What we can offer as integrative counsellors
As integrative counsellors we have training and experience in a wide variety of counselling approaches. Below are just some examples of these to give you and idea of possibilities. During your therapy sessions, we use our extensive knowledge and skill set to mix and match these approaches as most beneficial to your journey of growth and healing.
Humanistic/person-centred counselling
Humanistic (or person/client-centred) counselling is at the basis of everything we do. It is a holistic approach of working with you in the here and now, which allows you to bring whatever you need to your sessions. As your counsellors we will respect your free will and accept you as you are.
The humanistic approach believes all people are naturally good and striving to fulfil their potential. It is a therapeutic intervention allowing you to become more self-aware through a journey of self-discovery, where your counsellor walks alongside you to facilitate your growth. The power for change lies within you.
Nature/Eco therapy (including Walk & Talk)
Eco therapies work with the connection we as humans have to the earth and our ecosystems. Accessing calm and balance from our natural environments can be beneficial in reducing many common mental health conditions.
There are many different forms of nature therapies, such as green exercise to facilitate social changes, horticultural interventions helping with the effects of stress, burnout and substance misuse, and many more.
One of our specialities is Walk and Talk therapy, during which we will go for a walk out in nature with you during your session if you prefer this to being sat face-to-face in a counselling room (subject to weather conditions and health & safety).
Family genograms
These are similar to family trees, but with a focus on the relationship qualities within a family. Genograms can help examine underlying patterns within families, which are sometimes repeated over many generations. Figuring out the strengths and weaknesses of your family can help identify many of your own strengths and weaknesses, as well as looking at any scripts, schemas or core beliefs stemming from your own family system.
When working with a genogram, we can ensure your family roots are included when considering any influences on your current mental and emotional health and wellbeing.
Art/Creative therapies
Art and creative therapies come in many different forms, such as visual arts (painting etc.), movement, drama therapy, music, play therapy and more. These therapies aim to tap into the subconscious and innate creativity within human nature. Using creative approaches can help to process and express feelings, emotions and the inner world when talking may be hard for a client. Through connecting on a different level clients may be able to see things from a different perspective and uncover new ways of dealing with difficulties.
Art and creative therapies are thought to be beneficial for trauma work, within bereavement counselling and most common mental health conditions.
Inner Child work
Many clients come to therapy due to unprocessed or unresolved childhood trauma, not just the big ones, but even the littlest things, which may have caused some negative core beliefs to be carried into later life. When this happens, therapeutic change is brought on by working with the past and present versions of yourself helping you to unmask.
Congruence, compassion and empathy to re-parent and heal your inner child are at the core of giving yourself the love, respect and affection your younger you would have needed in the past. In doing so, negative core beliefs are challenged and re-written into more healthy, balanced beliefs to enable you to move forward in life.
Sandtray therapy
Not just for children!
When working in the sandtray we will encourage you to create scenes in the sand following specific themes and lines of therapeutic enquiry. For many people it can be very hard to express their feelings and inner world in words. Using a sandtray can help to bring out the unspoken, increase emotional expression and self-awareness by working with inner conflict. This is a therapeutic approach used for individual, group and family therapy (though we currently only offer individual sessions).
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
This is the therapy most commonly used within the NHS for mental health concerns, such as depression, anxiety, BPD, negative thinking and more. It is an evidence-based therapeutic approach looking at the connections between thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and behaviours in context of the situation a person finds themselves in.
CBT can work well when working with negative thinking styles or feelings of being trapped in a vicious cycle. It is a very practical approach looking at the current problem only (i.e. heightened anxiety levels) without delving into the past and working at the root cause.
When working as integrative counsellors, we often find elements of CBT useful to weave into a mix of other approaches.
Value work
This therapeutic approach looks at the values and beliefs a client holds. How much influence do our values have on our lives? Are they our own, generational or maybe societal values? Together we look at the purpose they serve and explore if they are helpful or unhelpful to us.
Beliefs are unique assumptions we hold about ourselves and the world based on our past experiences influencing our current decisions.
Values are shared, universal ideas of what is important in life. They are influenced by our personality, the people around us, society in general and our cultural background.
