Counselling usually refers to a brief treatment that centers around behaviour patterns.  Counsellors complete a period of training lasting at least 2 years, and are qualified up to post graduate level.

Psychotherapy, on the other hand, focuses on working with clients for a longer-term and draws from insight into emotional problems and difficulties. Psychotherapists complete a period of training lasting at least 4 years and their minimum level of qualification is at Masters level. 

There are many different approaches to counselling and psychotherapy.  However, the four forms most commonly used are: psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioural (CBT), humanistic, and integrative theories. Some therapists then specialise in particular areas, such as trauma or bereavement.

Because counselling and psychotherapy sometimes involves intense emotional discussions, you may find yourself crying, upset or even having an angry outburst during a session.  Some people may even feel physically exhausted after a session. Your therapist is there to help you cope with such feelings and emotions.

For many years, severe anxiety-based conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety or phobias were considered only treatable through long, painful exposure therapy, and sometimes not at all.  

Trauma-focused therapy sessions aim to help a client to discover skills and improve coping strategies to better respond to reminders and emotions associated with a traumatic event.  Some of these skills include anxiety management and relaxation strategies that are taught to you by your therapist.

Trauma is divided into three main types: acute, chronic, and complex. Trauma focused therapy is appropriate for all of these areas, with some clients benefiting from particular modes of trauma work, such as EMDR. Often, clients who require trauma therapy have been diagnosed with either PTSD or cPTSD by their GP.

EMDR therapy is a phased, focused approach to treating traumatic and other symptoms by reconnecting the client in a safe and measured way to the images, self-thoughts, emotions, and body sensations associated with the trauma, and allowing the natural healing powers of the brain to move toward adaptive resolution. It is often used for clients who have experienced repeated trauma, or trauma which has caused significant levels of PTSD.

REWIND Therapy has become internationally recognised as indispensable to treat PTSD. It is applicable to survivors trans culturally and usually requires a small number sessions to bring about closure for single traumas. 

The results are enduring - a follow up of two years showed no relapses in that period of time. REWIND is different from other imaginal exposure therapies because no details are disclosed to the therapist Hence the treatment is known as "closure without disclosure"

CBT treatment usually involves efforts to change thinking patterns. These strategies might include: learning to recognise one's distortions in thinking that are creating problems, and then to re-evaluate them in light of reality; or gaining a better understanding of the behaviour and motivation of others.

Dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive behavioural therapy. Cognitive behavioural therapy tries to identify and change negative thinking patterns and pushes for positive behavioural changes. DBT may be used to treat suicidal and other self-destructive behaviours.  DBT is a therapeutic approach often used with people who have been diagnosed with Emotionally  Unstable Personality Disorder (previously known as Borderline Personality Disorder).

Solution focused therapy is a future-oriented, goal-directed approach to solving human problems of living. The focus is on the client's health rather than the problem, on strengths rather than weaknesses or deficits, and on skills, resources and coping abilities that would help in reaching future goals.