Therapeutic Approaches
As a Counselling Psychologist, I am trained in a variety of psychological approaches. I draw upon these flexibly, tailoring therapy to suit your unique needs, preferences, and goals. Below are some of the main therapeutic models I use, though I have additional training and experience beyond what is listed here.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT is a mindfulness-based therapy that focuses on building psychological flexibility — the ability to be present with your thoughts and feelings without getting overwhelmed or stuck in them, and to move toward a life that reflects your deepest values.
Acceptance in this context doesn’t mean resigning yourself to suffering. Rather, it’s about reducing the struggle with painful experiences, so you can create space to live more fully. Life may still present challenges, but ACT helps you respond in a more empowered and values-aligned way.
🔗 More on ACT – Psychology Today
📖 Recommended reading: “The Happiness Trap” by Russ Harris
Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT)
CFT helps you understand your emotions and behaviours in light of your life experiences, particularly if you tend to struggle with self-criticism, shame, or anxiety. The goal is to cultivate a kinder, more balanced inner voice and to develop emotional strength and resilience.
Even if the idea of “self-compassion” feels unfamiliar or uncomfortable, many people find this approach surprisingly empowering. CFT can support a stronger sense of inner safety, improve emotional regulation, and promote recovery.
🔗 More on CFT – Psychology Today
📖 Recommended reading: “The Compassionate Mind” by Paul Gilbert
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and trauma-focused CBT (tf-CBT)
CBT is a structured and practical approach that helps you understand how your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours are connected. It focuses on building skills to challenge unhelpful patterns and improve your wellbeing. You’ll be encouraged to practice strategies between sessions, allowing you to apply them in daily life.
Trauma-focused CBT (tf-CBT) aims to help people cope with trauma. It is a form of CBT that focuses on shifting unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviours that have stemmed from adverse and traumatic life experiences. This approach initially focuses on stabilisation – helping you to understand how trauma has affected you and providing you with resources to cope with the impact of trauma(s). Then, when you are ready, the therapy focuses on helping you talk about and process the trauma(s) in a safe way. It is an inherently hopeful approach that can help individuals reclaim their life from trauma.
Eye Movement, Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)
Like Trauma-focused CBT, EMDR aims to help people cope with trauma, whether that is childhood trauma, adulthood, single-event or multiple traumas.
When you have experienced a trauma, the memories of such events can remain unprocessed. You may find you experience unwanted intrusions of the events (in the form of visual, auditory and/or physiological memories and experiences) causing you to feel ‘stuck’ and making it very difficult to be present and live your life.
As with tf-CBT, the initial phase of this approach is stabilisation. EMDR then helps you process your trauma memories using ‘bilateral stimulation’: stimulating both sides of the body and brain (often in the form of eye movements or tapping) whilst recalling the traumatic or painful memories. This can help the memories to become ‘unstuck’: it helps your brain recognise that a traumatic event is in the past and no longer happening to you now, so you can begin to reclaim your life.
While originally developed for trauma and PTSD, EMDR is increasingly used for a range of issues including anxiety and depression. Therefore, it is an approach I regularly use in my practice.
🔗 More on EMDR – EMDR UK Association
My approach
Whatever approach we use, I believe that healing begins with a warm, respectful, and supportive therapeutic relationship. I strive to offer a space grounded in safety, compassion, and non-judgement, always considering your culture, values, personality, and lived experience.
Therapy with me is a collaborative process. My aim is to empower you — to help you reduce distress, improve your emotional wellbeing, and increase your confidence, resilience, and capacity to cope. Whether you have a diagnosis, are navigating a specific issue, or simply want to make sense of how you’re feeling, we can work together to find a path forward.
Supervision and consultation
In addition to individual therapy, I also provide clinical supervision and consultation services. I offer a reflective and supportive space for other professionals, drawing on my experience across different therapeutic models and settings.
If you’re interested in supervision or consultation, feel free to get in touch to discuss how we might work together.
Dr Emma Clarke Psychology 