Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychodynamic Therapy looks at issues in depth and is usually over a long period. It works on the premise that things that happened in the past have a bearing on the way we think and behave in the present. The aim is to uncover unconscious thoughts and actions that are having a negative effect on a person’s life and to explore them in order to gain a deeper understanding of them and to gradually free the repetitive patterns from re-occurring.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, more commonly called CBT, is based on the concept of how we use our thoughts and behaviours. It is a way of managing symptoms and finding a different way of dealing with a problem to find a solution. By thinking more positively, the behaviour can be experienced differently. CBT challenges a person to change patterns of negative thoughts into inspirational, realistic and pragmatic thoughts and to be more open to being aware of the impact negative thinking can have. In this way a person is able to adjust the maladaptive beliefs into alternative ways of thinking that is a more comfortable place for them to be in.
Gestalt
Gestalt is a model of therapy which is very much geared to the here-and-now. It is centred on dealing with matters in the present tense and the changes and adjustments a person can make in living an event in the present. When we were young we developed defences which served us well at the time but as we get older we need to adjust those defences. The advantage with Gestalt therapy is that we can work with things, which happened in our past, in the present, here-and-now moment which can be very powerful. Gestalt invites us to think about whatever is bothering us in the present tense, to say it out loud and acknowledge it. Naming it makes it real and so we can deal with it because it is out there.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is living in the present moment and being aware of what is happening around us. It is a way of pampering ourselves and helping us stay calm in the midst of the chaos which can sometimes be our daily lives. When we practice mindfulness we become aware of taste, smell and the beauty around us. It is a very powerful means of finding the inner peace which can be a stabilising factor in the relationships we have with ourselves and others.
In essence, Counselling / Psychotherapy is about exploring how best to deal with what is happening in our lives. It helps us to reflect on the way we think and behave and discover a better understanding of ourselves. This in turn can help us to live a more fulfilling, full, fun-filled life.
