Practice

In no particular order of preference, I use these therapies in my own practice:    

  • Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Committment Therapy (ACT), sometimes with elements of Schema Therapy and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) included or substituted: these approaches take the view that whilst emotions are a target of all therapies, in reality emotions can be influenced only indirectly, via thinking (e.g. cognitive reflection) and/or behaviour
  • Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: because of its focus on transference, resistance, defences, and unconscious motivations, many psychodynamicists hold that this is the only approach that includes within it’s goals, assisting a patient towards cognitive, emotional and behavioural ‘honesty’.
  • Multimodal (Integrative) Therapy, with its ‘whole-of-person-in-situ’ (BASIC-ID) intergrative approach, and
  • Person-centered Counselling, based on the view that Rogers’ 3 core-conditions are necessary and sufficient for change. Whilst I agree that this view often holds true with the less complex problems and disorders,  the more complex require  additional strategies — as demonstrated by research showing improved outcomes for Axis 1 depression when Emotionally Focussed Therapy principles and techniques are adopted by Person-centered Therapists.

In line with some agency’s expectations, I have made the adaptation to providing stepped support, by also offering less “character-focussed’ , more ‘theme’ or symptom targeting therapies, e.g.:

  • Core Conflictual Relationship Theme – method (CCRT-m)
  • Solution-focussed Brief Therapy (SFBT), and
  • Motivational Interviewing (MI) Brief Counselling

Another compelling reason for considering brief-intervention is that Brief-therapy often fits with, and also seems often to fully meet clients’ life-style driven requirements of therapy (e.g. that it be targetted, brief, affordable). At another level, such as with problem gambling or problem drug use, a brief ‘strengths-model like MI can be effective in moving a patient from pre-contemplation to contemplation to engagement –whereupon deeper issues might be approached.

About “relationship” in supervision:

Just as for working with clients or patients, I believe a collaborative relationship is essential to effective supervision.