Krish Phua

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.

Acceptance and commitment therapy helps you make room for difficult thoughts and feelings instead of fighting them. The focus is on what matters to you, and on taking steps in that direction even when things feel hard. It is used for stress, anxiety, low mood and long-term pain, among other things.

Exposure therapy helps you face what you fear gradually and in a planned way, rather than avoiding it. Step by step, at a pace agreed together, the fear usually becomes smaller and easier to manage. Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is a form of it used for obsessions and compulsions.

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.

Psychodynamic therapy explores how earlier experiences, and feelings you may not be fully aware of, shape your life today. Patterns that show up in your relationships, and sometimes in the relationship with the therapist, become something to understand together. It is often used for recurring difficulties with mood, relationships and self-esteem.

Systemic and family therapy looks at difficulties in the context of the relationships around you: your family, partner, work or friends. Patterns between people, rather than one person alone, become the focus of the work. It can be used with individuals, couples and whole families.

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.

Sex therapy is specialised talking therapy for sexual difficulties and concerns, alone or as a couple. It can address desire, arousal, pain, worries about performance, or the effects of illness and life changes on intimacy. Sessions are conversations, sometimes with exercises to try at home; there is no physical examination or contact.

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.

LGBTQ+-affirmative practice means that gender, sexual and relationship diversity are respected and understood, never treated as a problem in themselves. It takes into account the effects of discrimination and minority stress, and supports you in being who you are. It can be combined with any therapeutic method.

Motivational interviewing is a collaborative way of talking about change. It helps you explore your own reasons for and against a change, so the motivation comes from you rather than from pressure. It is often used for habits such as drinking, smoking or eating, and for health-related changes.

Relational therapy sees wellbeing as closely tied to our relationships. The relationship with the therapist itself becomes a place to notice patterns and try new ways of connecting. It suits people who want to understand how they relate to others and why some situations keep repeating.