Treatments

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is based on mindfulness (being aware of the present moment). You are encouraged to accept negative thoughts and emotions and to think of them as passing through, and not defining you. It is used in different ways to treat stress, anxiety, personality disorders and schizophrenia.

Cognitive analytic therapy (CAT) is where you are asked to review your childhood and look at how you have learnt to cope with different situations. With your therapist, you work towards changing the way you view situations and how you respond to them.

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is based on the idea that our emotions are produced by our thoughts. It asks you to challenge unhelpful ‘head-talk’– the things we tell ourselves every day.

For example, you might think, ‘the presentation I’m doing tomorrow will be a disaster’. This causes you to feel anxious and depressed.

In CBT, your therapist asks you to provide the evidence for this thought, and the evidence against it. You are then asked to suggest a more balanced view of the situation by seeing both sides.

CBT is often used to treat depression and anxiety.

Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) focuses on controlling problem emotions (especially anger) and behaviours (such as cutting). It is often used to help people with personality disorders.

Family therapy involves family members talking to each other under the guidance of a therapist. It aims to get everyone in the family working together to get you well again.

Group therapy involves a group of people with the same types of issues talking under the guidance of a therapist. Group therapy gives you the opportunity to hear from others who are struggling with similar issues to you, to hear their perspectives and to gain an understanding of your own illness.

Interpersonal therapy is a brief treatment for depression. It asks you to think about and discuss your relationships with other people, and how they affect your mood and emotions.

Mentalisation-based therapy (MBT) is used to treat people with personality disorders. The focus is on helping you to understand the mental states of other people and yourself.

Mindfulness is where you are encouraged to focus on the present moment, rather than worrying about past or future events. Mindfulness is an activity you can do by yourself in a quiet moment, or you can be guided by a therapist or even a phone app. Mindfulness may be used to help with depression and anxiety.

Motivational interviewing is a way of encouraging you to make changes in your life, without being judgemental or telling you what to do. It is often used help people who are trying to cut down their drug, alcohol, smoking or gambling habits.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy can help you to see your behaviour patterns, defences, and inner struggles. The idea is that once your inner struggles are brought to light, your behaviour and feelings will improve. Any issues that arise in treatment with your therapist may reflect some of the issues in your life.

Psychoanalysis is a specialised, more intensive form of psychodynamic psychotherapy, which usually involves several sessions per week.

Supportive psychotherapy is a conversational-style therapy that aims to make you feel comfortable and less anxious, while helping you to come up with practical ways to cope with stressful situations.