Iben Larissa Poulsen

Compassion-focused therapy was developed for people who are very hard on themselves or struggle with shame and self-criticism. It helps you build a kinder, more supportive inner voice, with exercises for both mind and body. The aim is to feel steadier inside yourself and better able to face difficulties.

Emotion-focused therapy (EFT) sees emotions as important guides that can be understood and changed. It helps you notice, name and work with feelings, including painful ones, so they become less overwhelming. It is also widely used with couples, to understand the emotional cycles between partners and build a closer bond.

Cognitive behavioural therapy looks at how thoughts, feelings and actions keep each other going. Together you notice the patterns that hold a problem in place and try out new ways of thinking and acting, often with small practical tasks between sessions. It is widely used for anxiety, low mood, stress and sleep problems.

Mindfulness-based therapy uses practices that train attention on the present moment, with openness rather than judgement. Noticing thoughts and feelings without being carried away by them can reduce stress and help break cycles of worry or low mood. Programmes such as MBSR and MBCT are well-known examples.

Imagery and imaginative methods work with inner pictures: memories, dreams, imagined scenes or symbols. Images can make feelings easier to reach, and can be used to calm down, to strengthen inner resources or to rework a difficult experience. They are often part of trauma-focused, schema and hypnotherapeutic work.