If you’re thinking about counselling and psychotherapy, you might have come across the term “integrative”, and possibly also the term “pluralistic”. These terms describe our approach at Mindfulness Liverpool. We’d love to tell you a bit more about these ideas, and why we think it’s is a great way to do therapy.
What is an Integrative Approach?
An integrative approach combines different therapeutic techniques to create therapy that’s tailored to you. Instead of sticking to one single method, we use a mix of approaches that can address your unique needs. This can often make therapy more responsive and relevant to your personal experience.
Pluralistic Counselling
Another term that goes hand in hand with our integrative approach is pluralistic counselling. This highlights an important aspect of our approach to therapy – collaboration. We believe that we don’t have all the answers about what our clients need.
Instead, we work together with you to find the best techniques and strategies for your needs. This can change over time, and it gives the therapy the best chance of being focused on what’s important for you. In fact, research has shown that collaboration with a client in this way is a strong predictor of successful therapy!
The Foundation: Person-Centred Therapy
At the core of our integrative approach is person-centred therapy. Developed by Carl Rogers, this method focuses on creating a supportive and non-judgmental environment. Here, you are seen as the expert on your own life, and the therapist focuses on relating to what’s happening for you, without judgement. This means that you get to make the learning, insights, and breakthroughs for yourself, which is one of the best feelings in therapy! The therapist is your companion and guide during that process.
Adding Other Techniques
To enhance this foundation of a person-centred approach, we then carefully incorporate elements from other therapies. We find the following are particularly helpful for our clients.
1. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT):
CBT is a type of talking therapy that helps you manage your problems by changing the way you think, feel, and behave. CBT helps you bring awareness to patterns of thinking and behaviour and make positive changes to these patterns, impacting every aspect of your life in beneficial ways.
2. Mindfulness:
Mindfulness can help you to be aware and present with yourself and the world. It can help you to have a positive relationship with yourself, your mind, and your emotions. It can reduce stress and anxiety, enhance self-awareness, improve emotional regulation, and help you feel calm and happy.
3. Gestalt Therapy:
Gestalt therapy focuses on understanding the present moment and becoming aware of your thoughts, feelings, and actions. The therapy often involves creative and experiential techniques to help clients gain insight and resolve issues by understanding the context of their lives and experiences.
4. Psychodynamic Therapy:
This approach explores how unconscious thought and past experiences influence your current behaviour. By bringing these elements into your conscious awareness, it can be possible to gain deeper insights and resolve long-standing issues.
The Benefits of an Integrative Approach
There are several benefits to an integrative approach. Firstly, it offers personalised treatment. By combining different therapeutic methods, we can tailor our approach to fit your specific situation and preferences. Secondly, it provides flexibility. Our approach adapts to your changing needs throughout therapy. Lastly, it offers comprehensive support. Using multiple methods provides a well-rounded framework to address various aspects of your mental health.
Common Questions
You might have some questions about integrative therapy. For instance, how do you know if integrative therapy is right for you? Integrative therapy is adaptable to different needs and issues, making it suitable for many people. During your initial consultation, we can discuss your goals and see if this approach aligns with your expectations.
Another common question is how long does integrative therapy take? The duration varies depending on your needs and goals. Some clients see improvement in a few sessions, while others benefit from longer-term support.
Lastly, you might wonder, will you have a say in the therapeutic techniques used? Absolutely! Pluralistic counselling emphasizes collaboration. We will work together to identify the most effective strategies for your unique situation.
Hopefully, this overview helps you understand the benefits of an integrative and pluralistic approach to counselling and psychotherapy! If you have any questions or you’d like to schedule a free consultation, drop us a line using the contact form below.
