What works for whom?

There are different ways of working with the issues that lead people into therapy.  You might have heard of psychoanalysis, person-centred counselling, CBT (Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy) or mindfulness.  These are just a few of a number of therapeutic approaches. 

Research has shown there is no overall ‘best therapy’

What works for one person does not necessarily work for another, even if their issues seem similar.

Over the past forty years, research has repeatedly demonstrated that no one type of therapy is more successful than another. Each therapeutic approach offers different potentials for change and there has been a steady movement towards integrating these various approaches to meet an individual's particular needs.  

The therapeutic relationship

What underpins this integration is the relationship that forms between a person and their therapist, often referred to as the ‘therapeutic relationship’.  Most therapeutic approaches recognise that the quality of the relationship is one of the best indicators of how successful therapy will be.  

One of the things to consider when choosing a therapist is the kind of relationship you might form together.