We understand that every person’s journey is unique, and we take into account several perspectives of human psychology. Our work is grounded in a variety of evidence-based methods, including behavioural, emotion-focused and attachment-based therapies. We also prioritise a trauma-informed perspective to ensure a safe and supportive space for emotional and relational growth. Whatever challenges you’re facing, you can feel confident that your therapy with us will be rooted in proven therapeutic models and compassionate care tailored to your needs.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is a comprehensive, emotion-focused treatment originally developed in the 1980s for individuals experiencing intense emotions and distress. These challenges are often described in clinical settings with the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD), also known as emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD). Today, DBT has expanded to benefit a much broader audience, including autistic individuals and those with ADHD.
This therapy is rooted in evidence-based research and integrates cognitive and behavioural techniques with mindfulness practices. DBT was created by Dr. Marsha Linehan, who herself received a BPD diagnosis in early adulthood. Her lived experience informs the therapy’s compassionate and practical approach to helping people regulate overwhelming emotions, reduce impulsive behaviours, and shift black-and-white thinking.
Beyond its original focus, DBT has been successfully adapted for treating eating disorders, childhood trauma, and substance use, making it a versatile and effective therapy for a variety of complex challenges.
To find out more about different components of DBT please visit the DBT Programme section of this website.
DBT for Complex Post-Traumatic Stress
Historically, individuals with multiple and co-occurring challenges—such as suicidal and self-injurious behaviours, dissociation, substance use, and “personality disorders”—were often excluded from trauma-focused treatments. Unfortunately, untreated Post-Traumatic Stress significantly increases the risk of suicidal and self-harming behaviours while hindering recovery.
To better support individuals with underlying trauma, we have trained in two specialised, trauma-focused protocols:
- DBT-Prolonged Exposure (DBT-PE): Developed by Dr. Melanie Harned, this approach is designed to treat PTSD in high-risk individuals with multiple challenges who are participating in a comprehensive DBT programme. To learn more about the DBT PE protocol please click here.
- DBT for Complex PTSD (DBT-CPTSD): Created by Professor Martin Bohus, this protocol is specifically tailored for those who experienced sexual and/or physical trauma during childhood or adolescence. To find out more about our DBT for Complex Trauma programme please click the here.
These protocols are designed to help individuals heal from trauma and build meaningful, fulfilling lives. Research demonstrates that these treatments are not only feasible and safe to deliver but are also effective. They significantly reduce PTSD symptoms, suicidal and self-injurious behaviours, dissociation, shame, guilt, depression, and social difficulties.
Radically Open DBT
Radically Open Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (RO-DBT) is a specialised treatment designed for individuals who struggle with emotional over-control. Developed over 25 years, research has shown RO-DBT to be effective for people where excessive self-control contributes to social isolation, strained interpersonal relationships, and difficult-to-treat conditions such as anorexia nervosa, chronic depression, and anxiety.
Unlike traditional approaches, RO-DBT offers a unique perspective by addressing the rigid and inflexible patterns of behaviour often seen in over-control. The treatment focuses on enhancing emotional well-being through three core principles:
- Openness to feedback – cultivating a willingness to receive and consider feedback, even when it feels challenging.
- Flexibility – adapting responses to meet the demands of changing situations and environments.
- Emotional expression – recognising that openly expressing emotions is vital for forming meaningful and close interpersonal connections.
RO-DBT provides a transformative approach to help individuals relax their rigid and inflexible over-controlled tendencies, fostering greater connection, adaptability, and emotional freedom.
To find out more visit the Radically Open DBT section.
Mentalization Based Therapy
Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT) is a research-backed psychological approach rooted in Bowlby’s attachment theory. It is designed to help individuals whose interpersonal and emotional sensitivities significantly impact the quality of their lives and relationships. At its core, MBT focuses on mentalizing—the capacity to understand and reflect on mental states in ourselves and others to make sense of actions, intentions, and emotions.
Originally developed at the Anna Freud Centre for individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD), MBT has since been adapted to support people facing a broader range of challenges. It is particularly beneficial for those who experience intense and unstable relationships, helping them navigate complex emotional and relational dynamics in ways that strengthen, rather than harm, their connections and self-awareness.
MBT’s focus on enhancing emotional insight and relational stability makes it a valuable therapeutic option for anyone struggling with the impact of emotional reactivity and interpersonal difficulties—not just those with a BPD diagnosis.
To find out more about the MBT programme please visit the MBT section of this website.
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a science-based approach to improving intimate relationships by addressing emotional disconnection. Grounded in the study of adult bonding, EFT helps couples understand their own and each other’s behaviours and emotions, reframing negative interactions as attempts to meet attachment needs.
Couples are guided to identify, accept, and share their emotions and needs, learning to recognise and respond to moments of disconnection. The therapist’s role is to foster secure, lasting bonds while reinforcing positive dynamics. EFT aims to create more loving, responsive, and emotionally connected relationships, enhancing both intimacy and healthy independence.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) was developed by Zindel Segal, Mark Williams and John Teasdale, based on Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. The MBCT programme was designed specifically to help people who suffer repeated bouts of depression. The MBCT programme takes the form of 8 weekly classes. A set of guided meditations accompanies the programme, so that participants can practice at home once a day throughout the course.
Focusing-Oriented Psychotherapy
‘Focusing’ is about entering into a special kind of awareness, different from our every day awareness. It is open, turned inward, centered on the present and on your body’s inner sensations. When doing ‘Focusing’ you silently ask “How am I now?” and work with bodily felt sense. This gradually opens up space for an innate movement towards healing simply but beautifully stated by Eugene Gendlin when he writes: “The sense of what is wrong carries with it, inseparably, a sense of the direction toward what is right.” To learn more about ‘Focusing’ and focusing-oriented therapy visit the website of The Focusing Institute at www.focusing.org.
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) and is a form of therapy that effectively relieves symptoms of Post‐Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), such as flashbacks or nightmares. When a person is emotionally overwhelmed, their brain struggles to process information as it does normally. A distressing memory can then become “frozen in time,” and remembering a traumatic event may feel as bad as going through it the first time because the images, sounds, smells, and feelings haven’t been processed and remained unchanged. Such memories have a lasting negative impact on lives of some people with a history of trauma, which then interferes with the way they perceive the world, other people and themselves. EMDR helps to restore the natural ability to process information and can lead to seeing the disturbing memories in new and less unsettling way.