Often referred to as 'talking therapy', psychological therapy involves discussions between therapist and client, exploring the ways in which past experiences, current difficulties or concerns about the future might be affecting the client's life. A skilled Chartered Counselling Psychologist will listen to you and help you understand how you respond to life events and reflect upon the ways in which you see yourself and others. Your therapist will not tell you what to do or give you advice, but will guide you in understanding what might be happening in your life and support you so that you can make your own choices and begin the process of change.

There are a number of types of psychological therapy, and each one has a different approach to resolving difficulties. Deborah Rafalin is trained in all key approaches and will support you in deciding which way of working would be most helpful for you.

The two most common approaches used in practice are known as Psychodynamic Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

Psychodynamic Therapy

This involves exploring how present feelings and behaviours are connected to past events and earlier relationships. Psychodynamic Therapy can help people to get to know themselves better, improve their relationships, resolve past issues and get more out of life. It can be especially useful in helping people with long term or recurrent problems to get to the root of their difficulties. Psychodynamic Therapy is usually more long term and the need for its continuation is regularly reviewed throughout therapy. The therapist and client jointly agree when goals have been reached and it is time to end psychological therapy.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT works on the idea that changing how you think and behave also changes how you feel. What you think and believe about yourself, other people and the world in general determines your mood and your behaviour. CBT aims to identify inaccurate thoughts and beliefs that confuse or distress, and helps people to modify their thinking and behaviour. It is a structured approach. Specific focussed goals are agreed with your therapist and things are tested out between sessions. Depending on the nature of the difficulty, CBT typically involves between 6 and 24 sessions of psychological therapy.