My Integrative Approach to Therapy

No two people experience life the same way, so why should therapy be one-size-fits-all? Over the years, I’ve learned that the most meaningful change happens when we draw from different approaches rather than sticking rigidly to one model. That’s why I work integratively, blending Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), and Narrative Therapy. Each of these approaches brings something valuable to the table, and when combined, they create a flexible, deeply human way of working.

Where These Approaches Overlap

What connects these therapies is that they all help you develop a different relationship with your thoughts, feelings, and the stories you hold about yourself. They share a focus on awareness, choice, and values. They all believe that suffering isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s part of being human and that meaningful change often begins with understanding, rather than fighting against, your internal experiences.

A Quick Look at Each Approach

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps us identify unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviours that can keep anxiety, depression, and self-criticism going. Together, we explore these patterns and develop practical strategies to shift them.

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): teaches us to make room for uncomfortable feelings rather than getting stuck in a struggle to eliminate them. It focuses on living a life guided by your values, even when challenges arise.

• Compassion Focused-Therapy (CFT): supports those who feel burdened by self-criticism or shame. It helps develop a kinder, more understanding inner voice, building emotional safety from the inside out.

• Narrative Therapy invites us to look at the stories we tell about our lives, the ones that shape our identity and consider which stories empower us and which hold us back. From there, we can begin to rewrite the narrative in a way that feels more authentic and hopeful.

How This Helps with Anxiety, Depression, and Relationship Difficulties

Anxiety often thrives on control and worry. Depression can feel like being stuck in a loop of hopelessness. Relationship struggles often involve patterns we can’t quite see clearly from the inside. By blending these approaches, we can work on the practical (like reducing worry and changing unhelpful behaviours), the emotional (building self-compassion and resilience), and the bigger picture (creating a sense of meaning and connection). For example:

• If you’re anxious, CBT can help you identify limiting underlying beliefs, unhelpful habits that reinforce your beliefs and challenge worry cycles, ACT can teach you to unhook from anxious thoughts, and CFT can help you treat yourself with care when fear feels overwhelming.

• If you’re feeling low, ACT and Narrative Therapy can reconnect you with what matters most, while CBT offers tools to shift negative thinking, and CFT reminds you that you deserve kindness.

• If you’re struggling in relationships, these approaches can help you notice patterns, heal old wounds, and create space for new, healthier ways of relating.

• I have highlighted a select few difficulties that my integrative approach works with. However work with a wide range of difficulties, these include:

Why This Matters

At its heart, my work is about helping you feel less stuck and more connected to yourself, others, life and to what gives you a sense of purpose and meaning. We won’t just focus on “fixing problems.” We’ll look at how to help you thrive, even when life feels uncertain or painful. f this sounds like the kind of support you’re looking for, I’d love to hear from you.

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