Jia May Tay

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.

Relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation and calming imagery, help the body and mind wind down. Practised regularly, they can lower tension and make stress, anxiety and sleep problems easier to manage. They are often taught as skills you can use on your own between sessions.

Person-centred therapy, developed by Carl Rogers, starts from the idea that you are the expert on your own life. The therapist offers warmth, empathy and genuine attention without steering the conversation, so you can explore what matters to you at your own pace. Many people find it helps them feel heard and grow in confidence and self-understanding.

Coaching is goal-oriented support for personal or professional growth. It focuses on where you want to go and the steps to get there, drawing on your strengths and resources. Coaching is not psychotherapy and is not a treatment for mental health conditions.

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.

Crisis intervention is short-term support in an acute crisis, such as a sudden loss, a shock or a situation that feels overwhelming. It focuses on steadying things, getting through the next days and finding support, rather than on longer-term therapy. In an emergency, always contact your local emergency number or a crisis line.

Career counselling helps with choices about study, work and career: finding a direction, changing jobs, returning to work or dealing with uncertainty. It looks at your interests, strengths, values and circumstances. The aim is a decision that fits you, and a plan for the next steps.

Trauma-focused therapy is a family of approaches designed for the effects of frightening or overwhelming experiences. Usually the work starts with feeling safer and more stable, and only then turns to the memories themselves, at a pace you can manage. It can help with flashbacks, fear, numbness and other after-effects of trauma.

Psychodrama and drama therapy use role play and action to explore situations from your life. Acting out a scene, or seeing it from another person’s place, can bring new understanding and lets you practise different responses. They are often used in groups, and with individuals too.