Transactional Analysis (TA) is both a theory of personality and communication, and a system for the improvement of personal and social functioning, within the humanistic tradition. Eric Berne, its’ founder, re-examined the basic assumptions of psychiatry, and from his radical pioneering work developed a system of in-depth analysis and change. The philosophy of TA accentuates [...] Read more »

Psychodynamic therapy (or psychoanalytic psychotherapy) is a therapeutic approach that helps the client to reveal their hidden and true feelings so that they can gain a better understanding of themselves. There is a focus on the subconscious, which is the client’s unconscious mind. Feelings held by the unconscious mind are believed to be too painful [...] Read more »

Person-Centred counselling is a ‘talking therapy’ and encompasses many different approaches that are all designed to help people to look at their lives and to find effective ways of coping. For all of us there are times in our lives when we feel confused, distressed or unable to cope. A counsellor will provide you with [...] Read more »

Hypnotherapy is one of the older psychotherapies and was first used in the eighteenth century in England and France. It was the subject of an early work by Freud and continued to be developed in the twentieth century. Hypno-Psychotherapy is hypnotherapy which is undertaken within the context of psychotherapy. What is the hypnotic state? Best [...] Read more »

Gestalt is a form of psychotherapy that has been practised for about 70 years. This way of working focus’s on the whole person-body, mind, emotions, sensations, and their inter-connectedness. It sees a person in the context of the world they live in. It focus’s on the person in the here and now and whilst interested [...] Read more »

Counselling psychologists are applied psychologists concerned with the integration of psychological theory and research with therapeutic practice. They can work with individuals, couples, families and groups. Counselling psychologists are highly trained and have either a doctorate or the British Psychological Society’s post graduate qualification in counselling psychology. Counselling psychology as a psychological speciality facilitates personal [...] Read more »

Cognitive behavioural therapy or CBT is a collaborative therapy that helps the individual to change unhelpful or negative thinking, beliefs and behaviour in order to improve areas in their life and cope more effectively. CBT is a combination of cognitive (thinking) and behavioural therapies. It is based on the theory that our feelings, thoughts and [...] Read more »

While the idea of the unity of body and mind is well established, in practice it is difficult to avoid privileging one above the other and experiencing the mental as separate from the physical. ‘Body’ and ‘Mind’ seem different both to ourselves and in our experience of other people. Linked but separate, a psycho-somatic pair. [...] Read more »