Counsellors are usually only trained in a single therapeutic model and are therefore limited to working with the same approach with each client. Psychotherapists and counselling psychologists are generally required to be graduates and have a longer, more intensive training. Whilst psychotherapists also usually train in a particular approach, counselling psychologists are required to train in at least three therapeutic approaches so that they can combine aspects from each in their practice.

Often referred to as 'talking therapy', psychological therapy involves focussed discussions between therapist and client, exploring the ways in which past experiences, current difficulties or concerns about the future might be affecting the client's life. You may be unsure what the problem is but feel that you need to talk to someone, or you may have a specific issue that you would like to address. I will listen to you and help you understand how you respond to life events and reflect upon the ways in which you see yourself and others. I will not tell you what to do or give you advice, but will guide you in understanding what might be happening in your life and support you so that you can make your own choices and begin the process of change.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

CBT works on the premise that changing the way that you think and behave will change the way that you feel. CBT aims to identify unhelpful or inaccurate beliefs and thoughts and help you challenge and modify them. It is a structured approach where specific focussed goals are agreed for each session and tasks or assignments are carried out between sessions to test new thoughts, beliefs and behaviours. Depending on the nature of the difficulty, CBT typically involves between 6 and 24 sessions of psychological therapy.

Third wave behavioural therapy

Third-wave behavioural therapy is an evolution of traditional cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) that emphasizes mindfulness, acceptance, and values over directly changing the content of thoughts. Instead of focusing on eliminating symptoms, these therapies focus on how a person relates to their internal experiences like thoughts and emotions, aiming to improve overall psychological flexibility and well-being. Common examples include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT).

Mindfulness

The mind is a great tool for problem-solving, but it's not great at settling down and being with what is happening right now. Most of the time the mind is wandering around in the past or the future rather than in the present, caught up in stories and narratives that don't necessarily have anything to do with reality. Mindfulness is the conscious intention and regular practice of gently focusing your awareness on the present moment over and over again, to teach the mind to be still. Most people think that you need to meditate to develop mindfulness skills, but this isn't necessarily the case. I can teach you many different ways to cultivate your mindfulness skills tailored to your personality and preferences.

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)

This approach teaches mindfulness skills to help individuals live and behave in ways consistent with their personal values, while developing psychological flexibility. ACT does not attempt to directly change or stop unwanted thoughts or feelings (as cognitive behavioural therapy does) but instead encourages people to develop a new and compassionate relationship with those experiences. This shift can free people from difficulties attempting to control their experiences and help them become more open to actions consistent with their personal values. Values clarification and the definition of values-based goals are also key components of ACT.

Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT)

This approach looks to help those who struggle with shame and self-criticism. Clients are taught how to cultivate the skills of self-compassion and other-oriented compassion, which are thought to help regulate mood and lead to feelings of safety, self-acceptance, and comfort.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

DBT expands on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) by adding an emphasis on acceptance, balancing change with self-acceptance through core skills like mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. DBT was originally developed to treat Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) but is now used for a wider range of issues, including depression, self-harm, and eating disorders.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (MB-CBT)

This is an integrative approach that combines the principles and techniques of traditional cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) with mindfulness practices. MB-CBT teaches cognitive-behavioural techniques that help you identify and challenge unhelpful thought patterns, alongside helping you develop mindfulness skills that allow you to observe these thought patterns and resulting feelings without getting caught up in them.

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR is a powerful psychological treatment method which uses eye movements to assist in the processing of emotional trauma. When an individual experiences a highly distressing or traumatic event, the strong emotions experienced can prevent the experience being processed as it normally would. As a consequence the individual may repeatedly experience the distressing event in the form of intrusive thoughs or flashbacks, and it can have a lasting negative effect on all aspects of their lives such as in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and some phobias. EMDR assists in the processing of the experience by appearing to mimic what the brain does naturally during REM sleep.