THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES
Each of the therapeutic approaches I use is supported by a robust research evidence base. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in particular is firmly embedded within the recommendations from NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) about the most effective interventions for psychological disorders.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT explores how a person’s thinking patterns influence their emotional reactions to events, and how these patterns inform choices about how to respond (behaviours). It aims to identify unhelpful thought-feeling-behaviour cycles, and to help you develop alternative ways of thinking about and/or responding to trigger situations. Treatment is based on a personalised formulation, and CBT is a collaborative, structured and time-limited type of talking therapy, which suits many people.
There is a great deal of research evidence to support the use of CBT to treat many common mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD, and sleep difficulties, for example. The British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists (BABCP) is the body responsible for accrediting CBT practitioners, and the website (www.babcp.com) includes lots of useful information for members of the public, including an online register of accredited CBT therapists (www.cbtregisteruk.com).
Video Interaction Guidance (VIG)
Video Interaction Guidance (VIG) is a method which aims to improve communication and relationships. Participants are closely supported to view and reflect on short edited video clips of real situations and personal interactions. The client-centred, sensitive approach enables participants to become more aware of their skills and strengths in communication/relating, and to be empowered by the guider to build on these strengths, challenge assumptions, and make desired changes. VIG is an evidence-based method that has its roots in theories of attachment, mentalisation (mind-mindedness) and relational intersubjectivity. It also has a strong ethical base: at the heart of VIG is the understanding that relationships are built on respect, trust, hope, compassion, cooperation and appreciation. The approach enables change through self-modelling and video feedback in the context of a respectful and collaborative partnership between the participant and the guider. The key concept in VIG is attunement - between parent and child, but also between parent and guider.
VIG was originally developed as an intervention to develop strong attunement and attachment between a child and caregiver. It is recommended in the UK by NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) and it is also listed as a recommended intervention in the 1001 Critical Days cross-party manifesto. The principles and practice of VIG are very versatile and can be applied to pretty much any relationship and any age range.
https://www.videointeractionguidance.net.
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT)
CFT is a system of psychotherapy that integrates techniques from CBT with concepts from evolutionary psychology, social psychology, developmental psychology, Buddhism and neuroscience. CFT can help with problems related to shame and self-criticism in particular, which often have their origins in experiences of childhood abuse, neglect or bullying. A central premise of the model is that the human brain has evolved (at least) three distinct emotion regulation systems: a threat/protection system, a drive/resource-seeking system, and a soothing/attachment system. CFT focuses on the links between cognitive behavioural patterns and these systems of emotional regulation, which may have developed in an unbalanced way as a result of early experiences.
Watch, Wait and Wonder (WWW)
WWW is a child-led psychotherapeutic approach that provides an unstructured framework within which to use spontaneous activity and play to reflect on the child’s thoughts, feelings and desires, to enhance parental sensitivity and responsiveness to the child, and to build the child’s capacity to regulate emotions. WWW is especially helpful when there are relationship struggles between a parent-infant pair, and unlike many other interventions, it places the child at its centre.
Mentalisation-Based Treatment (MBT)
The origins of MBT are in attachment theory, which pertains to quality of the early relationship between an infant and his/her caregiver. Mentalisation refers to the ability to understand and reflect on your states of mind and those of others, states believed to be learned in the context of a caregiver’s sensitive and attuned responding to an infant’s distress. Mentalisation is a very important skill, required for effective emotion regulation, impulse control, and interpersonal communication/relationships.
MBT is conducted within a warm and empathic therapeutic relationship in which the therapist adopts an open, curious and questioning stance to encourage you to reflect on current mental states and social interactions. As an intervention, it is very much focused on the here-and-now. In MBT, you learn to identify and talk about different thoughts and feelings, to understand where your thoughts and feelings come from, and to think about how you make sense of other people’s behaviours and the impact that this has on relationships. Mentalising is a key component of all psychological interventions, and many treatments will include an element of MBT.
