WHAT IS A PSYCHOLOGIST?

A psychologist is a type of therapist, trained specifically in the field of mental health issues.

Using a variety of approaches, a psychologist is able to help address a number of issues, both emotional and psychological.

When undergoing an assessment from a psychologist, every aspect of your emotional and psychological well being will be considered.

Your psychologist will take into account, what it is that you wish to achieve, the characteristics of your condition and all relative circumstances.

Only then after great consideration, will your psychologist discuss with you, the best style of approach, that will realise all of your specific needs.

WHAT DO PEOPLE SEE A PSYCHOLOGIST FOR?

There are many reasons why people talk to a psychologist. 

Our psychologist at Renaissance Life Therapies, works with many different clients, and with a range of issues.

Much like working with a therapist, people talk to a psychologist for help with issues that may be having a negative effect on their health or impacting on the quality of their life.

Some people talk to a psychologist for problems that are short term, for example, with grief following the loss of someone close to them.

A psychologist and therapist can help people with coping strategies that help them to deal with stressful situations, or coping strategies for overcoming addiction.

Using an eclectic mix of evidence based therapies and treatments, working with our psychologist at Renaissance Life Therapies, will help you safely explore any challenges you face.

The most typical approach used by a psychologist or therapist, is talking therapy or psychotherapy. 

Our psychologist at Renaissance Life Therapies, treat individuals, couples and family.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF THERAPIES USED BY A PSYCHOLOGIST

A psychologist / therapist and the use of behavioural therapy

Behavioural therapy is centred around the belief that behaviour is evolved from past experience and can be reconditioned to accept change.  This can actually be achieved without the need to find the root cause for the behaviour.  Behavioural therapy has much success in the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), addiction and phobias.

A psychologist / therapist and the use of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

CBT is a type of psychotherapy, that helps to identify unhelpful patterns of thought, feeling and behaviour, in order that they be challenged and replaced with well balanced alternatives.

CBT has much success in the treatment of depression, stress, eating disorders and phobias.

A psychologist / therapist and the use of dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)

DBT is an effective type of therapy for the treatment of borderline personality disorder (BPD), as well as treating people who self-harm, or have suicidal tendencies. 

The aim of DBT is to change unhelpful behaviours that have been adopted in order to deal with extreme emotional states. 

There is a strong therapeutic bond between client and psychologist or therapist, enabling commitment to the conditions of acceptance and change.  New coping strategies are put in place to deal with extreme heightened states of emotion, at times of distress.

A psychologist / therapist and the use of existential therapy or existential psychotherapy

This approach is centred on inner conflict that a client may experience when faced with the realisation of the givens of existence.  These include; the inevitability of death, freedom and the associated responsibilities of it, as well as existential isolation, and meaningless. 

The psychologist empowers the client to take ownership of their decisions and to design the present and future they wish.

A psychologist / therapist and the use of humanistic therapy

Humanistic therapy encourages people to give thought and take responsibility for their feelings, thoughts and behaviour.  The main area of focus is on self development and in achieving one’s full potential, with creativity and free will being encouraged. 

Self exploration of behaviour is also encouraged, rather than observations of behaviour in other people.

A psychologist / therapist and the use of person centred psychotherapy (PCT)

Person centred psychotherapy is a type of talking psychotherapy.  The client is encouraged to develop a sense of self, in order to understand how their attitudes, emotions, and behaviours, are being negatively affected.  The aim of PCT is for the client to become self aware, with the knowledge, power, and freedom to change.

A psychologist / therapist and the use of psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis uses the belief that feelings of fear and conflict in relationships, repressed in early childhood, may indeed resurface as conflict, and through our dreams.

The psychologist interprets these troubled feelings and conflicts, that were repressed in early childhood and brings them to the awareness of the client, in order for these associated negative feelings to be dealt with.

A psychologist / therapist and the use of transference

Transference is the redirection or projection of emotions (originally experienced in childhood), from client to psychologist.

A psychologist / therapist and the use of rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT)

REBT is an approach that is based on the belief that unhelpful feelings and behaviour, have evolved from irrational beliefs and thought.  The aim of REBT is to help the client in identifying these irrational beliefs and thoughts, in order to replace them with more realistic, rational ideas, and helpful patterns of thought.

A psychologist / therapist and the use of solution focused brief therapy (SFBT)

SFBT is a type of therapy that is goal orientated with the focus on the present and the future.  The client is encouraged to focus positively on the things that they do well, set goals and identify how this can be achieved.  The main aims of SFBT is to promote positive change and to help the client move away from dwelling on past events.

PROFESSIONAL ACCREDITATIONS