Linda Leiphart, PsyD
Clinical Psychologist
Providing Compassionate Treatments that Work
CBT-DBT, LLC
Dr. Linda Leiphart
I help adolescents and adults who are struggling with painful emotions, to create a more meaningful life, cope more effectively with stress and improve their relationships. I enjoy working with people to help them meet their goals.
At times we all may experience pain related to relationship difficulties, educational or occupational transitions, or adjusting to various changes in our lives. By looking on-line, you've taken a step in finding help for yourself or for someone you care about.
Do I really need a therapist?
Can't I just talk to my friends and family?
Your best friends not may tell you this, but they can only listen to your problems for so long until they get bored or overwhelmed. They may tell you what they think you want to hear, trying to make you feel better or maintain your friendship.
Your relationship with your therapist is definitely one-sided. It’s supposed to be. The focus and energy in a therapy session is focused on you, not me. We sit down to explore your life, difficulties, relationships, concerns, fears, thoughts, feelings, and future. A friendship requires a mutual back-and-forth dialogue so that both you and your friend feel equally-heard. You take turns being the focus of attention, and this is what makes it a friendship.
Also, your friend probably does not have an advanced degree in psychology or behavioral health treatment, and even if they do, they don’t want to feel talking with you is like being at work.
Not all mental health treatments are equally effective. Some therapies may work better than others.
Mental healthcare providers (i.e. psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, counselors) may have different training or philosophies on how to help people feel better. Therapists who provide treatment based on scientific evidence are using what’s called "Evidence-based Practices.”
What are Evidenced Based Practices?
These are treatments that are based directly on scientific evidence. Most have been studied in several large clinical trials, involving thousands of patients and careful comparison with other types of psychological treatments, including medications. Dozens of multi-year studies have shown these treatments can reduce symptoms significantly for many years, even after you’ve completed therapy. The most commonly used evidence-based practices for the treatment of psychological or mood related symptoms involve Cognitive and Behavior Therapies (CBT). While no one can promise that therapy will work, the effectiveness of CBT has been demonstrated for a wide-range of symptoms in adults, adolescents, and children.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is an effective form of psychotherapy for a wide range of problems.
CBT involves more than you telling me about your week. During the first couple sessions we'll get a clear understanding of what you would like to be different. Sessions then are a combination of talking about what's going on and me introducing different skills to practice or experiment with during the week. Research shows that people who practice the skills between sessions get better faster and stay better longer. Part of the next session will be spent checking in on what you noticed when practicing the skills.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a compassionate, supportive, validating therapy that can help you change the behaviors that create problems for you and assist you in developing new skills so you can get more of what you want and need out of life. It is effective for individuals who experience difficulties with intense emotions and/or impulsive behaviors.
DBT includes weekly individual psychotherapy, skills-training group (or individual), brief phone coaching calls between sessions and your therapist meeting weekly with other DBT therapists.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a mindfulness-based therapy that helps you to develop skills that help you to live more fully in the present, create a meaningful life while handling painful feelings and memories more effectively.
Sadness, Grief or Depression
Anxiety or Worry
Social Anxiety
Panic Attacks
Thoughts of Suicide
Self-Harm
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
Coping with Chronic Pain
Desire or Need to Lose Weight
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
Family Member of Person with BPD
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Trichotillomania (hair-pulling) or Skin Picking