22 evidence-based psychological therapies, each with detailed explanations, evidence grading, printable resources, and verifiable sources. Use the toggle on each page to switch between plain-language and clinical-depth content.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a structured, time-limited psychological therapy that helps people understand how their thoughts, behaviours, and physical responses interact to maintain emotional distress. It focuses on present-day difficulties and aims to develop practical skills that can be used beyond therapy.
Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) is a time-limited, relationally focused integrative psychological therapy that draws on cognitive psychology, psychoanalytic object relations theory, and activity theory (Vygotskian developmental psychology). Developed by Anthony Ryle in the 1980s, CAT helps people understand and change longstanding patterns of thinking, feeling, and relating that cause ongoing distress. It places particular emphasis on understanding how early relational experiences shape current patterns, and uses unique collaborative tools — including reformulation letters and diagrams — to make these patterns visible and open to change.
Behavioural Activation is a structured psychological therapy that focuses on increasing engagement in meaningful activities to improve mood. It is grounded in behavioural models of depression and emphasises action before motivation — the principle that waiting to feel better before doing things keeps people stuck.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT, pronounced as a single word) is a behavioural therapy that helps people develop psychological flexibility — the ability to be present with difficult thoughts and feelings without being controlled by them, while moving toward what matters most. Rather than trying to eliminate distressing internal experiences, ACT changes the relationship people have with them.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is a comprehensive, evidence-based psychological therapy originally developed by Marsha Linehan for people with severe emotional dysregulation and chronic suicidality, particularly borderline personality disorder (BPD). It combines behavioural change strategies with acceptance-based approaches drawn from Zen mindfulness practice. DBT is structured as a programme rather than a standalone individual therapy.
Schema Therapy is an integrative psychological therapy developed by Jeffrey Young for people with long-standing emotional and relational difficulties that have not responded to standard CBT. It combines cognitive, behavioural, attachment, and experiential approaches to address deeply ingrained patterns known as Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMS).
Compassion-Focused Therapy is a psychological therapy designed to help people who experience high levels of shame and self-criticism. Developed by Paul Gilbert, CFT focuses on developing compassion toward self and others using evolutionary and neurobiological models of emotion regulation.
Mentalisation-Based Therapy is a structured psychological therapy that focuses on improving the ability to understand one’s own and others’ mental states — thoughts, feelings, intentions, and motivations. Developed by Peter Fonagy and Anthony Bateman, it was originally designed for borderline personality disorder but is now used more broadly.
Interpersonal Therapy is a time-limited, structured therapy focusing on the link between mood and current interpersonal relationships. It helps people improve communication, resolve relational difficulties, and process losses or life transitions.
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is a goal-oriented, strengths-based therapy that emphasises future possibilities and existing resources rather than problem analysis. It focuses on what the person wants to achieve rather than what went wrong.
Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples is a structured therapy based on attachment theory, developed by Sue Johnson. It aims to improve emotional bonds and relationship security by identifying negative interaction cycles and fostering secure attachment between partners.
Transference-Focused Psychotherapy is a specialist, manualised psychodynamic therapy developed for severe personality pathology, particularly borderline personality disorder. It focuses on understanding and integrating split, unstable internal representations of self and others through the therapeutic relationship.
Family-Based Treatment (FBT), often called the Maudsley approach, is a structured therapy for children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa and related eating disorders. It empowers parents to take an active role in restoring nutrition and interrupting eating-disorder behaviours, then gradually returns control to the young person as recovery stabilises.
CBT-E is a specialised form of CBT designed by Christopher Fairburn to treat eating disorders across diagnoses. It targets the processes that maintain eating disorder symptoms, including over-evaluation of weight and shape, dietary restraint, and rigid rules.
Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative, goal-oriented conversational approach developed by William Miller and Stephen Rollnick, designed to strengthen a person’s motivation and commitment to change. It is especially useful when ambivalence is high.
CBT for psychosis is an adapted form of CBT designed to reduce distress and improve functioning in people experiencing psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations and delusional beliefs. It does not require symptom elimination as the goal; it focuses on reducing distress, impairment, and risk.
Narrative Exposure Therapy is a trauma-focused therapy developed for people with multiple or complex traumatic experiences, including those exposed to war, forced displacement, or repeated interpersonal trauma. It constructs a coherent narrative of the person’s life, integrating traumatic memories into autobiographical context.
Parent–Child Interaction Therapy is a structured behavioural parent training therapy for young children with disruptive behaviour. It uses live coaching to strengthen the caregiver–child relationship and improve behaviour through consistent, predictable responses.
Multisystemic Therapy is an intensive, home- and community-based intervention for adolescents with serious behavioural problems. It targets the multiple systems that maintain difficulties: family, peers, school, and community.
Functional Family Therapy is a structured family intervention for adolescents with behavioural problems. It aims to reduce conflict and improve family functioning through engagement, relational change, and behaviour change phases.
Contingency Management is a behavioural intervention that reinforces recovery behaviours (e.g., abstinence, attendance) with tangible rewards. It is primarily used in addiction services with clear protocols.
Family Intervention for psychosis is a structured therapy that supports families to reduce relapse risk and improve outcomes through psychoeducation, communication skills, and problem-solving.