Therapy Options

You are a unique individual, and while CBT and other psychological therapies are based on some theories and principles, there is no "cookie cutter" approach to therapy. Therefore, your needs will be assessed and treatment planned for you once Dr Valerie has had some time with you. Unfortunately, this means that it is seldom easy to answer questions like "How many sessions will I need?" Or "What kind of work can I expect to do?" Dr Valerie specialises in three different types of therapy: CBT, EMBR and PIT. It is also recommended that you have a look at the forms & worksheets section to get some idea of the kinds of approaches that may be used during your therapy sessions.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is a relatively short term, focused approach to the treatment of many types of emotional, behavioural and psychiatric problems. The application of CBT varies according to the problem being addressed, but is essentially a collaborative and individualised program that helps individuals to identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviours and learn or relearn healthier skills and habits.

Learn more about CBT

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

The mind can often heal itself naturally, in the same way as the body does. Much of this natural coping mechanism occurs during sleep, particularly during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of therapy that helps people heal from trauma or other distressing life experiences by making use of this natural coping mechanism. EMDR has been used successfully in treating Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other mental health problems.

Learn more about EMDR

Psychodynamic Interpersonal Therapy

This therapy takes the form of an in-depth conversation between two people (client and therapist), in which the client's difficulties are explored and hopefully resolved. PIT has some resemblance to "heart to heart" conversations that we might have with a trusted confidante. The therapy is more than this, however, because the therapist is trained to help focus the conversation on the most important issues for the client, and support them with any difficult feelings that this brings up.

Learn more about PIT