Integrative Therapy Offers a Wealth of Tools
Different Psychotherapeutic Approaches Explained
Here is a brief summary of the different psychotherapeutic approaches which I have been trained in. If you are interested in delving a bit deeper and I suggest you do, I have suggested some books. There are of course many, many more books written on each of these and other related theories.
Person Centered
This form of psychotherapy is grounded in the idea that people are inherently motivated toward achieving positive psychological functioning. The client is believed to be the expert in their life and leads the general direction of therapy, while the therapist takes a non-directive rather than a mechanistic approach. Being person-centred is about focusing care on the needs of individual. Ensuring that people's preferences, needs and values guide clinical decisions, and providing care that is respectful of and responsive to them.
Gestalt Therapy
This is a form of psychotherapy that emphasizes personal responsibility and focuses on the individual's experience in the present moment, the therapist–client relationship, the environmental and social contexts of a person's life, and the self-regulating adjustments people make as a result of their overall situation. Taking into consideration the whole system, i.e. thoughts, emotions, bodily functions, it helps clients focus on the present self to understand what is actually happening with them, in their lives at this moment, and how past situations are affecting them in the present.
Working with Parts & Internal Family Systems
This is a modality that recognizes the multi-minded nature of human beings. Each of us has multiple parts, kind of like sub-personalities, this does not mean that you have different selves, rather that you are human. As we develop, our parts develop and form a complex system of interactions among themselves. There are parts of all of us which have developed defensive, protective behaviour, due to traumatic events and incongruent conditioning by caregivers during childhood. This behaviour, unbeknown to them is having an adverse affect on our present lives. Getting to know our parts, treating them with compassion and helping them heal, helps us to become more integrated and at peace with ourselves and therefore manage our lives and our stress better.
Somatic, Connecting Mind & Body
Somatic mind-body therapy is a body-centered approach that uses psychotherapy and physical techniques to connect the mind and body for healing.I
t works on the principle that trauma and stress are not just mental, but are also stored in the body, and can be released through physical awareness, movement, and breathwork. The goal is to process difficult emotions and trauma by paying attention to physical sensations, and to help regulate the nervous system and reduce tension.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of talking therapy that helps people manage problems by changing how they think and behave. It is a structured, goal-oriented approach that teaches individuals to identify and challenge negative or unhelpful thought patterns and to develop new, healthier coping strategies. CBT is widely used for conditions like depression and anxiety but can also help with other physical and mental health problems, such as chronic pain or insomnia.
Transactional Analysis
Transactional Analysis (TA) therapy is a type of psychotherapy that analyzes social interactions to understand personality and improve communication. Developed by Eric Berne, it operates on the principle that everyone has three "ego states"—Parent, Adult, and Child—and aims to help individuals recognize which state they are in during a transaction to foster healthier communication and growth. The ultimate goal is for clients to achieve autonomy by gaining awareness, spontaneity, and intimacy.
Psychodynamic
Psychodynamic approach focuses on unconscious processes as they are manifested in the client's present behavior. The goals of psychodynamic therapy are client self-awareness and understanding of the influence of the past on present behavior. It enables the client to examine unresolved conflicts and symptoms that arise from past dysfunctional relationships.