

Therapeutic Techniques

Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT techniques include experiential exercises to address and dilute the impact of unhelpful thoughts, emotions and behavioural responses. The techniques aim to change the relationship we have with our experiences to create a life based on our values and priorities. Clients develop mindfulness skills – the ability to be in the present moment - which is known to reduce stress and anxiety in addition to aiding in behaviour regulation
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT techniques help clients to recognise their way of thinking and the impact it has on behaviour and emotional experiences. Using rationalisation and analysis, motivating behaviour change, exploration of belief systems and teaching a model for future problem solving, more adaptive and functional coping techniques emerge.
Creative / Play Therapy
Play is a natural medium for children. Through play children have the opportunity to learn and refine skills which allow them to act out fears, wishes and feelings. This can be especially helpful in young children when language is still developing. Creative arts are also supportive to adolescents and young adults who experienced trauma or significant stress during their formative years. Creative therapies have been associated with a decrease in anxiety and an improvement in self perception.
Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapeutic technique that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. Repeated studies show that by using EMDR people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma. When you cut your hand, your body works to close the wound. If a foreign object or repeated injury irritates the wound, it festers and causes pain. Once the impacting object is removed, healing resumes. EMDR therapy demonstrates that a similar sequence of events occurs with mental processes. The brain's information processing system naturally moves toward mental health. If the system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of a disturbing event, the emotional wound festers and can cause intense suffering. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. Using the detailed protocols and procedures learned in EMDR training sessions, clinicians help clients activate their natural healing processes (EMDR Institute Website, 2016). See the EMDR Institute website for further information about this technique here.
Family Systems Therapy
Family systems techniques are based on a philosophy that searches for the causes of behaviour by looking at the family (not just at the individual). How one behaves is often related to other people or dynamics in their world. As such, by looking at relationships and interactions with parents, siblings and significant others , it can be helpful in supporting a long-lasting change within the individual and family environment.
Mindfulness Therapy
Mindfulness therapy assists iindividuals in becoming aware of their thoughts bodily sensations and emotions and in doing so become better able to manage life issues in a non-judgemental present-centred way.
Parenting Therapies (Attachment & Behavioural)
Our clinicians have been trained in a range of parenting therapies and have facilitated many individual and group parenting sessions. Parenting support provides parents and caregivers with tools and strategies to manage their children’s feelings and behaviours, while promoting positive attachment and enriched development.
Process Experiential Emotion Focused Therapy (PEEFT)
With adolescents and adults often PEEFT strategies are extremely useful. PEEFT accesses one’s emotional, physical and cognitive processes underlying their symptom presentation. Experiential techniques allow for a shift in these persistent maladaptive experiences, subequently releasing ones’ symptom presentation.