Making the decision to see a Therapist can be a difficult and confronting step, but one that can have an enormous impact on your life as counselling and psychotherapy are very effective and powerful healing modalities.

Counselling & Psychotherapy involves an assessment of your current situation, establishing a therapeutic relationship with a therapist and the use of certain psychotherapeutic techniques to help you achieve your goals.

There are many different forms/types of counselling and psychotherapy all with there strengths and weaknesses (see below for definitions). Dean has studied a number of these therapies and integrates the many and varied strengths of these approaches in order to meet your individual goals in a holistic way.

Different Therapies

Gestalt Therapy - this therapy emphasizes the development of awareness as the key component of healing. Gestalt is a holistic psychotherapy exploring the body and the mind, and often focuses on working in the present moment and with the expression of your emotion.

Humanistic Therapy - encourages the therapist to provide a particular kind of relationship to you, one that will help you fulfill your full potential (or self-actualization)

Existential Therapy - has its roots in philosophy and is a therapy that attempts to help you explore and understand the impact of existential themes on the current situation. Existential themes are those that all humans share, for example struggling with making meaning in life, taking responsibility for choices, relationships and facing our mortality

Solution Focused Therapy - is a short term therapy that helps you to find solutions to your current concerns by exploring and building on your strengths

Somatic Psychotherapy - is a holistic psychotherapy that works with the body, mind and energy. It incorporates knowledge and techniques from psychotherapy and body therapies (like feldenkrais, martial arts, massage and breathwork)

Hypnosis - hypnosis is commonly misunderstood; however it is a safe and effective way to treat a range of conditions. Essentially the therapist helps to bring about an altered state, that allows the therapist greater impact on the your condition and increase your use of internal resources

Psychodynamic Therapy - focusing on helping you to explore your past, especially your family context and understanding how that may be affecting your current situation.

Group Therapy - can be conducted using any one of the approaches above. The power of group therapy is that the healing is conducted in a group context, the relationships you build within the group, working through issues with other group members and the feedback you receive from other group members. This form of therapy is very under utilized in Australia, however is one of the most powerful forms of psychotherapy (see ongoing groups for more information about group therapy at Active Mind and Body)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - is a form of therapy that focuses on changing your thoughts, beliefs and attitudes in a practical and systematic way. This therapy also focuses on your current situation and the future.