Therapeutic models
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT relates to the concept that your thoughts, feelings and actions are linked. Negative thoughts and feelings can trap you in a negative cycle.
CBT aims to help you deal with overwhelming problems in a more positive way. You do this by breaking them down into smaller parts.
You're shown how to change these negative patterns to improve the way you feel.
CBT deals with your current problems, rather than focusing on issues from your past.
It looks for practical ways to improve your state of mind on a daily basis.
Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
CFT uses mind training to help people develop self-compassion.
A lack of self-compassion can cause and perpetuate mental health problems.
This is because our brains have 3 emotional systems:
- Drive (obtaining goods and competing for status)
- Threat (keeping us safe from harm)
- Sooth/compassion (giving and receiving love and rest).
CFT focuses on the links between thinking patterns and these 3 systems.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
The aim of ACT is to do more of what matters to us. Life can be fulfilling, even if we have difficulties.
Emotions can affect how we behave. Do you avoid things because of worries about what others might think?
It is easy to get caught up in unhelpful or self-critical thoughts. Things like 'I’m letting everybody down'.
ACT is a type of CBT (see above). It teaches us to get ‘unhooked’ from unhelpful thoughts.
ACT uses mindfulness skills and meditation. It has two main parts:
- Deciding what matters most to you
- Committing to goals to help you do more of what matters most
Within child health, there's a version of ACT called DNA-V therapy. DNA-V therapy is for young people.
D, N and A stand for discoverer, noticer and advisor. These are 3 classes of behaviour we can move between. These can help us do the things in life that we value (the V).
The work is often focused on improving ‘psychological flexibility’. This is so we can choose the behaviour that best fits the situation.
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR treats symptoms resulting from disturbing and traumatic life experiences. It is used in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Or for people who have experienced a ’one-off’ trauma that remains unresolved. This can leave them feeling overwhelmed. Their brain cannot process the information as a ‘normal’ memory.
If you recall an unresolved memory, you can re-experience what you saw, heard, felt, smelt or tasted. This can be intense. The memories can be so distressing that you avoid thinking about them. They may avoid things related to the memory. This is to avoid re-experiencing distressing feelings.
EMDR helps the brain reprocess memories of the traumatic event. This is so you can let go of them. The distress of the memory reduce. This releases the negative self-beliefs related to the trauma.
It does not require detailed description of the trauma event. You do not need to do work outside the treatment sessions.
Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT)
CAT is for people with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, phobias and relationship difficulties. It explores patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaviour that are unhelpful and causing difficulties.
The idea behind it is that our early life experiences affect our relationships.
Difficult relationship patterns can be overwhelming and can result in:
- Feeling let down, hurt or rejected
- Experiencing depression, anxiety or low self-esteem
- Avoiding things
- Struggling to be assertive
- Finding yourself in vulnerable positions.
CAT involves working with a therapist to clarify and understand:
- Any problems you may be experiencing
- Unhelpful patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
DBT is a type of talking therapy. Based on CBT (see above), it's adapted for people who feel emotions very strongly.
The aim is to help you understand and accept your difficult feelings. You will learn skills to manage them. This means you will be able to make positive changes in your life.
DBT is about accepting yourself while changing your behaviour. DBT involves gaining skills in distress tolerance and emotional regulation.
Psychoeducation
Psychoeducation is a therapy intervention. It involves giving you information about your diagnosis and symptoms. It teaches specific coping skills that you can use to manage your symptoms.
Psychoeducation allows you to work with your psychologist. You will develop an appropriate treatment plan. This will consider your symptoms, life experience and needs.
The overall goal is to ensure you know what you need to about the illness. This is to avoid relapse. It supports crisis management and suicide prevention.
Psychoeducation can be individual, group or community-based. Materials may be in the form of leaflets or videos.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness therapy is learning how to be more aware of thoughts, feelings and situations. It aims to reduce automatic responses.
It can treat various physical and mental health conditions. It can improve overall daily functioning and quality of life.
It is often used with other types of therapy. This includes CBT, DBT and ACT (see above).
Mindfulness therapy is not about relaxation. That might be a result of certain practices. The focus is increasing awareness of thoughts, feelings, and actions that hinder our progress.
When we are more aware, we can choose how to respond. Mindfulness therapy involves guided mediation and breathing techniques.