ACT is a therapeutic approach designed to enhance psychological flexibility—the capacity to stay present and engaged with life, even in the face of difficult thoughts and emotions. It encourages openness, adaptability, and purposeful action, helping individuals respond more effectively to life’s challenges.

ACT emerged as a complement to traditional cognitive-behavioural methods. In modern practice, it is common to see ACT and CBT principles integrated, allowing therapists to tailor their approach by drawing on the strengths of both models.

What to Expect as a Consumer

Engaging in ACT involves an experiential and values-oriented process. You’ll be guided in learning to accept thoughts and feelings without judgment, while also exploring what truly matters to you in life. Therapy may include clarifying your values, setting meaningful goals, and developing skills for handling internal struggles more effectively.

In some cases, your experience may include a blend of techniques from both ACT and CBT. This integrated approach combines the practical tools of CBT with the acceptance and mindfulness strategies of ACT, offering a well-rounded path toward emotional resilience and purposeful living.

CBT is a therapeutic approach based on the understanding that thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are deeply interconnected. The goal of CBT is to identify and change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours, contributing to improved mental and emotional well-being.

What to Expect as a Consumer

During CBT, you can expect a collaborative and goal-focused process. Sessions often involve exploring and challenging unhelpful thoughts, learning practical coping techniques, and making gradual behavioural changes. You may be encouraged to practice skills between sessions to support progress. The approach is designed to help you better understand and manage your thoughts and emotions, building resilience and enhancing everyday functioning.

CPT is a structured therapeutic approach rooted in cognitive-behavioural principles, designed to support individuals in processing and recovering from traumatic experiences. It focuses on identifying and reshaping unhelpful beliefs and interpretations related to trauma.

What to Expect as a Consumer

During CPT, you can expect a structured and time-limited approach. The process typically involves exploring the ways trauma has affected your beliefs about yourself, others, and the world. You’ll engage in exercises such as writing about the impact of the trauma, identifying stuck points in your thinking, and working toward more balanced and constructive perspectives.

The therapy is designed to help reduce avoidance, clarify emotional responses, and develop more effective coping strategies. Through this work, CPT aims to support healing and foster a deeper sense of resilience and growth.

DBT is a structured therapeutic approach originally developed to support individuals with intense emotional experiences. Over time, it has been adapted to address a range of challenges, including disordered eating behaviours, mood difficulties, and challenges with emotion regulation.

What to Expect as a Consumer

DBT focuses on achieving a balance between self-acceptance and meaningful change. As a client, you will learn and practice skills in four key areas:

• Mindfulness: Staying grounded in the present moment.
• Distress Tolerance: Navigating difficult situations without making impulsive decisions.
• Emotion Regulation: Understanding and managing emotional responses more effectively.
• Interpersonal Effectiveness: Building and maintaining healthier relationships.

This therapy helps you develop greater awareness, cope with crises constructively, manage emotions, and strengthen your communication and relationship skills.

CBT-E is a targeted and specialised form of cognitive behavioural therapy designed to address the unique challenges associated with disordered eating. It takes into account the cognitive, emotional, and behavioural factors that contribute to and maintain eating-related concerns.

What to Expect as a Consumer

In CBT-E, you can expect a structured, collaborative therapeutic process. The focus is on identifying and challenging unhelpful thoughts and behaviours related to eating, body image, and self-worth. You will also work on developing healthier coping strategies and addressing emotional triggers. Regular progress reviews and clearly defined goals help ensure that the therapy remains tailored to your individual needs, supporting long-term and sustainable change.

EMDR is a structured therapeutic approach that focuses on helping individuals process and resolve distressing memories. Originally developed to address the effects of trauma, EMDR has grown to be used for a range of emotional and psychological challenges.

What to Expect as a Consumer

During EMDR, you’ll be guided through a process that includes the use of bilateral stimulation—often through guided eye movements—while recalling distressing experiences. This approach helps the brain reprocess these memories in a way that reduces their emotional impact. Over time, you may notice a shift in how you relate to these memories, along with the development of more balanced thoughts and emotional responses.

ERP is a form of cognitive behavioural therapy specifically designed to help individuals experiencing obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours. It is based on the principle that gradually facing feared thoughts or situations, while resisting the urge to perform rituals, can reduce anxiety and interrupt the cycle of obsessions and compulsions.

What to Expect as a Consumer

ERP involves a structured, step-by-step process. You’ll begin by identifying situations, thoughts, or images that trigger anxiety. Together with your therapist, you'll create a hierarchy of these triggers, starting with those that are less distressing and moving toward more challenging ones.

The core of ERP involves gradually exposing yourself to these feared triggers without performing the usual rituals or avoidance behaviours. Over time, this process helps reduce the distress associated with obsessive thoughts and weakens the urge to engage in compulsions.

Though the process may be anxiety-provoking at first, consistent practice and therapeutic support help you build confidence, reduce symptoms, and develop a healthier relationship with your thoughts and fears.

Family-Based Therapy (FBT), often referred to as the Maudsley Approach, is a structured, family-focused intervention designed to support recovery from anorexia nervosa, especially in younger individuals. It recognises the important role that families play in the treatment process.

What to Expect as a Consumer

FBT involves the participation of the entire family and begins with a collaborative assessment and education about the nature of anorexia. The therapy is structured around three phases:

• Phase 1: The family takes an active role in supporting the individual’s eating and weight restoration, with regular meetings to review progress and set goals.
• Phase 2: Responsibility for eating is gradually returned to the individual, with continued family support and encouragement.
• Phase 3: Focus shifts toward helping the individual regain independence and build confidence in managing their daily life and eating habits.

Throughout the process, FBT emphasises open communication, problem-solving, and adapting to each family’s unique dynamics to support long-term recovery.

MANTRA is a specialised therapeutic approach designed to support adults dealing with anorexia nervosa. It draws on a blend of psychological frameworks to address the complex nature of the condition, including individual thought patterns, emotional processes, and interpersonal dynamics.

What to Expect as a Consumer

MANTRA offers a collaborative and reflective therapeutic experience. You’ll explore the underlying meaning and role of the eating disorder in your life, examine deeply held beliefs about yourself and others, and work on resolving interpersonal challenges. The process combines cognitive restructuring with behavioural and emotional support strategies.

A notable feature of MANTRA is the involvement of important people in your life—such as family members or close supporters—who may be included in the therapy. This involvement aims to strengthen your support system and enhance understanding, creating a more supportive environment for recovery.

Prolonged Exposure is a structured, evidence-based approach developed to support individuals experiencing trauma-related symptoms. It is grounded in the principle that gradually confronting distressing memories and avoided situations can lead to meaningful emotional processing and symptom reduction.

What to Expect as a Consumer

During PE, you can expect a clear and focused therapeutic journey. The process typically involves two main techniques:

• Imaginal Exposure: Revisiting and verbally recounting traumatic memories in a safe, guided environment to help reduce the emotional intensity connected to them.
• In Vivo Exposure: Gradually facing real-life situations or places that have been avoided due to trauma-related fears.

You will work closely with your therapist to identify and approach feared situations through a structured plan. The goal is to reduce avoidance, enhance emotional resilience, and support healing from the impact of trauma. While the process may feel challenging, the supportive and methodical nature of PE helps foster progress and recovery over time.

Strengths-based therapy focuses on identifying and amplifying an individual’s strengths, skills, and resilience, aiming to build upon existing resources rather than solely focusing on addressing weaknesses or problems.

What to Expect as a Consumer

In strength-based therapy, you can expect a collaborative and uplifting process that centres on your unique strengths, abilities, and resources. Through this approach, you will engage in assessments, goal-setting, and the exploration of positive experiences that highlight your capabilities. The therapy will emphasize building resilience, enhancing personal growth, and using positive psychology exercises to empower you to achieve your goals.

Schema Therapy, developed by Dr. Jeffrey E. Young, integrates cognitive-behavioural techniques with psychodynamic principles to address deeply ingrained patterns of thinking and behaviour. The focus is on identifying and modifying maladaptive schemas—persistent mental frameworks that stem from unmet emotional needs in early life.

What to Expect as a Consumer

In therapy incorporating Schema Therapy principles, you can expect a thorough exploration of your early life experiences and how these have shaped your current thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. You will work closely with your psychologist to identify maladaptive schemas and the coping strategies that have developed as a result. This process often requires more time than traditional therapies, allowing for a deeper exploration and restructuring of long-held patterns. The goal is to help you adopt healthier, more adaptive ways of thinking and behaving, leading to lasting change.