Our Therapies

Schema Therapy (ST)

ST has proven to be effective in the treatment of personality disorders; reoccurring disorders like anxiety and depression that are resistant to, or relapse following, other forms of psychotherapy; substance use relapse; eating disorders; couples therapy; and criminal reoffending.

ST expands on CBT by integrating theory and techniques from existing therapies including CBT, psychoanalytic object relations, attachment theory, and gestalt therapy. A large component of ST is aimed at emotional change in addition to changes in thought patterns and behaviours which are the focus of CBT. ST can be brief, intermediate, or long-term.

The initial phase of therapy is the assessment phase in which unhelpful schemas (which include memories, emotions, thoughts, and bodily sensations related to ourselves and our relationships with other people) and modes (the way we cope with these schemas) are indentified and linked to where they originated from earlier in life due to our needs as children not being met by significant people in our lives (please see “The Client’s Guide to Schema Therapy” for more details). You will play an important role in identifying these with your clinical psychologist.

The objective is to bring about emotional, cognitive and behavioural change through weakening unhelpful schemas and modes and strengthening the healthy, rational part of us.

Schema therapy is a relatively new integrative therapeutic approach aimed at treating all kinds of mental health and emotional difficulties. It is shown to be effective for people who have not responded to other treatments. To see if schema therapy fits with you watch this short film. Visit our Schema Therapy Resources page.

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)

EMDR has been researched and used for the treatment of PTSD for over 20 years. It is recommend by the WHO for the treatment of PTSD in adults and children and adults. The Australian Psychological Society (APS) recently noted EMDR as a Level 1 treatment for PTSD; the highest rating that can be applied to a specific therapeutic approach.

EMDR can also treat Depression, General Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Phobias, Personality Disorders, Paranoid Schizophrenia Substance Abuse, Dissociative Disorders, Pain Disorders, Body Dysmorphic Disorders, Eating Disorders, Learning Disabilities, Complicated Grief, sexual or physical abuse, performance anxiety, stress, pathological jealousy, and disturbing memories that may have resulted from traumatic life events.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

CBT  is a therapy that has a large amount of evidence for the effective treatment of numerous difficulties including mood (e.g. bipolar and depression), anxiety (e.g. posttraumatic stress disorder, social anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, specific phobias, panic  disorder), personality,  psychotic (e.g. schizophrenia), eating (e.g. anorexia nervosa), and substance abuse disorders.

It focuses on three main areas: unhelpful thoughts and beliefs about ourselves, the world, and people around us (e.g. ‘I am worthless;’ ‘I can’t cope’); behaviours that make our circumstances worse in the long-term (like stopping activities we enjoy and avoiding situations); and uncomfortable bodily symptoms (like shaking and sweating when we are anxious). These three areas interact together to maintain and worsen our difficulties.  To counteract this, CBT challenges our unhelpful thoughts and beliefs by looking at the evidence that supports and disagrees with them and through ‘testing’ them in reality; it teaches us strategies that help manage uncomfortable body sensations and emotions; and teaches us to act in ways that will help, rather than reinforce, our difficulties.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Research has demonstrated ACT to be an effective therapy for the treatment of numerous difficulties including chronic pain, depression, substance abuse, anxiety, psychosis, self-harm, eating disorders, and weight management.

It is different from CBT in that, rather than changing unhelpful thought patterns and uncomfortable emotions and sensations, it focuses on becoming aware of them, accepting them, and making rational decisions to take action in line with what we value as a person. The belief is that suffering comes from avoiding emotions, giving unhelpful thoughts too much power, and therefore acting in ways that are driven by this which results in us living a life that is less and less meaningful with regards to what is truly important to us. It incorporates mindfulness (observation, awareness and acceptance of what we are experiencing in the present moment), cognitive diffusion (distancing from unhelpful thoughts and painful memories, emotions, and sensations), clarifying your personal values (what is really important to us), and commitment to action (choosing to act in a way that is line with what is truly important and meaningful to us). This enables us to be less affected by uncomfortable experiences and therefore to live a fulfilling life.