Approaches

Person-centered therapy is one of the humanistic approaches and focuses on the person and their potential for growth. It is fundamentally supportive and non-judgmental.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy explores how past childhood experiences influence our present functioning, including deep emotional conflicts, unconscious processes and defense mechanisms.

Systemic therapy looks at the relationships between people and groups, and considers how external factors might influence both. Exploring stories and patterns is key to the systemic approach, as is considering how such stories and patterns can change.

EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing) and attachment focused EMDR are approaches that engage the mind-body connection to help us process stuckness. It is often used for overcoming traumatic events, whether recent or in the past, however it has the ability to help with almost any area of difficulty.

Have you ever found yourself going somewhere and arriving but not knowing exactly how you got from A to B? This is an excellent example of mindlessness - engaging with the world on autopilot. Mindfulness is the opposite - it is about engaging with ourselves, others and the world with awareness and attention. Mindfulness is often described as paying attention to the present moment without judgment. Being able to notice what is arising and to do so without judgment is a challenge for most of us but it is a vital skill that can help us in therapy and in life.

CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) is a therapy that is based on two approaches: behaviourism and cognitive therapy. Behaviourism focuses on our actions and how they are shaped by different factors. Cognitive therapy brings attention to our thoughts, what we are thinking, and how this influences how we feel. Together, in the form of CBT, these approaches help us understand how our thoughts and actions affect how we feel (emotionally and physically). Exploring this can be a helpful way to better understand our experience, while also being an opportunity to create change.

CFT (compassion focused therapy) is one of the third wave CBT approached. It is a CBT type of intervention because it explores how our thoughts, feelings and behaviours interact. However, unlike traditional CBT (known as second wave CBT) which focuses on the content or the what of our experience, third wave approaches focus on the way or the how of our experience. CFT focuses on how we think about ourselves and how we communicate with ourselves, which can often be overly critical or harsh.

ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) is another one of the third wave approaches. ACT looks at how we engage with our thoughts and especially our actions, integrating mindfulness to encourage behaviour change by focusing on accepting our thoughts and feelings and committing to change.

The third wave approach known as DBT (dialectical behavioural therapy) focuses on how we navigate our emotional landscapes, improving our ability to cope with distress, and manage emotions and relationships in a healthy way.

ERP (exposure and response prevention) is a second wave CBT approach, specific to managing symptoms of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). Many anxiety conditions, including OCD, are maintained by avoidance. ERP targets this avoidance and in doing so helps us overcome our fears.