Therapeutic Approaches
Treatment follows on from the assessments made and a therapy plan will be discussed with you. A range of approaches are used to undertake therapy with clients, some of which are listed below.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
The core philosophy of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is that thoughts, feelings and behaviours combine to influence a person’s quality of life. CBT aims to firstly assist people to recognise the beliefs and thought processes they have and perhaps how they were developed, especially those which reduce their happiness and enjoyment of life. It is an active style of therapy that assists individuals to deal with symptoms and distress including depression, anxiety, panic and post-traumatic stress. There is an extensive body of psychological and psychiatric research that demonstrates the benefits of CBT. Intervention includes a range of different strategies; for example, assisting clients develop communication, problem-solving and relaxation skills, encouragement to engage in rewarding activities, and assistance to think realistically, rather than pessimistically, about themselves and their situation. CBT helps individuals to identify and challenge their unhelpful thoughts which maintain distressing symptoms. The goal of CBT is for individuals to overcome their difficulties and manage their lives independently.
Interpersonal Therapy
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), as the name suggests, addresses the interpersonal nature of many psychological difficulties. Also supported by extensive research, IPT identifies areas of interpersonal difficulty and works with the individual to resolve these problems. Usually, IPT focuses on an issue such as unresolved grief, role transitions (e.g., to parenthood, retirement), role conflicts and social isolation. IPT assists individuals and families to deal with interpersonal difficulties and achieve more effective communication and social well-being.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) aims to increase psychological flexibility when dealing with feared thoughts or feelings. This type of therapy teaches clients to identify the costs of avoiding psychologically painful memories and physical sensations. ACT takes the view that trying to fix or control disturbing thoughts or problems, often creates more emotional turmoil. ACT is about teaching clients how to be aware of and accept unwelcome thoughts and sensations in a non-judgemental way (mindfulness). ACT supports clients as they learn to defuse emotionally disturbing material, clarify what they value in life, reduce psychological rigidity and commit to developing patterns of behaviour which will take them toward their goals.
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) is a form of psychotherapy effective for treating a wide variety of complex mental health problems. It is especially helpful for individuals who have difficulty managing and regulating emotions. Therapists practicing DBT aim to strike a balance between validation and change by clearly communicating acceptance of who the client is and the challenges the client faces, while at the same time helping the client to learn new skills to improve emotion regulation. Skills learned in DBT assist a person to learn and practise more ‘adaptive’ behaviours (effective ways to manage emotions and how to respond and interact).
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
