—   Your Clinical Need to Knows:

Understanding Total Life Therapists:

At Total Life, our therapists bring a diverse range of specialties, credentials, and approaches—all with a shared mission of supporting the mental health and wellbeing of older adults. This page is designed to help you, our Care Coordinators, feel confident in matching clients with the right provider by giving you insight into:

- Different License Types 
- Modalities and Therapeutic Approaches
- Specialized Training and Areas of Expertise

By understanding each provider’s background and approach, you’ll be able to make more informed matches—ensuring our clients feel seen, supported, and set up for a successful therapeutic relationship.
—   Understanding License Types

Provider License Types

What is the difference between the provider titles?
Clients will often ask what the difference is between our providers (i.e., "What is the difference between a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Psychologist?).
  • Psychologists
    - Doctorial Degree in Psychology (PhD or PsyD).
    - Focus on individuals internal world (thoughts, feelings, and behaviors) and provides a combination of therapy and psychological testing.
  • Associate Psychologists
    - In process of getting their licensure (i.e., done schooling and completing necessary supervised hours before taking exam).
    - Working under direct supervision of a Licensed Psychologist.
  • Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW)
    - Masters Degree in Social Work (MSW).
    - Take a more holistic approach to therapy incorporating social and environmental factors.
  • Associate Social Worker
    - In process of getting their licensure.
    - Working under direct supervision of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
  • Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
    - Masters Degree in Counseling.
    - Focuses on a wide range of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and trauma, providing individual and group therapy.
  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
    - Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.
    - Works primarily with families, couples, or individuals in the context of relationship dynamics and family systems.
  • Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
    - Masters Degree a related field (e.g., counseling, psychology, or social work).
    - Focuses on diagnosing and treating mental health conditions through therapy, often with a strong focus on the emotional and psychological aspects of mental health.
Even with differences in licensure all providers at Total Life offer individualized therapy using various therapeutic modalities.
—   Understanding Modalities and Therapeutic Approaches

Therapeutic Modalities

Therapists are trained in different therapeutic approaches and modalities that cater to the diverse needs of individuals, therefore different approaches and modalities will be better suited to specific issues or client characteristics.

1

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Goal-oriented psychotherapy, helps clients identify their beliefs and thoughts which leads to changed behaviors.
When to Recommend:
Depression, Anxiety (including Phobias and Panic disorder), PTSD, OCD, Eating disorders, Sleep or insomnia, Substance use Disorders, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Sexual problems.

2

Dialetical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Stems from CBT; helps clients manage intense emotions, improve relationships, and cope with distress by teaching skills in mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.
When to Recommend:
Borderline personality disorder, Self-harm, Suicidal behavior, PTSD, Substance use disorder, Eating disorders (specifically binge eating disorder and bulimia), Depression, Anxiety.

3

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Mindfulness-based, values-directed therapy that aims to improve psychological flexibility by helping clients be in the present moment and act in ways that are consistent with one's values.
When to Recommend:
Addiction/Substance use disorder (including Alcohol use disorder), Anxiety (including Social Anxiety), Depression, Eating Disorders, OCD, PTSD, Stress, Chronic Pain and Chronic Illness, and individuals stuck in avoidance cycles.

4

Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT)
Aims to improve relationships and create secure emotional bonds by helping clients understand, express, and regulate their emotions, especially within couples and families.
When to Recommend
Interpersonal problems, Anxiety (particularly Social Anxiety), Trauma/PTSD (including complex trauma), Eating disorders, Borderline personality disorder.

5

Relational Therapy
Emphasizes the importance of relationships and their impact on clients wellbeing, exploring how past and present relationships shape thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
When to Recommend
Interpersonal problems, attachment wounds, self-esteem issues.

6

Grief Counseling
Therapists utilize techniques such as facilitating expression, providing education, developing coping skills, and connecting clients with support systems in order to help clients process loss and navigate the stages of grief.
When to Recommend:
Bereavement, complicated grief, and life transitions involving loss.

7

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Helps clients process and reduce emotional distress associated with traumatic events and memories. by utilizing bilateral stimulation (e.g., eye movement) while recalling traumatic memories.
When to Recommend
Trauma (Acute stress disorder, PTSD, and Adjustment disorder), Anxiety (GAD, Panic disorder, phobias, and social anxiety), Depression, Dissociative disorders (Dissociative identity disorder, amnesia, depersonalization or derealization disorder), OCD, Body dysmorphia, Hoarding, Personality disorders (Borderline, avoidant, and antisocial).

8

Anger Management Therapy
Helps clients learn healthy coping mechanisms and communication skills to manage anger effectively. Including identifying triggers, practicing relaxation techniques, and improving communication skills
When to Recommend
Primarily used for anger issues, however it can help address underlying issues such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD, as well as improve communication, problem-solving, and relationship skills.

9

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Prioritizes the clients perspective and autonomy, emphasizing strengths and resources to foster positive change. Designed as a short-term intervention. Does not look at a clients past, but solutions to current problems.
When to Recommend
When clients are ambivalent about change or struggling to find solutions, Substance use, Motivation struggles, Goal-setting.

Note: this modality would be the closest modality that offers straight forward solutions/advice from the therapist.

10

Psychoanalytical Therapy
Long-term therapy aimed at exploring unconscious thoughts and feelings to understand how past experiences, particularly from childhood, influence current behaviors and emotions. Uses techniques like free association, dream analysis, transference, and interpretation.
When to Recommend
Childhood Trauma, Issues rooted in unconscious factors (e.g., long-standing personality patterns), Interpersonal difficulties, Maladaptive coping mechanisms, Distorted self-perceptions.

11

Psychodynamic Therapy
Evolved from Psychoanalysis and focuses on more immediate problems, offering quicker solutions, comparatively. It helps clients explore emotional blind spots and relationship patterns.
When to Recommend
Depression (Or people who have lost meaning in their lives), Anxiety, Unresolved childhood issues, Identity struggles, Difficulties forming or maintaining relationships.

12

Brief Dynamic Therapy
Emphasizes the importance of relationships and their impact on an individuals wellbeing, helping clients explore how past and present relationships shape their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
When to Recommend
Adjustment disorders, interpersonal issues, when clients are seeking focused insight.

13

Integrated Health Therapies
Combines conventional (e.g., medication and psychotherapy) and complementary (e.g., acupuncture, yoga, and massage) approaches to healthcare, focusing on the whole person and addressing physical, mental, and emotional well-being. This approach typically takes a holistic view, considering the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit.
Behavioral Activation
Fatigue, Anxiety, Chronic pain, or Medical issues such as Cancer, headaches, or fibromyalgia. Additionally you can suggest this type of modality when a client is seeking holistic care that considers mental, physical, and spiritual aspects of health.

14

Trauma-Focused CBT
Evidence-based treatment approach, it helps clients address the lingering effects of past traumas by combining cognitive behavioral techniques to reduce emotional distress, improve coping skills, and foster a sense of safety and control. 
When to Recommend
Childhood trauma, Abuse survivors, Trauma-related distress, PTSD, and for underlying Anxiety and Depression.

Note: When we do not have an EMDR therapist, this is the closest modality that we can offer.

15

Mindfulness-Based CBT
Combines mindfulness meditation practices with cognitive therapy principles to help individuals foster awareness of thoughts and emotions and develop a new relationship with them.
When to Recommend
Depression, Anxiety, Relapse prevention, Stress, and Sleep or insomnia.

16

Behavioral Activation
Often used in conjunction with CBT, focuses on increasing engagement in activities that are meaningful and enjoyable to the client in order to improve mood and well-being
When to Recommend
Depression, Anxiety, Life transitions that reduce engagement, Social isolation/loneliness.

17

Holistic Therapy
Focuses on the interconnectedness of a person’s physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being, aiming to treat the person as a whole, rather than specific symptoms. Holistic therapists may use expressive arts (e.g., music, art, dance), mindfulness practices (meditation, relaxation techniques), or physical approaches (yoga, tai chi).
When to Recommend
Existential concerns, Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Stress and stress related issues, and for clients that are seeking alternative approaches.

18

Narrative Therapy
Aims to separate the individual from the problem and allows the client to externalize their issues rather than internalize them. The therapist encourages clients to re-author their life stories and create more empowering narratives, ultimately helping them gain a sense of control and agency over their lives.
When to Recommend
Interpersonal difficulties, Identity concerns, Trauma and complex Trauma, Marginalization, Depression, Anxiety, Addiction, Eating Disorder, Low Self-esteem, and when clients feel overwhelmed by negative experiences.

19

Mindfulness
Focused on cultivating present moment awareness of thoughts, feelings, sensations, and surroundings, without judgment, to reduce automatic responses and improve overall wellbeing.
When to Recommend
Stress, Anxiety, Chronic pain, Substance use disorder, ADHD, PTSD, Sleep or insomnia, Borderline personality disorder, reactivity issues, emotional dysregulation.

20

Attachment-Based Therapy
Rooted in attachment theory, it aims to help clients form and maintain secure relationships by addressing how early childhood experiences influence their current thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; particularly within interpersonal relationships.
When to Recommend
Adoption, Individuals of depressed parents, Childhood abuse or trauma (particularly from their caregivers), relational difficulties, trust issues.

21

Gestalt Therapy
Based on the premise that individuals must be understood in the context of their ongoing relationship with the environment. It focuses on increasing self-awareness and understanding the present moment by emphasizing personal responsibility and the here-and-now experience.
When to Recommend
Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, Self-esteem issues, Relationship issues, Existential issues, Identity issues, Behavioral issues (avoidance or repression), Addiction.

22

Interpersonal Psychotherapy
Time-limited, evidence-based psychotherapy that focuses on improving difficulties by addressing interpersonal challenges and relationships. Therapists help clients identify and address issues within four main areas: grief, interpersonal disputes, role transitions, and interpersonal deficits.
When to Recommend
Depression, Anxiety, Eating disorders, Relapse prevention, Grief and loss, Life transitions.

23

Meditative Therapies
Utilizes practices such as mindfulness and meditation in order to calm the mind and body, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being by focusing attention on specific objects, sounds, or sensations. Types of meditative therapists include but are not limited to: mindfulness meditation, body scan meditation, guided imagery, yoga and tai chi, walking meditation, and mantra meditation.
When to Recommend
Stress, Anxiety, Emotional dysregulation, Depression, Chronic pain, PTSD.

24

Family Systems Therapy
Examines the roles and dynamics within families and how this impacts mental health of individuals, emphasizing that clients are best understood through assessing the interactions among and between family members. 
When to Recommend
Family conflict and dysfunction, Relationship issues, Addiction/substance abuse, Communication issues.

25

Spiritually-Oriented Psychotherapy
Holistic approach that considers the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit. It incorporates spiritual beliefs and practices into the therapeutic process, aiming to use these elements to facilitate healing and growth. Therapists may integrate spiritual practices like prayer, meditation, or mindfulness to improve mental health and well-being.
When to Recommend
Clients with strong spiritual or religious beliefs looking for integration of those beliefs into therapy. Can also address depression, anxiety, trauma/PTSD, OCD, self-esteem issues, somatic disorders, mood disorders, chronic stress and burnout.

26

Motivational Interviewing
Client-centered counseling approach that helps individuals explore and resolve ambivalence about change, ultimately enhancing their intrinsic motivation and confidence to make positive changes. 
When to Recommend
Health behaviors like weight loss, Relationship issues, Addiction/substance abuse. Can also address anxiety, depression, low self-efficacy, or client who are initially resistant to treatment or behavioral changes.
—   Understanding Specialized Training and Expertise

Therapists Specializations and Experiences

Therapists have unique specializations and training, allowing them to address a wide range of mental health concerns and challenges related to aging. Their diverse expertise enables them to offer tailored support for individuals facing specific emotional, psychological, or age-related difficulties.

Depression

A mood disorder characterized by persistent sadness or low mood, loss of interest or pleasure, fatigue or lack of energy, changes in sleep patterns, appetite and weight changes, feelings of worthlessness, isolation, or guilt, difficulty concentrating, physical symptoms like aches and pains, and thoughts of death or suicide.

Trauma/PTSD

Refers to an individual experiencing or witnessing a distressing event such as domestic abuse, sexual abuse, or combat. PTSD occurs when the trauma is not properly processed, leading to ongoing symptoms that affect daily life.
Symptoms include:
Intrusive memories, hyperarousal, avoidance, emotional numbness, negative thoughts and mood, difficulty concentrating, and physical symptoms. Complex PTSD often occurs after repeated traumatic events.

Anxiety

Anxiety refers to intense feelings of fear, worry, or nervousness, and can manifest in various ways.
Common symptoms include:
Excessive worry, restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, physical symptoms (like rapid heart rate or sweating), sleep disturbances, and muscle tension.
Types of anxiety disorders include:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Phobias, Social Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Separation Anxiety Disorder, and Selective Mutism.

Family Conflict

Refers to ongoing disagreements, tension, or discord within the family, often including disputes between parents, siblings, or extended family members. Individuals may experience:
Emotional distress, communication problems, increased stress, feelings of helplessness or guilt, isolation, difficulty with boundaries, and a negative impact on their self-esteem.

OCD

Characterized by persistent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) that result in repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions). This causes significant distress as individuals often recognize their obsessions are irritation, as well as causes interference with daily life, work, or relationships.

Interpersonal Issues

Difficulties that are related to an individuals social interactions and relationship, including peer relationships, parenting relationships, and general relationships.
Can include:
Difficulties with boundaries, communication, attachment, conflict, and trust.

Personality Disorders

Mental health conditions where a person’s usual way of thinking, feeling, and behaving causes problems in their life. These patterns are long-lasting, hard to change, and often get in the way of relationships, work, or daily activities.
1. Cluster A (Paranoid, Schizoid, Schizotypal), 2. Cluster B (Borderline, Antisocial, Narcissistic, Histrionic) 3. Cluster C (Avoidant, , Dependent, Obsessive-Compulsive.

Spirituality

Spiritual needs are an individual's innate desire for meaning, purpose, and connection, encompassing religious or non-religious beliefs, and encompassing the need for love, belonging, hope, and peace.

Grief and Loss

Refers to the emotional and psychological response to losing someone or something important (e.g., death of a loved one, loss of a job).
Individuals may experience:
Feelings related to sadness and despair, shock or disbelief, anger or guilt, isolation, numbness or detachment, and difficulty with daily functioning.

Suicidal Ideation / Self Harm

The thoughts, fantasies, or contemplations about ending one's own life or clients that express they self harm may intentionally injure themselves, but don't intend serious or life-threatening harm.

Hoarding

Mental health condition characterized by persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, even those of little or no value, due to a perceived need to save them.
May be associated with:
Impulsive Control Disorders.

Addiction/Substance Abuse

Addiction is a long-term health condition that affects how the brain works. It’s caused by a mix of things like a person’s genes, their surroundings, and life experiences. People with addiction may keep using a substance or doing a behavior even when it’s clearly hurting them, and they often feel like they can’t stop.
This includes but is not limited to: 
- Drug addiction
- Sexual addiction
- Gambling addiction

Eating Disorders

This includes clients struggling with serious issues related to eating, body image, or food control. Therapists in this area support those who feel overwhelmed by thoughts about weight, appearance, or eating habits.

Life Transitions / Coaching

Major changes that affect a person’s daily life, relationships, or sense of self. They can be planned or sudden, good or bad and often mark a shift from one life stage to another.
This may include:
changes in career, family, education, health, or personal.

Anger issues

Troubles managing anger in healthy ways. They may experience frequent outbursts, intense frustration, or difficulty expressing anger without conflict. Therapists in this area help clients build emotional regulation and communication skills.

Bipolar Disorder

A mental health condition marked by extreme changes in mood, energy, and activity levels, featuring episodes of elevated mood (mania or hypomania) and episodes of depression. This may also be referred to as manic depression.

Chronic illness/pain

This includes clients living with long-term health conditions or ongoing pain that lasts 3 months or more. Therapists in this area help clients manage the emotional toll, lifestyle changes, and mental health challenges that come with these lasting conditions.
This may include: 
- Living with conditions like arthritis or fibromyalgia.
- Long COVID.
- Coping with ongoing pain that affects sleep, mood, or daily life.

Medical Issues

Clients dealing with the emotional and mental impact of a medical condition. It covers chronic illnesses, new diagnoses, pain, or major health changes. Therapists in this area support clients in coping with stress, adjustment, grief, or depression related to their health.
This may include:
Coping with chronic illness (e.g., diabetes, heart disease),  adjusting after a major diagnosis or surgery, or managing mental health affected by ongoing medical issues (e.g., pain, disability).

Weight Loss

Support with healthy weight loss. Therapists in this area help address emotional and behavioral factors related to eating, motivation, body image, and lifestyle change as part of a broader weight management plan.

ADHD

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, which involves ongoing difficulties with focus, impulsivity, and/or hyperactivity. Therapists in this area help clients manage daily challenges, improve attention, and build coping strategies.

Marital Issues

Experiencing ongoing challenges in their marriage or relationship. To help with communication, conflict resolution, and rebuilding connection.
Who this is for:
- Couples facing frequent conflict or poor communication
- Clients feeling unhappy or disconnected in their relationship
- Those considering separation or seeking to improve relationship satisfaction.

Alzheimer's

Memory loss and cognitive decline due to Alzheimer’s disease. Therapists in this area support clients and their families in managing the emotional, behavioral, and daily challenges that come with cognitive decline. This may be:
Beneficial for clients experiencing dementia.

Psychosis

Involves losing touch with reality, such as seeing or hearing things that aren’t there or holding strong false beliefs. Therapists in this area support clients in understanding symptoms, staying grounded, and managing daily life.
This may include: 
Clients experiencing hallucinations, delusions, or disorganized thinking, those diagnosed with conditions like schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, or clients recovering from a psychotic episode or needing long-term support.

Stress

Clients dealing with ongoing or overwhelming stress that affects their daily life. Therapists in this area help clients understand their stress response, build coping tools, and reduce the impact on their mental and physical health.

Behavioral Issues

This area focuses on helping clients who struggle with challenging behaviors that affect their daily life, relationships, or functioning. Therapists use proven strategies to understand and change these behaviors.
This may include:
- Clients with frequent outbursts, defiance, or impulsive actions
- Individuals struggling to follow rules or manage emotions
- Clients showing patterns of disruptive or harmful behavior.

Coping Skills

This includes clients who need help managing stress, emotions, or life challenges more effectively. Therapists in this area teach and strengthen healthy coping strategies tailored to the client’s unique needs and situations.
This may include:
Clients facing life changes or ongoing stress, those struggling with anxiety, depression, or emotional control, or anyone using unhelpful coping methods and wanting healthier tools.

Impulsive control disorder

This includes clients who struggle to resist urges or impulses that lead to harmful or disruptive behavior. Therapists help clients understand their triggers and build healthier ways to cope.
Who this is for:
- Clients with sudden angry outbursts.
- Those who can’t stop gambling, stealing, or setting fires.
- Individuals who compulsively pull out their hair or act on other strong urges despite consequences.

Autism/Asperger's

Clients on the autism spectrum who may have trouble with social interaction, communication, or repetitive behaviors. Therapists help improve social skills, emotional regulation, and daily functioning.
Who this is for:
- Clients who struggle with social cues, routines, or changes.
- Those previously diagnosed with Asperger’s or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
- Individuals needing support with communication, relationships, or behavior patterns.

Christian counseling

This type of counseling combines mental health support with Christian faith and values. Therapists use traditional therapy methods alongside spiritual tools like prayer and scripture, guided by a Christian worldview.
Who this is for:
- Clients who want their faith included in the therapy process.
- Individuals seeking guidance through life challenges with both emotional and spiritual support.
- Those looking for a therapist who understands Christian beliefs and values.

Adoption

Clients impacted by adoption—birth parents, adoptive parents, or adoptees. Therapists in this area understand the emotional and relational challenges adoption can bring and provide support around identity, attachment, grief, and family dynamics. Who this is for:
- Adoptees struggling with identity or belonging.
- Adoptive parents navigating parenting challenges.
- Birth parents processing loss or complex emotions.

Dual diagnosis

This is for clients who have more than one mental health condition (for example depression and bipolar disorder) diagnosed which is referred to as comorbid. These clients must meet the DSM5 criteria for both and symptoms can't be used for both diagnoses. Therapists in this area help treat both at the same time.
Who this is for:
- Clients that tell you they are diagnosed with two mental health disorders.

Dissociative disorders

This includes clients who experience disconnection from their thoughts, memories, identity, or surroundings. Therapists help them feel more grounded, improve self-awareness, and manage symptoms.
Who this is for:
- Clients who feel detached from themselves or reality.
- Those with memory gaps or identity confusion.
- Individuals coping with past trauma or high stress that affects their sense of self.

Mood Disorders

This includes clients with ongoing or extreme shifts in mood that affect daily life. Therapists in this area help manage symptoms of depression, mania, or both through evidence-based care.
Who this is for:
- Major Depressive Disorder (deep, lasting sadness or lack of interest).
- Persistent Depressive Disorder (long-term, low-level depression).
Bipolar I (episodes of mania and depression).
Bipolar II (less intense mania—hypomania—along with depression).

Men's Issues

This includes clients dealing with mental health challenges shaped by male identity, gender roles, or societal expectations. Therapists help men navigate stress, relationships, trauma, and emotional expression in a supportive space.
Who this is for:
- Men struggling to express emotions or seek help. 
- Clients facing pressure around masculinity or identity.
- Those dealing with trauma, substance use, or relationship challenges through a gender-informed lens.

Sexual Dysfunction

Ongoing issues with sexual desire, arousal, orgasm, or pain during sex that cause distress or relationship problems. Therapists help address emotional, relational, or psychological factors contributing to these concerns.
Who this is for:
- Clients with low desire, difficulty reaching orgasm, or painful sex.
- Individuals whose sexual issues are affecting their self-esteem or relationships.
- Those seeking support for the emotional side of sexual health challenges.

LGBTQ+ issues

This includes clients who identify as LGBTQ+ and are seeking support around identity, relationships, mental health, or the impact of stigma and discrimination. Therapists in this area provide affirming care in a safe, respectful, and nonjudgmental space.
Who this is for:
- LGBTQ+ clients navigating identity, coming out, or relationship challenges.
- Those facing anxiety, depression, or stress related to stigma or exclusion.
- Clients who prefer working with someone affirming of diverse identities and values, often with a more progressive or left-leaning perspective.

Women's Issues

This includes clients seeking support around health and life challenges unique to women. Therapists in this area understand how biology, gender roles, and life experiences impact mental and physical well-being.
Who this is for:
- Women facing reproductive or hormonal health concerns.
- Clients affected by gender-based stress, trauma, or identity issues.   
- Those needing care that considers both medical and emotional aspects of women’s health.

Sleep or Insomnia

This includes clients who have trouble falling or staying asleep. Therapists help improve sleep by addressing habits, thoughts, and stress that may be causing insomnia.

Self-Esteem

Struggling with low self-worth, confidence, or identity. Therapists help clients understand the roots of their self-esteem challenges and build a stronger, more positive sense of self.
Who this is for:
- Clients who feel “not good enough” or overly self-critical.
- Those struggling with body image, social anxiety, or people-pleasing.
- Individuals seeking to build confidence, set boundaries, or feel more secure in who they are.

Racial Identity

Exploring how their racial or cultural identity impacts their mental health, relationships, and life experiences. Therapists in this area are trained to offer culturally sensitive care and support clients dealing with racial stress, identity questions, or discrimination.
Who this is for:
- Clients processing racial trauma or discrimination.
- Those exploring their cultural or racial identity.
- Clients who prefer a therapist aware of race, culture, and social justice issues.