We are made up of many systems and processes. Beliefs, fears, drives, what we learn, how we interact with others and more make up who we are. Also, the world of psychotherapy is made up of many therapeutic techniques and each technique may be more effective depending on the issue being addressed, the psychological processes in play, where the client is at the time and the orientation and skill set of the therapist.
Integrative Psychotherapy considers all these factors to select the best combination of techniques for the issue being faced by the particular client at the time from the therapist’s skillset.
My training has been broad and from an integrative perspective, however, I have favoured a few approaches to increase skill because I find they work well with an integrative approach or they may be better to address the more common issues experienced by the clients more likely to see me. Some of these are a trauma-informed approach, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and The Gottman Method Couples Therapy. I also take a biopsychosocial-spiritual and positive psychology approach in recognising that we are far more than a distressed bain in a body. We are our body, our mind, our place in society and we make meaning from being a part of something larger than ourselves. We also don’t just avoid distress, we also seek better ourselves, follow our dreams and make our lives meaningful.