A struggle common to most mental health issues is trouble with relationships and connection. Anxiety, depression, anger, and self-criticism can isolate us and impair our ability to stay connected to the people we care about. Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) is a relational approach to psychotherapy in which client and therapist identify and address unhelpful interpersonal behaviors.
FAP is designed to teach people how to be more effective where it matters most – in their most valued relationships. Therapy starts with questions like: How do you define your best self? What do you want more of in your relationships with others? Do you know what’s getting in the way?
When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision,
then it becomes less important whether I am afraid.
— Audre Lorde
Therapist and client work collaboratively to design goals for therapy and how to get there. Because our problematic behaviors have a tendency to show up naturally in the therapy relationship, FAP therapists create authentic, emotional, and mutually vulnerable relationships in which to cultivate more effective behaviors.