Why Psychotherapy?
At different points in life, we may find ourselves struggling with emotional pain, feeling stuck in familiar patterns, navigating difficult relationships, or facing challenges that seem difficult to carry alone. Psychotherapy offers a space to explore these experiences with the support of a trained psychologist or mental health professional.
The therapeutic space invites curiosity towards your inner world. Together with your therapist, you may begin to make sense of thoughts, emotions, behaviours, and relational patterns that have shaped your experience, often in ways that are not immediately visible. Through this process, psychotherapy can help illuminate new perspectives, deepen self-understanding, and support movement towards the changes that feel meaningful to you.
Psychotherapy is not solely about reducing symptoms, although this is often an important part of the work. It is also about creating non-judgmental space to understand yourself more fully, develop greater flexibility in responding to life's challenges, and cultivate ways of living that feel more aligned with your values, needs, and aspirations.
Whether you are experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and loss, relationship difficulties, stress, life transitions, or a general sense that something is not quite right, therapy provides an opportunity to pause, reflect, and engage with these experiences in a thoughtful and supportive way.
Importantly, psychotherapy is one of the most extensively researched forms of mental health treatment. Its effectiveness is supported by hundreds of randomized controlled trials and large-scale reviews conducted across a wide range of psychological concerns. Multiverse and umbrella meta-analyses drawing upon hundreds of studies consistently demonstrate that psychotherapy produces robust and clinically meaningful benefits, even when accounting for variations in methodology and potential publication bias (Plessen et al., 2023; Cuijpers et al., 2021; Cuijpers et al., 2024). Collectively, these have contributed to psychotherapy being widely recognised as a first-line, evidence-based treatment for many mental health concerns.
References:
Cuijpers, P., Miguel, C., Ciharova, M., Harrer, M., Basic, D., Cristea, I. A., de Ponti, N., Driessen, E., Hamblen, J., Larsen, S. E., Matbouriahi, M., Papola, D., Pauley, D., Plessen, C. Y., Pfund, R. A., Setkowski, K., Schnurr, P. P., van Ballegooijen, W., Wang, Y., Riper, H., van Straten, A., Sijbrandij, M., Furukawa, T. A., & Karyotaki, E. (2024). Absolute and relative outcomes of psychotherapies for eight mental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. World Psychiatry, 23(2), 267–275. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.21203
Cuijpers, P., Karyotaki, E., Ciharova, M., Miguel, C., Noma, H., & Furukawa, T. A. (2021). The effects of psychotherapies for depression on response, remission, reliable change, and deterioration: A meta-analysis. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 144(3), 288–299. https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13335
Plessen, C. Y., Karyotaki, E., Miguel, C., Ciharova, M., & Cuijpers, P. (2023). Exploring the efficacy of psychotherapies for depression: A multiverse meta-analysis. BMJ Mental Health, 26(1), Article e300626. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjment-2022-300626
Common Concerns we Journey with
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Depression is a common yet serious mental health condition that goes far beyond temporary feelings of sadness. It often manifests as a persistent low mood, overwhelming fatigue, and a loss of interest in the activities you once enjoyed. These feelings can deeply impact your thoughts, relationships, and daily functioning.
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Bipolar disorder is a manageable mental health condition characterised by significant shifts in mood, energy, and activity levels. Individuals experiencing this condition navigate intense emotional highs (known as mania or hypomania) and deep emotional lows (depression). These cyclical changes are much more severe than everyday mood swings, often disrupting sleep, focus, and daily routines.
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Anxiety and panic disorders involve persistent, overwhelming worry or sudden, intense waves of fear. These conditions frequently trigger distressing physical symptoms, such as a racing heart, shortness of breath, or constant muscle tension that disrupt your daily peace of mind.
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Caregiver stress is a common and often overlooked challenge that can affect the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of individuals caring for a loved one. The ongoing demands of caregiving can lead to chronic stress, exhaustion, feelings of overwhelm, and, in some cases, caregiver burnout. These challenges may impact relationships, work, and overall quality of life.
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Chronic stress and burnout are common mental health concerns that can develop when prolonged pressure and ongoing demands begin to overwhelm your capacity to cope. They may present as persistent exhaustion, emotional numbness, reduced motivation, and a sense of disconnection from work, relationships, or daily life. Unlike short-term fatigue, burnout can significantly impact productivity, focus, and overall mental well-being.
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Grief and loss are deeply personal, overwhelming emotional responses to major life transitions, such as bereavement, divorce, or a significant life change. Navigating these intense feelings can leave you feeling disoriented and profoundly alone.
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Trauma is a deeply impactful emotional or physical response to an intensely distressing event. While many people process these experiences naturally over time, those who develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) continue to navigate lingering fear, stress, and painful, intrusive memories. This condition frequently manifests as severe anxiety, emotional numbness, and heightened alertness that can interfere with your daily routines and relationships.
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Personality disorders are mental health conditions characterized by long-standing, persistent patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. As these deeply ingrained patterns often deviate from social expectations, they can impair daily functioning and create significant challenges in managing emotions or maintaining stable relationships.
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Relationship and attachment issues involve persistent difficulties in feeling secure, safe, and emotionally connected to others. These interpersonal dynamics, which often stem from formative past experiences, can lead to deep struggles with trust, vulnerability, emotional intimacy, or maintaining healthy boundaries.
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Navigating everyday parenting challenges and child behaviour concerns can quickly become overwhelming for any family. From managing intense toddler tantrums to establishing healthy sleep routines, the demands of raising children often leave parents feeling exhausted and uncertain.
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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that shapes how individuals perceive, communicate, and interact with the world around them. Because autism exists on a broad spectrum, every person experiences a completely unique combination of strengths, sensory sensitivities, and communication styles. Navigating a world not always built for these differences can sometimes bring unique hurdles.
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Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity. While it is frequently identified during childhood, these ADHD symptoms often persist into adulthood, deeply impacting focus, organization, emotional regulation, and time management at home, school, or work. Living with ADHD can feel like a constant uphill battle against executive dysfunction (e.g., decision-making, planning and rapid changing of tasks, etc).
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Dementia and neurocognitive disorders refer to a progressive decline in memory, thinking, and reasoning skills that eventually impacts daily independence. While frequently associated with conditions like Alzheimer's disease, these terms actually describe a broad set of symptoms affecting the brain's cognitive functions rather than a single illness.
Individual Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a collaborative journey that may begin with 3 to 4 initial clinical assessment sessions. These consultations allow us to thoroughly explore your primary concerns, family background, childhood upbringing, and unique therapeutic goals. We tailor the duration and frequency of your sessions to your specific clinical needs, offering both targeted, short-term interventions for immediate concerns, as well as open-ended, long-term evidence-based psychotherapy for deeper personal exploration.
Our standard individual psychotherapy session is 50 minutes. Depending on your clinical needs, extended sessions of 80 minutes may be offered, particularly for specialised appointments such as combined child and parent consultations.
Child and Adolescent Individual Psychotherapy
For younger clients, our clinic provides specialised child psychotherapy integrated with separate parent consultation sessions. Evidence-based clinical research demonstrates that active parental involvement is vital to a child's therapeutic progress and emotional development. Our parent consultations offer a supportive, non-judgmental environment to explore practical, evidence-based parenting strategies that effectively manage behavioural and emotional challenges.
For our adolescent clients who would developmentally seek for greater autonomy, our experienced child psychologists are dedicated to helping parents and their teens navigate this high-stress transitional stage with reduced conflict and improved emotional connection.
Individual Psychotherapy for Adults
For adult clients (aged 18 and above), individual psychotherapy focuses primarily on a dedicated, one-on-one therapeutic alliance between the psychologist and the client. Clinical research indicates that this independent space is crucial for fostering individuation, helping adults process past experiences, build a secure sense of identity and achieve lasting emotional change.
Our clinical psychologists tailor therapy to your specific goals instead of using a one-size-fits-all model. While we adapt across a wide range of modalities, our practice is rooted in psychodynamic origins (attachment and relational theories), and trauma-informed care. This helps us look beyond immediate symptoms to uncover deeper patterns and emotional insights for long-lasting change.
References:
Line, A. V., Lenz, A. S., Warwick, L., Branch, M. L., & Lemberger-Truelove, M. E. (2024). A meta-analysis of parent-inclusive child therapy interventions for decreasing symptomatology. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 31(1), 62–77. https://doi.org/10.1037/cps0000180
Shedler, J. (2010). The efficacy of psychodynamic psychotherapy. American Psychologist, 65(2), 98–109. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018378
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Psychodynamic therapy evolved from the psychoanalytic work of Sigmund Freud and subsequently expanded by multiple generations of psychoanalytic thinkers, including Melanie Klein, Donald Winnicott, Heinz Kohut (Self Psychology), Otto Kernberg (Object Relations), and contemporary relational psychoanalysts such as Stephen Mitchell. Each of these theorist contributed to different perspectives on personality, development, and psychological change. Unlike approaches developed by a single founder, psychodynamic therapy represents a broad family of therapies that has evolved over more than a century.
Psychodynamic therapy explores how unconscious patterns and early relational experiences shape their current emotions, relationships, and symptoms, using the therapeutic relationship as a central vehicle for insight and lasting psychological change. Rather than focusing only on symptom reduction, it aims to help clients develop greater self-understanding and more flexible ways of relating to themselves and others.
Contrary to the caricature of lying on a couch talking, modern psychodynamic therapy is active, collaborative, and relationally focused. Special attention is paid to what happens between therapist and client, because the relationship itself becomes a window into patterns that show up elsewhere in the client's life.
Psychodynamic therapy is an evidence-based approach with demonstrated efficacy across a range of mental health concerns. Research from systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials suggests that psychodynamic therapy is effective for conditions including depression, anxiety, personality disorders, and somatic symptom disorders, with outcomes broadly comparable to other established psychological treatments (Leichsenring et al., 2014; Steinert et al., 2017; Leichsenring et al., 2023).
References:
Leichsenring, F., Klein, S., & Salzer, S. (2014). The efficacy of psychodynamic psychotherapy in specific mental disorders: A 2013 update of empirical evidence. Contemporary Psychoanalysis, 50(1-2), 89-130. https://doi.org/10.1080/00107530.2014.880310
Steinert, C., Munder, T., Rabung, S., Hoyer, J., & Leichsenring, F. (2017). Psychodynamic therapy: as efficacious as other empirically supported treatments? A meta-analysis testing equivalence of outcomes. American Journal of Psychiatry, 174(10), 943-953. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2017.17010057
Leichsenring, F., Abbass, A., Heim, N., Keefe, J. R., Kisely, S., Luyten, P., Rabung S., & Steinert, C. (2023). The status of psychodynamic psychotherapy as an empirically supported treatment for common mental disorders–an umbrella review based on updated criteria. World Psychiatry, 22(2), 286-304. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.21104
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Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT)
Prolonged Exposure (PE)
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
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Schema therapy was developed by Jeffrey E. Young in the 1990s. It integrates CBT with attachment theory, psychodynamic concepts, Gestalt therapy, and experiential techniques to address longstanding “maladaptive schemas”: deep beliefs about yourself and the world that may have formed as protective responses early in life but now cause problems.
Common schemas include things like "I am fundamentally unlovable," "I will always be abandoned," or "I must be perfect to be worthy." These are not conscious, deliberate beliefs, rather, they are emotional templates that shape how we respond to relationships, stress, and ourselves.
Research suggests that Schema Therapy can be effective in treating personality disorders, with evidence of improvements in symptoms, quality of life, and early maladaptive schemas (Zhang et al., 2023). Emerging research also suggests potential benefits for anxiety disorders, OCD, and PTSD, although further high-quality research is needed to establish its effectiveness for these conditions (Peeters et al., 2022).
References:
Peeters, N., Van Passel, B., & Krans, J. (2022). The effectiveness of schema therapy for patients with anxiety disorders, OCD, or PTSD: A systematic review and research agenda. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 61(3), 579-597. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjc.12324
Zhang, K., Hu, X., Ma, L., Xie, Q., Wang, Z., Fan, C., & Li, X. (2023). The efficacy of schema therapy for personality disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 77(7), 641-650. https://doi.org/10.1080/08039488.2023.2228304
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EFTis a humanistic, experiential psychotherapy developed primarily by Leslie S. Greenberg and Sue Johnson. It is based on the idea that emotions are fundamental to how we understand ourselves, make decisions, and relate to others. Psychological difficulties often arise when emotions become blocked, overwhelming, or organised around painful past experiences. Rather than simply reducing distress, EFT helps people identify, experience, regulate, and transform maladaptive emotions into more adaptive ones. Through a collaborative therapeutic relationship and experiential techniques (such as chair work and focusing), clients develop greater emotional awareness, self-compassion, and resilience.
Research conducted in routine clinical practice found small-to-moderate improvements in psychological distress, depressive symptoms, and work and social functioning following EFT, with improvements generally maintained over six months (Kramer et al., 2026).
Research has also found promising results for specific psychological difficulties. A multiple-baseline study found that EFT was associated with reductions in symptoms of social anxiety disorder (Shahar et al., 2017). More recently, a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials found that EFT was more effective than inactive treatment conditions, with the strongest evidence emerging for depressive symptoms. The review also found EFT to be broadly comparable to other psychotherapies, although the authors noted that the overall evidence base remains limited and further high-quality research is needed (Whittington et al., 2026).
References:
Shahar, B., Bar-Kalifa, E., & Alon, E. (2017). Emotion-focused therapy for social anxiety disorder: Results from a multiple-baseline study. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 85(3), 238. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000166
Kramer, U., Sutter, M., Rubel, J., Machinea, J. B., Woldarsky, C., Auszra, L., Herrmann I.,& Holtforth, M. G. (2026). Effectiveness of emotion-focused therapy: Main results of a practice–research network study. Psychotherapy Research, 36(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2025.2454455
Whittington, D. D., Jafari, M., & Borgogna, N. C. (2026). Emotion-focused therapy for distress-based psychopathology in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychotherapy Research, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2026.2650152
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CBT was developed by Aaron T. Beck in the 1960s. CBT integrates cognitive theory with behavioural principles and is one of the most extensively researched psychotherapy approaches. It is based on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are interconnected; and that by changing unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviours, we can change how we feel.
CBT is structured and goal-focused. Sessions typically involve identifying automatic thoughts (those quick, often negative interpretations of events), examining whether they are accurate, and experimenting with different ways of thinking or behaving.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 28 randomised controlled trials involving 3,938 participants found that CBT and its adaptations significantly reduced the risk of relapse or recurrence of depression compared with control treatments, with benefits maintained at both short- and longer-term follow-up. CBT was also found to be comparable to antidepressant medication alone in preventing depressive relapse (Chen et al., 2022).
More recent research has also found CBT to be effective in strengthening psychological resilience. A systematic review and meta-analysis found that CBT interventions were associated with improvements in resilience among adults, suggesting that CBT may support not only recovery from psychological difficulties but also the development of resources for managing future stress and adversity (Pinto et al., 2024).
References:
Chen, H., He, Q., Wang, M., Wang, X., Pu, C., Li, S., & Li, M. (2022). Effectiveness of CBT and its modifications for prevention of relapse/recurrence in depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Affective Disorders, 319, 469-481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.027
Pinto, T. M., Veiga, V. M. N., & Macedo, E. C. (2024). Effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy on resilience of adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy, 34(2), 100495. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbct.2024.100495
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ERP evolved from behavioural therapy and was pioneered by Victor Meyer in the 1960s as a treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The therapy was later expanded, structured, and extensively researched by other prominent psychologists, most notably Edna Foa, who helped establish it as the gold-standard behavioural therapy for OCD.
ERP is an evidence-based therapy primarily used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It helps individuals gradually face situations that trigger anxiety while learning to resist compulsive behaviours or rituals. Over time, this process reduces fear, increases tolerance of uncertainty, and helps people regain confidence in living according to their values rather than their anxiety.
ERP has substantial evidence for reducing OCD symptoms, and its effectiveness is supported by both clinical outcome and neuroimaging research. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 39 randomised controlled trials involving 1,793 participants found that ERP significantly reduced OCD symptoms, with particularly strong effects when compared with placebo and medication controls. ERP was also associated with reductions in co-occurring anxiety and depressive symptoms, while producing outcomes broadly comparable to other psychological therapies (Song et al., 2022).
More recent research further supports the effectiveness of CBT incorporating ERP. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 193 people with OCD found significant improvements in OCD symptom severity following treatment, alongside changes in patterns of brain activation across several regions implicated in OCD (Stephenson et al., 2025).
References:
Song, Y., Li, D., Zhang, S., Jin, Z., Zhen, Y., Su, Y., Zhang, M., Lu, L., Xue, X., Luo, J., Liang, M., & Li, X. (2022). The effect of exposure and response prevention therapy on obsessive-compulsive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research, 317, 114861.
https://doi.org/0.1016/j.psychres.2022.114861
Stephenson, C., Philipp-Muller, A., Moghimi, E., Nashed, J. Y., Cook, D. J., Shirazi, A., Milev, R., & Alavi, N. (2025). Effects of cognitive behavioural therapy and exposure–response prevention on brain activation in obsessive–compulsive disorder patients: systematic review and meta-analysis. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 275(5), 1491-1507.
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ACT (said as the word "act") takes a different angle from traditional CBT. Developed by Steven C. Hayes, together with Kelly Wilson and Kirk Strosahl during the 1980s, ACT is grounded in contextual behavioural science and Relational Frame Theory. Rather than trying to change or challenge difficult thoughts and feelings, ACT teaches you to make room for them - to accept discomfort without being controlled by it while committing to actions that align with your personal values.
The core idea is psychological flexibility: the ability to be present, open up to what you are experiencing, and engage with what matters most to you, even when things are hard.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 18 studies involving 1,088 participants found that ACT significantly reduced depressive symptoms compared with control conditions, with improvements also evident at three-month follow-up (Bai et al., 2020). More recent evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis of 10 randomised controlled trials similarly found significant reductions in depressive and anxiety symptoms among people with depression, alongside improvements in psychological flexibility (Kong et al., 2025).
In the context of chronic pain, a systematic review and meta-analysis found that ACT produced improvements in pain acceptance, psychological flexibility, functioning, anxiety, and depression compared with control conditions, although it did not significantly reduce pain intensity itself (Hughes et al., 2017). Together, these findings suggest that ACT can be particularly helpful in changing how people relate to difficult internal experiences and enabling them to move towards meaningful activities despite ongoing distress.
References:
Hughes, L. S., Clark, J., Colclough, J. A., Dale, E., & McMillan, D. (2017). Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for chronic pain: a systematic review and meta-analyses. The Clinical journal of pain, 33(6), 552-568. https://doi.org/10.1097/AJP.0000000000000425
Bai, Z., Luo, S., Zhang, L., Wu, S., & Chi, I. (2020). Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to reduce depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of affective disorders, 260, 728-737. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.09.040
Kong, Q., Yan, S., Huang, K., Han, B., Han, R., Jiao, Y., Yang, H., Pu, Y., Li, S., & Jia, Y. (2025). The efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatry research, 116701. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2025.116701
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Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teach people to pay deliberate, non-judgmental attention to the present moment. Rather than getting swept up in rumination about the past or worry about the future, mindfulness practice trains the mind to notice thoughts and feelings without being controlled by them.
MBCT was developed by Zindel Segal, Mark Williams, and John Teasdale to prevent relapse in recurrent depression by integrating CBT with mindfulness meditation.
Mindfulness-based approaches can support both psychological wellbeing and the management of distress associated with persistent physical symptoms. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 49 studies involving 4,733 non-clinical participants found that MBSR and MBCT significantly reduced stress and psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and rumination or worry, while improving quality of life and psychological wellbeing (Querstret et al., 2020).
Research also suggests that mindfulness-based approaches can be helpful for people experiencing persistent physical symptoms and bodily distress. A meta-analysis of 16 randomised controlled trials involving 1,288 adults found that MBCT, MBSR, and ACT produced greater reductions in somatic symptom severity than control conditions, with small-to-moderate improvements across several psychological outcomes (Maas genannt Bermpohl et al., 2023).
References:
Querstret, D., Morison, L., Dickinson, S., Cropley, M., & John, M. (2020). Mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for psychological health and well-being in nonclinical samples: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International journal of stress management, 27(4), 394. https://doi.org/10.1037/str0000165
Maas genannt Bermpohl, F., Huelsmann, L., & Martin, A. (2023). Efficacy of mindfulness-and acceptance-based cognitive-behavioral therapies for bodily distress in adults: a meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, 1160908. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1160908
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CFT was developed by Paul Gilbert. CFT integrates evolutionary psychology, attachment theory, affective neuroscience, and compassion practices to address shame and self-criticism by helping individuals to understand why their minds sometimes treat them as the enemy and teaches how to deliberately activate the brain's soothing and affiliative systems through self-compassion practices.
A central idea is that we did not choose our minds, our brains, or our histories and that understanding this can be the beginning of a different relationship with ourselves.
Research findings suggest that CFT can be particularly helpful for people who struggle with persistent self-criticism, shame, and difficulty responding to themselves with compassion. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 15 randomised controlled and pilot/feasibility studies found that CFT was associated with improvements in self-compassion, self-criticism, self-reassurance, depression, and eating-disorder symptoms, with effects ranging from small to large across outcomes (Millard et al., 2023).
A separate meta-analysis of 14 studies involving 847 participants similarly found that CFT reduced self-criticism and increased the ability to experience self-soothing (Vidal & Soldevilla, 2023). Further high-quality research is needed to establish its effectiveness across different mental health conditions and in the longer term.
References:
Millard, L. A., Wan, M. W., Smith, D. M., & Wittkowski, A. (2023). The effectiveness of compassion focused therapy with clinical populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of affective disorders, 326, 168-192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2023.01.010
Vidal, J., & Soldevilla, J. M. (2023). Effect of compassion‐focused therapy on self‐criticism and self‐soothing: A meta‐analysis. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62(1), 70-81. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjc.123
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When children face big feelings or display social or behavioural difficulties, they rarely have the adult vocabulary to say, "I am overwhelmed."
While adults use words to express their thoughts, children use toys as their language. Play is how children speak; It is their natural medium to express emotions, process experiences, and understand the world around them.
Play therapy for children is a specialised approach where a psychologist meets your child exactly where they are, using the language they already speak fluently: play.
Young children rarely talk openly about their internal worries. Instead, they show us exactly what they are experiencing by repeating specific scenarios, behaviours, and storylines during play. By observing how they interact with their toys across play therapy sessions, our psychologists can identify core psychological themes and help children navigate them. Common themes include, but are not limited to, good guy versus bad guy, separation, aggression, and nurturing play.
Research demonstrates that play therapy is an effective intervention for childhood anxiety, depression, behavioural issues, and low self-esteem.
References:
Benedict, H. E., & Mongoven, L. B. (1997). Thematic Play Therapy: An approach to treatment of attachment disorders in young children. In H. G. Kaduson, D. M. Cangelosi, & C. E. Schaefer (Eds.), The playing cure: Individualized play therapy for specific childhood problems (pp. 277–315). Jason Aronson.
Dogan, S. (2026). A meta-analysis of research on the effects of play therapy on cognitive, affective, and psychomotor development. International Journal on Studies in Education, 8(2), 298–319. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijonse.7429
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Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P) is an internationally acclaimed, evidence-based program that helps parents identify and respond to their child’s emotional needs.
Built on over 50 years of clinical attachment theory research (pioneered by John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth), this parenting program offers caregivers a clear visual map to identify their child’s emotional needs and build a secure relationship with their child.
What the Circle of Security Program Covers:
Read Emotional Cues: Identify what your child is communicating through their behaviour (e.g., temper tantrums, emotional withdrawal, or clinginess)
Manage "Shark Music": Notice and soothe your own internal triggers so you can respond calmly to your child's emotional distress.
Be Bigger, Stronger, Wiser, & Kind: Learn how to set firm, loving boundaries while remaining an emotional anchor during meltdowns.
Repair Relationship Ruptures: Discover how repairing everyday conflicts fosters resilience and builds high self-esteem in children.
For more information and videos on COS-P, please visit Circle of Security International.
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Developed by psychologist Ellen Frank, PhD, and colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh, Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) is a structured psychological treatment originally developed for bipolar disorder. It combines principles of Interpersonal Psychotherapy with a focus on stabilising daily routines and social rhythms, such as sleep, waking, meals, and activity patterns. IPSRT also helps people identify and manage interpersonal difficulties and stressful life events that may contribute to mood instability.
Research suggests that IPSRT may be particularly helpful in improving day-to-day functioning. A meta-analysis of five randomised controlled trials involving individuals with bipolar disorder found improvement in overall functioning, including occupational and social functioning (Lam & Chung, 2021).
IPSRT is often used as a complementary treatment alongside medication and other evidence-based interventions.
References:
Lam, C., & Chung, M. H. (2021). A meta-analysis of the effect of interpersonal and social rhythm therapy on symptom and functioning improvement in patients with bipolar disorders. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 16(1), 153-165. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-019-09740-1
Why Group Psychotherapy?
In individual therapy, you work with one therapist. You explore your patterns, your history, and your relationships but you do so in a room with only one other person. The group is, in a sense, a laboratory of human connection. You do not just talk about your relationships. You experience them, in real time, with real people.
Therapy groups offer a unique opportunity to revisit the often painful and unhelpful relational lessons we may have learned in childhood. The group process naturally brings these familiar ways of relating to ourselves and others into the present, creating opportunities to notice, explore, and understand our patterns in relationships. Through the feedback and perspectives of others, we can develop a deeper understanding of ourselves and, importantly, how we experience and relate to others.
By expressing our authentic feelings and needs, and experimenting with new ways of relating, group therapy provides an opportunity to replace old, unhelpful relational patterns with more nourishing and fulfilling experiences. Over time, these new experiences can help us develop greater confidence and flexibility in our relationships, and build more satisfying connections with others.
Group psychotherapy is an evidence-based form of psychological treatment that has demonstrated effectiveness across a range of mental health concerns. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 57 randomised controlled trials involving 3,656 participants found that group psychotherapy was effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety disorders, including generalised anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder. Its effects were comparable to those of individual psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy (Barkowski et al., 2020).
Broader reviews of group psychotherapy research have similarly found beneficial effects for conditions including depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders, and PTSD. Research also suggests that group psychotherapy can be broadly as effective as individual psychotherapy, highlighting that the group setting is not simply a less intensive alternative to individual treatment (Rosendahl et al., 2021).
Importantly, the effectiveness of group psychotherapy may be influenced by the quality of relationships within the group. Research highlights factors such as group cohesion and the therapeutic alliance as important contributors to treatment outcomes, pointing to the therapeutic potential of connection, belonging, and shared experience within the group (Rosendahl et al., 2021).
References:
Barkowski, S., Schwartze, D., Strauss, B., Burlingame, G. M., & Rosendahl, J. (2020). Efficacy of group psychotherapy for anxiety disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychotherapy Research, 30(8), 965-982. https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2020.1729440
Rosendahl, J., Alldredge, C. T., Burlingame, G. M., & Strauss, B. (2021). Recent developments in group psychotherapy research. American journal of psychotherapy, 74(2), 52-59. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.20200031
Group Psychotherapy
Types of Group Psychotherapy
Process Groups (Interpersonal Therapy Groups)
Process groups focus on what happens between members in the room, in the here and now. Rather than following a curriculum or teaching a set of skills, these groups use the relationships and dynamics that emerge within the group as the primary vehicle for therapeutic change.
If you find yourself annoyed by someone, drawn to another person, unusually quiet, or wondering what others think of you, these reactions are not distractions from the therapy - they are part of the material we can explore together. By paying attention to what happens between people as it unfolds, you can begin to recognise familiar patterns of relating, understand yourself in relationship with others, and experiment with new ways of connecting.
A process group is typically facilitated by one or two qualified psychologists or psychotherapists. Groups are usually small, with around 6–10 members, who meet regularly, often weekly, for a defined period in a time-limited group or on an ongoing basis in an open-ended group.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Groups
CBT groups are structured, skills-based groups that teach and practise cognitive behavioural therapy principles in a group setting. Sessions typically include psychoeducation, such as understanding the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, alongside practical skill-building exercises and between-session practice.
The group format adds another dimension to learning. Members can learn from one another's experiences, see how the same skills can be applied to different situations, and discover that they are not alone in the difficulties they are facing.
CBT groups are typically time-limited, often running for 8–16 weekly sessions, and are usually closed groups, meaning that members begin and complete the programme together without new members joining partway through.
Research suggests that group CBT can be effective for conditions such as depression and anxiety, with outcomes broadly comparable to individual CBT (Morrison, 2001).
Trauma-informed groups are designed for people who have experienced trauma, whether a single traumatic event or prolonged and complex experiences. These groups place particular emphasis on safety, choice, predictability, and emotional regulation. Depending on the group's purpose and the participant's needs, they may incorporate trauma-focused CBT, EMDR group protocols, or stabilisation and coping approaches.
Not everyone is ready for trauma-focused group work at the same point in their recovery. For some people, individual work focusing on safety, stabilisation, and emotional regulation may be more appropriate before joining a trauma group. We therefore take time to understand each person's current needs, resources, and readiness before recommending this pathway.
Trauma groups are typically kept small, often with around 5–8 members, and may run for approximately 12–20 sessions, depending on the therapeutic approach and goals of the group.
Trauma-Informed Groups
Resilience and wellbeing groups are designed for people who may not be experiencing significant clinical distress but want to strengthen their psychological resilience, manage stress more effectively, or develop skills that support long-term mental health.
These groups may draw on evidence-informed approaches such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). Sessions typically combine psychoeducation with experiential exercises, reflection, and practical strategies that can be incorporated into everyday life.
These are usually structured, time-limited groups of around 6–8 weekly sessions, with group size typically kept small to support participation and connection.
Resilience and Wellbeing Groups
Grief and loss groups provide a structured space for people navigating significant experiences of loss - not only the death of someone close, but also the loss of a relationship, health, life stage, role, or sense of identity. These groups combine psychoeducation about grief with opportunities to share experiences, feel less alone, and receive support from others who are navigating their own losses, within a therapeutically held environment.
Groups may be semi-open, allowing new members to join at designated points, or time-limited, depending on the group's purpose and structure. A typical group may run for approximately 8–12 sessions.
Grief and Loss Groups
Clinical Supervision
Therapeutic work often asks us to sit with complexity - holding our clients’ experiences while also navigating our own responses. At times, this can feel steady and clear; at other times, more uncertain, like being in shifting tides without a clear footing.
More than a process of instruction or advice-giving, clinical supervision is grounded in reflective practice to grow one’s resources. It provides a dedicated space for psychologists and mental health professionals to think carefully about their clinical decision-making, deepen their therapeutic skills, and work through complex or challenging client presentations. In doing so, supervision supports high standards of clinical care, strengthens ethical and reflective practice, enhances therapeutic effectiveness, and promotes practitioner wellbeing (Klymenko et al., 2025; Lohani et al., 2023).
What you can expect in supervision:
A consistent, collaborative space where your clinical experiences can be explored with openness and care. This may include review of therapy sessions, role plays, constructive feedback on interventions, risk and ethical discussions and management
Time to reflect on both your clients’ processes and your own internal responses as a therapist
Support in navigating moments that feel stuck, uncertain, or emotionally demanding
Attention to the therapeutic relationship, including patterns of connection, misattunement, and repair
A balance between gentle guidance and respect for your own clinical voice and developing style
We offer both individual clinical supervision and small-group supervision for psychologists and other mental health professionals. Over time, we hope that the supervision space can help you feel more grounded and resourced, better able to stay present with your clients through the natural ebb and flow of the therapeutic process.