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  1. Mental Health Guide

Types of therapy

There are many different types of therapy that are able to treat Mental Health conditions and there is a lot of information available on the internet. At NCS we are committed to #DebunkingMentalHealth so we have put together a library of some short explanations of some of the different types of therapy.

Our Counsellors are diversely trained and through the initial assessment meeting we will match you with a counsellor who has the appropriate training and experience so suit you and your needs. A prior understanding of types of therapy is not necessary but some may find it helpful.

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If you are looking for additional resources, we recommend: BACP, Mind and the Mental Health Foundation where you will find well researched information on their websites. 


Arts | Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) | Gestalt | Human Givens | Humanistic | Integrative | Person-centred | Process works | Psychodynamic | Transactional Analysis


Arts

In Art Therapy, the creative process, such as painting, drawing or modelling, is used to help you express difficult feelings and emotions that may be too upsetting to put into words. An Art Therapist is trained in psychological therapy will have experience using art to address deep psychological issues. Art Therapy can also be used as a form of mindfulness and stress relief, improving your mental health and wellbeing.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a therapeutic process that helps you change patterns of thought (cognitive) and action (behaviour). It works by teaching you practical solutions to current and immediate problems, rather than looking at the past for answers. How you feel will affect how you behave. If you have a negative opinion of a situation, you’ll likely have a negative response to it. By changing your thought patterns and by looking at things in a more positive way, you can influence those responses and behaviours. CBT is known to be very effective for anxiety, stress, phobia, obsession and depression and many others.

Gestalt

A Gestalt Therapist will look at the whole person, how they behave in their daily life and how they respond to it, instead of looking at the person and their environment separately. A therapist using the Gestalt method will encourage you to focus on the here and now, using your thoughts and feelings to discover and understand how you relate to others and different situations. It can help you change perspective and become positive about problematic areas of your life and can help you to make changes if needed. 

Human Givens

Therapists who use the Human Givens methodology believe that a person is born with a set of physical and emotional needs. A person is also born with a set ‘Human Givens’ to satisfy those needs. Human Givens are a set of tools we can use to ensure that our needs are met. If our needs are not met, either by ourselves or our environment, you may be open to mental & physical health issues. The framework provided by the Human Givens method helps the therapist and client identify problems. It uses a combination of education, direct practical and psychological help, where necessary, to establish support & balance. 

Humanistic

The Humanistic approach to therapy emphasizes self-development and achieving personal potential. A Humanistic Therapist will encourage the client to take responsibility for their thoughts and actions through exploring and thinking out their feelings. Several different methods of therapy sit within the Humanistic style, including Person-Centred Therapy, Transactional & Gestalt therapy.


Arts | Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) | Gestalt | Human Givens | Humanistic | Integrative | Person-centred | Process works | Psychodynamic | Transactional Analysis

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Integrative

An Integrative therapist will take a 360° view of their client, taking into consideration their physical, mental and emotional needs. By drawing on several different types of therapy, they will find a solution that is unique to you. They will establish a trusting and comfortable relationship with you and by helping you develop self-awareness they will work with you to understand your feelings and behaviours.

Person-centred

Person-centred Therapy is underpinned by the belief that every person can achieve growth and change if the right conditions are available. A person-centred therapist will help you to create these conditions by using different techniques that suit your specific needs.

By using a unique set of methods for you they will be able to direct and support you to find the solutions within you. Allowing and helping you to process your negative feelings and enabling you to move on to a life with acceptance. 

Process works

Process Works is a type of therapy that looks at how thoughts and thought patterns can be experienced physically, in our relationships or environment. You will be helped to develop self-awareness and to identify any emotion that has been pushed away and ignored because it is too traumatic or upsetting. Through investigating these thoughts and experiences you may find solutions and be able to move away from the negativity that affects your daily life. It can help a person deal with negative relationships more positively and the principles of Process Works can be useful when used in Leadership and conflict resolution situations. 

Psychodynamic

Psychodynamic Therapy promotes self-awareness and helps you gain an understanding of how your past can influence your current behaviour. Using your past experiences may help you understand your current behaviour patterns and discover how or why they have developed. Through a trusted therapist/client relationship, your therapist will encourage you to talk about your past and childhood, focussing on important relationships to help you to understand and accept how they influence you as a person, and your life, today. 

Transactional Analysis

Transactional Analysis Therapy uses a blend of Humanistic, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Psychodynamic therapy and looks at the client as three separate parts or states. They see the child, the adult and the parent and use these as a way of understanding how and why a person responds to others in the way they do. Your interpretation of the world around you, and your beliefs influence your behaviour and repetitive or problematic patterns can develop.

Transactional Analysis will help you unpick these beliefs and patterns and develop helpful change.


Arts | Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) | Gestalt | Human Givens | Humanistic | Integrative | Person-centred | Process works | Psychodynamic | Transactional Analysis


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Published: 14th December, 2020

Updated: 24th February, 2021

Author: George Norton

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