Which Therapy Service is Right for You? Finding Your Safe Space

Finding the right counselling services is like choosing the right map for your journey. It guides you through challenges, heals wounds, and helps you grow stronger.

Therapy is not one-size-fits-all

Finding the right therapy service can feel challenging at first, but it’s really about tuning in to what resonates with you.

I, like many therapists, moving fluidly between different approaches, guided by what each person needs in the moment. What truly matters is how you feel with your therapist, whether you sense understanding, safety, and the freedom to explore your inner world.

Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process

is the bravest thing that we’ll ever do.

Brené Brown

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT invites you to make room for your emotions rather than fight them. Instead of trying to remove uncomfortable feelings, you learn to notice and stay with them with openness and compassion.

How it works: You and your therapist explore what you care about most and identify the inner struggles that keep you stuck. By developing awareness and acceptance, you learn to take committed steps toward a more meaningful life.

Example: If you find yourself avoiding anxiety, ACT helps you notice anxiety, understand what it’s protecting, and choose actions that align with your values.

Attachment-Based Therapy

Attachment Theory helps us understand how early relationships shape our ability to connect with others and with ourselves.

This approach examines the emotional bonds that shape our patterns and how these continue to shape our experiences in adult life.

How it works: In therapy, you and your therapist gently explore how your past experiences inform your present. By understanding your attachment style, you can begin to create healthier connections.

Example: If you often worry about being abandoned, therapy can help you build a sense of safety and trust.

Healing begins where the wound was made.

Alice Walker

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

IFS views the mind as a system of “parts,” different aspects of the "Self" that hold distinct feelings, roles, and intentions. Some parts protect you from pain; others carry old wounds. This approach helps you access your inner Self, where understanding and integration naturally unfold.

How it works: With your therapist’s guidance, you learn to recognise and listen to your parts without judgment. As trust builds, these parts can unburden their pain and change, allowing you to feel more integrated and at peace.

Example: If one part of you wants to please everyone while another feels exhausted and resentful, IFS helps you understand both and find a way for them to work together.

Narrative Therapy

Narrative Therapy is based on the idea that we live our lives through stories, about who we are, what we’ve been through, and what’s possible for us. Sometimes, those stories become self-limiting. This approach helps you rediscover your voice and rewrite your story from a place of strength and agency.

How it works: Together with your therapist, you explore the stories that have influenced your identity and highlight the moments that reveal your resilience, courage, and values.

Example: If you’ve come to believe “I’m not good enough,” therapy helps uncover the experiences that challenge that belief and build a richer story about who you are.

You can’t go back and change the beginning,

but you can start where you are and change the ending.

C.S. Lewis

Finding the Right Therapy Service for You

Just as every person’s is unique, so is your journey toward inner growth.

Consider what feels right

Think about what you need most at this stage: guidance with specific challenges, space to process emotions, or help making sense of your experiences.

Therapy works best when it meets you where you are.

What to Expect When You Begin Therapy

Starting therapy can bring a mix of hope and uncertainty.

In your first session, you’ll discuss what brought you here and what you hope to gain.

As sessions continue, you’ll explore your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a safe, confidential space.

You set the pace, allowing the process to unfold in your own time.

Give it time to unfold.

Therapy is a process of discovery. The only way to know if therapy is right for you is to try. It can take a few sessions to find your rhythm and build trust. When something doesn’t feel right, it’s okay to talk about it or try a different approach.

Between stimulus and response there is a space.

In that space is our power to choose our response.

In our response lies our growth and our freedom.

Viktor E. Frankl

Final Thoughts.

In therapy, trust develops as the relationship grows. It’s natural to feel a little unsure at first; with time, therapy becomes a place where you can speak freely, reflect deeply, and feel supported in your healing journey.

A helpline, a support group, your GP or a counsellor can offer support.

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