therapeutic interventions i draw on
Here is a brief description of the different therapeutic modalities I draw on in my counselling sessions:
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) aims to help clients accept what is out of their control and commit instead to actions that enrich their lives (Harris, 2013). There are “six core processes” of ACT: Acceptance (allowing unpleasant experiences to exist without trying to change them), Cognitive Defusion (techniques intended to change how an individual reacts to their thoughts and feelings), Being Present (being aware of the present moment, without judging the experience), Self as Context (an individual is not simply the sum of their experiences, thoughts, or emotions), Values (qualities we choose to work towards in any given moment) and Committed Action (that will assist in their long-term goals and live a life consistent with their values).
Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) provides clients with skills to manage painful emotions and decrease conflict in relationships. DBT specifically focuses on providing therapeutic skills in four key areas. Mindfulness: focusing on improving an individual’s ability to accept and be present in the current moment. Distress tolerance: geared toward increasing a person’s tolerance of negative emotions, rather than trying to escape from it. Emotion regulation: strategies to manage and change intense emotions that are causing problems in a person’s life. Interpersonal effectiveness: techniques that allow a person to communicate with others in a way that is assertive, maintains self-respect, and strengthens relationships. DBT involves a combination of talk therapy and structured skills based learning often done in groups.
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a type of psychotherapy that involves a combination of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), meditation, and mindfulness practices incorporating present moment awareness, meditation, and breathing exercises. Originally formulated to address depression, it teaches a client to be in the here and now. The aim is that clients learn to become more aware of their thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations so they can relate to them differently and break away from negative thought patterns.
Motivational interviewing is a collaborative, goal-orientated style of communication used in counselling to strengthen ones commitment and motivation to achieve a specific goal or change a behaviour. “It is designed to strengthen personal motivation for and commitment to a specific goal by eliciting and exploring the person’s own reasons for change within an atmosphere of acceptance and compassion” (Miller & Rollnick, 2013, p. 29). The goal is to empower clients to change by drawing out their own meaning and importance whilst also resolving ambivalent feelings and insecurities.
Person-centred therapy also known as ‘client-centred therapy’ is based on an understanding that every person is unique and, therefore, everyone’s view of his or her own world and their ability to manage it, should be trusted. It is non-directive and empathic in approach, empowering and motivating the client to discover their own solutions make appropriate changes in their lives. The therapists role is to offer support, guidance, and structure so that the client can discover solutions within themselves.
Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) is a short-term and goal-focused therapeutic approach, which incorporates positive psychology principles and practices. It helps clients change by building solutions rather than focusing on problems (Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, 2024). This method takes the approach that the client knows what they need to do to improve their own life and, with the appropriate coaching and questioning, are capable of finding the best solutions. It focuses on what is changeable in the present and future rather than on the past.
Somatic therapy is a form of body-centred therapy that looks at the connection of mind and body. It is grounded in the belief that not only are thought, emotion and bodily experience inextricably linked (creating a bodymind), but also that change can be brought about in one domain of experience by mindfully accessing another (Somatic Psychotherapy Australia, 2016). Somatic therapy helps us to develop self-awarenss and interoception, or the ability to notice how something feels in our body. A variety of body-based techniques are drawn on to regulate the nervous system and in turn affect the mind, moving towards healing and growth.
Strength-based therapy focuses on your internal strengths and resourcefulness, rather than on your weaknesses, failures, and shortcomings. It aims to improve a person's mindset and instill a positive worldview, helping them to see themselves as resourceful and resilient when experiencing adverse conditions. Treatment is individualised, with solutions coming from clients themselves, guided by a therapist’s expertise.
Trauma-informed care or Trauma-informed practice is steeped in an understanding of the impacts of trauma and effective ways of working with someone who has experienced trauma. The key principles of trauma-informed practice include safety, trust, choice, collaboration and empowerment. It is anti-oppressive by addressing injustices, culturally sensitive and respectful of diversity.