Psychological Therapy

Psychological therapy, including counselling, encompasses various theoretical frameworks aimed at addressing mental health issues.

Mental Health Social Workers undergo specialised training to proficiently employ these therapies.

They may be trained in multiple therapeutic approaches. Research informs the development of best-practice principles for specific disorders, guiding therapy selection.

Mental Health Social Workers stay updated on literature to ensure appropriate therapy use. Clinical judgment is employed to determine the most suitable therapy for individual clients. Thorough assessments precede therapy selection, acknowledging the uniqueness of each client.

Our Mental Health Social Workers at Mental Health Counselling Geelong are qualified and experienced in employing diverse psychological therapies for optimal client outcomes. Specialist training ensures proficiency in delivering specific therapies, and multiple therapies may be utilized as needed, enhancing the quality of our counselling services and maximizing client benefits.

Please see below just some of the therapies that are being used at Mental Health Counselling Geelong.

Some of the Therapies we Provide

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or CBT for short, is an evidence-based therapy for a number of different psychological disorders. CBT can help with problems such as depression, anxiety, panic, stress and relationship issues. The theory behind CBT suggests that difficulties are created by the interaction between our thoughts, feelings, beliefs, attitudes and how we behave. In CBT treatment, psychologists look at how our thoughts relate to feelings and how these in turn relate to our behaviour. By creating change in how we think and feel, we can change how we behave and therefore, reduce emotional problems. People who undergo CBT are likely to have a deeper understanding of their thought processes and how these effect their feelings (mood) and behaviour.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT also looks at thoughts, feelings and behaviour but the principles of this therapy are slightly different. ACT assumes that pain and suffering are a normal part of everyday life and despite every effort in trying to avoid or control them, pain and suffering is inevitable. ACT also states that the avoidance and attempts to control or struggle with difficult thoughts, feelings and sensations eventually leads to more pain and suffering therefore, the theory suggests that learning how to give up the struggle can lead to a richer, fuller life. In ACT people are taught to notice thoughts and feelings and rather than struggle with our experiences, people are taught acceptance. The goals of ACT are to, A – accept, C – choose a valued direction and T – take action in line with values. The aim is not to change or ‘get rid’ of experiences but more to cultivate an intimate awareness of our experiences through gentle observation and ‘mindfulness’ and chose pathway that fits with what is important to us. ACT can used for a number of psychological problems including panic, anxiety, depression and trauma. More recently, ACT can also be used in couples therapy and anger management problems.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy or DBT was developed to work with people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). It is considered an evidence-based therapy for BPD according to National Guidelines. People with BPD have a range of difficulties characterized by problems in understanding and experiencing emotions. Emotions are either felt too strongly, change frequently or are not felt at all. They also have lots of difficulties in their relationships and may use unhelpful ways of dealing with problems, such as hurting themselves. DBT is based on a Cognitive Behavioural technique but also includes other components that come from Buddhist practices. There are four main skills that DBT teaches; Core Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation and Distress Tolerance.

Clinical Hypnotherapy

Clinical hypnotherapy is a combination of hypnosis and psychological treatment administered by a trained professional such as a Clinical Hypnotherapist, Psychologist, Mental Health Social Worker or even a Medical Doctor. The practice of hypnosis for therapeutic purposes involves getting into a relaxed state of mind where your therapist communicates with the subconscious part of your brain and makes suggestions relevant to specific symptoms like pain, anxiety, or addiction. Think of hypnosis as a “connector” linking your subconscious mind to your conscious mind – otherwise referred to as being in a trance like state. By accessing deeply buried memories, experiences and repressed emotions, we can more efficiently identify the root cause of destructive behaviour/habits that may otherwise have taken weeks to uncover. For this reason, many medically trained and allied health professionals are relying on hypnotherapy to fast-track results with their clients.
Hypnotherapy can be used to reduce chronic and acute pain, reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, management of phobias and fears, addiction and substance abuse and self esteem and relationship issues.