Solution-focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a short-term therapeutic approach that focuses on the client’s present and future circumstances, rather than the past. SFBT is goal-oriented and explores the individual’s current skill level, available resources and achievements, and works toward a solution to problems, rather than where they originated. Developed by Steve de Shazer, Kim Berg and their team in the late 1970’s, SFBT works on the assumption that individuals intrinsically know what changes they need (or want) to make, and focuses on specific problems like relationship issues, family discord, anxiety, or depression.

Play Therapy allows the individual to explore elements of their life through play. It is used primarily with children between the ages of 3 and 12, but can also be effective for adults. A therapist can gain insight into the individual’s inner world this way, and can help them to express any feelings which may be suppressed. Therapeutic play offers little in the way of rules and restrictions, and helps clients explore their choices freely. Play Therapy has origins in Child Psychotherapy, Humanistic Psychology, and Attachment Theory.

Narrative Therapy is a therapeutic approach that encourages clients to understand, and then rewrite their story as a more productive narrative. The stories we tell greatly impact our lives and can influence how we interpret our past, present, and future. Narrative Therapy allows individuals to bring new meaning to their lives, and also helps to detect recurring patterns.  Developed in the 1980’s by Michael White and David Epston, Narrative Therapy is comprised of three main components: respect, non-blaming and the theory that the client is the expert. Applying these principles within the therapeutic process empowers the individual to regain control over aspects of their lives by separating the story from the person.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) focuses on our thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and brings awareness to how they’re all interconnected. CBT usually works best with anxiety, depression, phobias, and addictions, but can also be used to treat a wide range of issues. Typically considered a short-term therapy, CBT was introduced by therapist Aaron T. Beck in the 1960s. Behaviorists believe that much of what we do and how we act can be altered by changing our thought patterns.

Attachment Theory proposes that human beings have a primary need to form emotional bonds with others. In most cases, an individual’s first bond is formed as an infant with their primary caregiver (usually their mother). Attachment evolves over time as the relationship between caregiver and child deepens, building a sense of trust and security. If the attachment is secure, these feelings will be extended to the individual’s other relationships. The origins of Attachment Theory are based on the joint works of John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth from the 1930s.

Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) is a short-term therapy which centers around relationships, bonding, and the primary emotions involved. The goal of EFT is to improve the quality of the relationship between a couple or family members through developing trust and by creating healthier patterns. Like the term suggests, EFT considers emotions to play a key role in our lives, and even helps form our identity by understanding who we are and how we connect to others. This therapeutic approach is useful in treating anger, fear, anxiety, depression and trauma. EFT was introduced in the 1980s by Dr. Sue Johnson.

Motivational Interviewing is a practical, client-directed, short-term therapy that helps individuals prepare for a change. The goal is to help clients overcome obstacles by assessing their intrinsic motivations. MI is used to treat anxiety, depression, as well as different types of addiction. Three key components are: collaboration, evocation, and autonomy. The process begins with an exploration into the client’s needs and a discussion about any resistance they may have to the change. The counsellor draws out the client’s perceptions without imposing any of their own, then places all the decision-making responsibility onto the client while maintaining a commitment to help them move toward their goal.

Person-centered Therapy or Client-centered Therapy was developed by psychologist Carl Rogers in the 1940s and 1950s. Rogers’ humanistic approach was less clinical than other therapies at the time, and allowed clients the opportunity to take the lead in their own therapy. With this approach, the counsellor provides guidance and support to the client, allowing each individual to discover their own course of action. It assesses the client’s internal view of the world, rather than an external one.

Compassion-focused Therapy (CFT) promotes healing by helping individuals to be more compassionate towards themselves and others. CFT was developed by Paul Gilbert in the 2000s, and integrates techniques from social psychology, developmental psychology, Buddhist psychology, Evolutionary Psychology, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and Neuroscience. This type of therapy is particularly effective with individuals who are experiencing shame, self-criticism, and with those who suffer from mood disorders or trauma.

Family Systems Therapy (FST) is a form of family psychotherapy, developed by psychiatrist Murray Bowen in the mid-1950s. Because each member contributes to the family dynamic in significant ways, the goal of FST is to work with the family as a unit to restore the damaged relationships to healthy, functioning ones. With this approach, each member discusses how they’re being affected by the issues that are occurring, allowing everyone to hear from each other. This type of therapy is used in the treatment of anxiety, depression, and mood disorders, as well as with families who have a member with a chronic illness or disability.  

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.  It is considered to be a non-traditional form of therapy.  Though it only came to light in the late 80’s, it is now recognized as one of the most effective forms of therapy for trauma today.  With extensive and internationally evidence-based research, it is practiced by mental health practitioners world wide.

Francine Shapiro, a psychotherapist herself, discovered EMDR when walking through the woods one day.  She noticed that her negative thoughts disappeared after moving her eyes quickly back and forth in a repetitive manner.  She then noticed the same results with her own patients.  Since then, the practice of EMDR has grown due to its positive, lasting results.  EMDR may be used to treat a number of conditions such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, and grief, among others. It is considered to be a non-traditional type of therapy in that it does not require the patient to go into extensive detail about a disturbing event or situation.  Instead, it uses bilateral stimulation in the form of eye movements, auditory tones, or kinesthetic tapping while the patient simultaneously thinks about the disturbing incident or memory they wish to address.  Within this process, changes in the maladaptive memory network connect to new, more positive or adaptive material which begins the healing process.

To learn more about EMDR, click on the link below:

https://emdrcanada.org/about/