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) is a type of therapy that aims to help patients 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 new skills to manage painful emotions and decrease conflict in relationships. DBT specifically focuses on providing therapeutic skills in four key areas. First, mindfulness focuses on improving an individual’s ability to accept and be present in the current moment. Second, distress tolerance is geared toward increasing a person’s tolerance of negative emotion, rather than trying to escape from it. Third, emotion regulation covers strategies to manage and change intense emotions that are causing problems in a person’s life. Fourth, interpersonal effectiveness consists of techniques that allow a person to communicate with others in a way that is assertive, maintains self-respect, and strengthens relationships.
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a type of psychotherapy that involves a combination of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), meditation, and mindfulness practices that include present moment awareness, meditation, and breathing exercises. Originally formulated to address depression, it teaches a client to be in the here and now as well as break away from negative thought patterns that can cause a decline into a mood-disordered state.
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 or 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 approach and empowers and motivates 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 goal-focused evidence-based therapeutic approach, which incorporates positive psychology principles and practices, and which helps clients change by constructing solutions rather than focusing on problems (Institute for Solution-Focused Therapy, 2024). This method takes the approach that you know what you need to do to improve your own life and, with the appropriate coaching and questioning, are capable of finding the best solutions.
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