Different Therapy Approaches
If you are reading this that means you are beginning to look for some support with what you are experiencing, which is wonderful. Finding what works for you can be a bit of a process - looking at what model of therapy (the approach the therapist takes), who suits you and in what setting (a service or private or group). This is a brief breakdown of the different types of therapy, it is just a snapshot, there are lots of other ways to approach therapy so please see this as a jumping off place to do some looking, googling, try things out. But most importantly - don’t give up, because you deserve support.
Below is a brief overview of the different approaches a trained mental health professional can take, they also may work integratively, with a combination of the below that best suit what you are experiencing:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT looks at the link between how our thoughts (cognitive) impact how we feel and what we do (behavioural). It is goal focused, with homework between sessions that will help enact change outside of the therapy room. These often focus on challenging thoughts, changing behaviour responses or facing fears. CBT focuses on specific difficulties, such as anxiety (general, health, social), phobias/fears, OCD, issues in relationships, depression, emotional regulation and trauma.
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
CFT takes an evolutionary perspective to mental health by exploring how our minds have evolved, and how our modern day environment is very different from the environment they evolved in, which can lead to conflict in how we react vs what we need. It focuses on the relationship we have with ourself; particularly if we experience shame and self-criticism, and how we can bring self-compassion into our life. It builds our ability to use our bodies to support our minds, and develop the courage and wisdom to turn towards our suffering to be able to step through it and flourish. The compassionate mind tries to live to be helpful not harmful. It can be used for lots of different experiences, including anxiety, low mood, self-esteem and particularly trauma.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT focuses on realigning ourselves with our values so we can live a life that is meaningful to us. It does this through exploring our values, practicing acceptance of unwanted or difficult thoughts/feelings/sensations, giving distance to these so we can let them be present without pulling us away the things in life that are important to us, and to connect to our present moment (using techniques like mindfulness). It can be helpful for anxiety, low mood, addiction, adjustment, or when facing challenges that are beyond our control.
Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT)
CAT is relationship focused, it thinks about what the difficulties are in our life, the events and relationships that underlie these experiences (often from childhood or earlier in life) and how we learned to survive sometimes intense and unmanageable feelings by relating to others and ourself in particular ways. It is time limited, brief (max 16 sessions) and will move to focusing on different ways to respond in our relationships and life that suit us better.
Existential therapists
Consider the bigger questions in life and how we have learnt to cope with them. For example, our anxiety’s around death, the meaning of life and loneliness.
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
The psychodynamic approach will work with what you bring, by focusing on the relationship between your therapist and yourself, and how your past may be influencing that. It thinks about our attachment style, our defences, looking at our unconscious and building self-awareness. It is less structured, longer-term work that can help you figure out more about yourself and the way you relate to people.
Systemic/Narrative Therapy
This type of therapy thinks about the narratives/stories that we hold about ourselves or have been told from others, who we are to different people, the different roles in our life. It listens out for any narratives that may be taking over and causing us harm, and will help explore and build up a preferred/alternative narrative about who we are that may have been pushed to the background because of the things we have experienced or the pressures in our environment. Systemic therapists consider that the problems we are experiencing were created between the different systems that we exist in.