Therapy Approaches
A look at the methods I draw from and what each one does in practice. Sessions don't follow a single script, but these are the frameworks that shape the work.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
CBT looks at the connection between how you think, how you feel, and what you do. When thoughts become distorted or unhelpful, they drive anxiety, low mood, and avoidance. The work involves identifying those patterns, testing them against reality, and gradually building different habits.
In sessions: thought records, behavioural activation, problem-solving, and practical tools to use between appointments.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
ACT works with difficult thoughts by changing your relationship to them, not trying to eliminate them. When avoidance or overthinking narrows your life, ACT helps you act in line with what actually matters to you rather than what anxiety dictates.
In sessions: values clarification, defusion from unhelpful thoughts, and building willingness to feel uncomfortable without avoiding.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
DBT teaches practical skills for managing intense emotions, tolerating distress without making things worse, and navigating relationships more effectively. It holds two ideas at once: accepting where you are right now, and working to change.
In sessions: emotion regulation skills, distress tolerance strategies, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness practice.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
MBCT combines mindfulness practice with cognitive therapy to interrupt patterns of anxious rumination and recurring low mood. The goal is to notice when your mind pulls you into difficult thought patterns and respond differently, rather than being carried along by them.
In sessions: mindfulness exercises, awareness of thinking patterns, and developing a different relationship with difficult mental states.
Motivational Interviewing
MI is a conversational approach for when part of you wants to change and part of you isn't sure yet. Rather than pushing, it works by exploring what you actually want and what's been getting in the way. The aim is clarity about your own motivations, not a list of instructions.
In sessions: open questions, exploring ambivalence, drawing out your own reasons for change without pressure or lectures.
Cognitive Processing Therapy
CPT is a structured approach developed specifically for trauma. It addresses the thoughts and beliefs that form around traumatic experiences, about safety, trust, yourself, and others, and helps shift those beliefs where they've become stuck or inaccurate.
In sessions: structured reflection, written assignments between sessions, and gradual examination of beliefs formed around the experience.
Not Sure Which Approach Is Right for You?
That's a normal place to start. Which approach is most useful depends on what you're dealing with. A free 15-minute consultation is available to talk it through.