Megha’s Theoretical Orientation

Mental health professionals are introduced to a variety of theories in their training to understand how a person’s problem develops and how it can be solved. Essentially, therapist’s theoretical orientation is the lens through which they look at concerns brought in by the client. A theoretical orientation is something each therapist picks up in their training and develops over the course of her practice, which then becomes her guiding principle.

There are various kinds of theoretical orientations out there like Family Systems, Gestalt, Psychodynamic, person-centered, and integrative approaches, among many others. Since I was trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), I use this as my primary theoretical orientation. However, over a period of time, I realized that CBT came with its set of limitations, especially when I was trying to look at mental health through the lens of neurodiversity and gender.

That is when I decided to incorporate Feminist theories into my practice. The feminist approach helped me understand mental health at the intersection of sex, gender, sexuality, religion, caste, race and ethnicity, and how the mental health issues were developed, maintained, and amplified due to the discrimination of those who faced systemic oppression.

I also use elements from other theories like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), and Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), thus, using an Integrative approach in my practice.