation in borderline personality disorder (Bateman & Fonagy, 2009; Bateman & Fonagy, 2016) and have been generalized to other disorders.

ERP is a gold-standard treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related conditions, including certain anxiety disorders and body-focused repetitive behaviors. ERP helps clients gradually confront feared thoughts, images, and situations (exposures) without engaging in the compulsive behaviors or avoidance strategies typically used to reduce distress (response prevention). Over time, clients learn that anxiety naturally subsides and that feared outcomes are unlikely to occur, leading to decreased distress and improved functioning.

ERP is collaborative and structured, often involving between-session practice and family involvement when appropriate. At MH², ERP is tailored to each client’s symptom profile and delivered by clinicians formally trained in the model. Decades of rigorous research, including numerous randomized controlled trials, have consistently shown ERP to be one of the most effective treatments for OCD, with response rates surpassing those of medication alone (Foa et al., 2005; Franklin & Foa, 2011).