Types of therapy I work with
I work mainly using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which would act as the main framework for our work together.
Because sessions are collaborative and shaped around you, we may also draw on ideas from other approaches, such as Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), where these feel helpful. This is always done with person-centred values in mind, keeping your experience and voice at the centre of the work.
Here's a quick guide to these different models of therapy to give a taste of what I can offer.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) ACT is a therapy that focuses on helping you live a life that feels meaningful to you, even when difficult thoughts or feelings show up. Rather than trying to get rid of uncomfortable thoughts or emotions, ACT helps you learn new ways of relating to them, so they have less power over your life. It’s about working with real, lived experience rather than only talking, trying things out together, and learning by noticing what actually happens for you. ACT operates from a place of non-judgment and recognises that the challenges you face aren't your fault, and at the same time there might be things you can commit to approaching differently.
Here's a video from Dr Russ Harris that really sums up the approach nicely!
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) CFT believes that we aren't responsible for the minds we're born with or the environment we're born into, and at the same time, with wisdom, strength and care, we might be able to employ tools that support our psychological and emotional wellbeing. CFT believes that our emotions are regulate by three different systems - threat, drive and soothe. If you're coming to therapy it's likely your soothe system is in need of some support and growth. We can do that through breathwork, guided visualisation and looking at the different flows of compassion we can experience.
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) Skills DBT is a type of behavioural therapy with a very specific set of protocols. Although I'm not a DBT therapist, I am able to offer interventions from DBT skills. These skills looks at mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotional regulation and distress tolerance, and focus on helping you find the middle ground between acceptance and change. These skills can be particularly helpful when emotions feel overwhelming or relationships are difficult to navigate.
Mindfulness A common thread running through ACT, CFT and DBT is mindfulness. An often misunderstood concept, mindfulness is about non-judgementally engaging with the present - simple but not easy. Together, we can look at how you could use formal and informal practices in a way that feels authentic to you.
Person-centred Therapy (PCT) When it was first developed, PCT was revolutionary in the way it sought to shift power imbalances in the counselling room. PCT believes in client's innate capacity for change and growth and the therapist's duty to provide empathy, non-judgment and authenticity. In it's 'purest' form PCT is non-directive and entirely client led. In my work, although I don't entirely align with this traditional PCT approach, I do keep a core of empathy, non-judgment, authenticity and collaboration.