Надія Павленко

Existential therapy and logotherapy look at the big questions of life: meaning, freedom, choice, loss and mortality. Rather than treating difficulties only as symptoms, they explore how you want to live and what gives your life meaning. They can be helpful at turning points, in times of crisis or when life feels empty.

Humanistic therapies see every person as capable of growth and focus on the whole person rather than a diagnosis. They value the relationship between client and therapist, your own experience and your right to make your own choices. Person-centred, gestalt and existential therapy are among the best-known humanistic approaches.

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.

Art therapy uses drawing, painting, sculpting and other art forms as a way to express and explore feelings. You don’t need any artistic skill: what matters is the process and what it brings up, not the result. It can help when things are hard to put into words.