Cognitive ‘Talking’ Therapies

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

DBT is an evidence-based form of CBT for teenagers and adults who experience significant trouble managing their emotions, thoughts and behaviours. Dialectical means there is more than one way of looking at a situation, and when different perspectives are considered together they can create a new way of seeing a situation.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT combines acceptance and mindfulness strategies, together with commitment and behaviour change strategies, to increase psychological flexibility. Unlike CBT, ACT does not challenge distressing thoughts or aim to come up with a rational perspective. ACT uses defusion techniques to minimise the attention spent on these thoughts. Psychological flexibility means contacting the present moment fully as a conscious human being, and based on what the situation affords, changing or persisting with behaviour in line with one’s chosen values.

Cognitive Analytic Therapy

Cognitive Analytic Therapy, is an approach that focusses on the way a person thinks, feels and acts, and the events and relationships that underlie these experiences (often from childhood or earlier in life). At its heart is an empathic and trusting relationship between the child and therapist; the purpose of which is to help the child to make sense of their situation, to understand how the child has survived in relationships and the coping strategies developed that might be unhelpful, and exploring ways of relating to others differently.

Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)

CFT involves identifying and being sensitive to self and other people’s distress, offering kindness and warmth and supporting courage to tackle suffering. CFT identifies high levels of shame and self-criticism that people often present with and so seeks to provide ways to challenge and remove these. This is achieved by increasing compassion for one-self, compassion for others and receiving compassion and kindness back from other people.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT is a type of talking therapy. CBT is based on the concept that thoughts, feelings, behaviours and physical sensations are interconnected. It highlights that negative thoughts can lead to being caught up in a vicious cycle. CBT aims to help people deal with overwhelming problems in a more positive way by breaking them down into smaller parts. Unlike some other talking treatments, CBT focuses on improving current problems, rather than focusing on the past. CBT has a good evidence base for a wide range of mental health problems in adults, older adults, children and young people.