There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to psychotherapy. Some people feel motivated by the “homework” that comes after a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) session, while others find the word itself off-putting. Mindfulness might have been transformative for your friend, yet the thought of closing your eyes and turning inward could feel unsettling for you.
That’s why so many therapeutic approaches exist. Think of them as different tools in a therapist’s toolkit, chosen based on their expertise and your needs. Some therapists stick to one or two, others take an eclectic approach that integrates various techniques.
To help you make sense of those acronyms, here’s a friendly guide to the modalities our clinicians use, listed in alphabetical order.
1. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Premise: Trying to control or eliminate unpleasant thoughts and feelings often makes them more distressing. Instead, by accepting these experiences as part of the human experience and committing to actions that align with your values, we can live meaningfully even in the presence of discomfort.
Example: If you’re feeling low, your therapist might work with you to identify personal values (e.g. connection) and take actions in line with them (e.g. texting a friend) even if your mood hasn’t improved. The idea is to take small steps despite difficult feelings, rather than waiting for motivation to return.
2. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Premise: Since our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are interconnected, identifying and challenging unhelpful thinking patterns can help us shift our emotions and actions toward healthier outcomes. The goal is to develop practical skills for managing problems in the here and now.
Example: If you struggle with social anxiety because you think “everyone is judging me,” your therapist might help examine the evidence for and against it and test it through experiments (e.g. starting a short conversation with a colleague and noting their actual reaction). Over time, this weakens anxiety-provoking predictions and builds your confidence in social situations.
3. Compassion-Focused Therapy
Premise: Cultivating compassion, both for ourselves and others, can help regulate emotions, particularly shame and self-criticism. Drawing from evolutionary psychology, attachment theory, and neuroscience, CFT activates our “soothing system” when we experience emotional reactions to perceived threats.
Example: If your inner critic kicks in whenever you make a mistake at work, your therapist might guide you through a “compassionate imagery” exercise where you visualise a wise, kind figure who offers support and understanding. This practice can help you respond to mistakes with kindness rather than harsh judgment.
4. Choice Theory/Reality Therapy
Premise: Most psychological distress stems from unmet needs such as love, belonging, power, freedom, and fun, and the choices we make in trying to meet them. CTRT emphasises personal responsibility and focuses on the present, helping individuals evaluate whether their current behaviours are effectively meeting their needs.
Example: If you feel isolated, your therapist might help you explore constructive ways to meet your need for belonging. Rather than doom-scrolling on social media, for instance, you may join an interest group or schedule regular meetups with supportive friends. Together, you will identify small, realistic actions you can commit to and review how these choices bring you closer to fulfilling your need for belonging.
5. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
Premise: Just as two seemingly opposite things can be true at once, we can accept ourselves as we are while also working to change unhelpful behaviours. DBT combines acceptance-based strategies with behavioural change techniques.
Example: If you frequently experience intense anger, your therapist may teach you “TIP skills” (Temperature, Intense exercise, Paced breathing) to calm your body’s stress response. Cooling your face with cold water, for instance, quickly reduces emotional intensity, allowing you to think more clearly before addressing the triggering situation.
6. Emotionally Focused Therapy
Premise: Rooted in attachment theory, EFT stresses the importance of strong, secure bonds to healthy relationships. EFT helps individuals and couples identify, understand, and reshape emotional responses that drive conflict or disconnection.
Example: In individual EFT, you may recognise how past attachment wounds fuel unhelpful responses and learn to flip the script. For instance, if past rejections have led you to withdraw when upset, you may practise reaching out for support when you’re feeling low.
In couples therapy, the therapist may help partners stuck in recurring arguments identify the deeper emotions driving the conflict (e.g. shame) and express these feelings openly and vulnerably.
7. Eye Movement Therapies (EMDR/MEMI)
Premise: Eye movement therapies, such as Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Memory Reconsolidation, Eye Movements and Imagery (MEMI), are based on the belief that guided eye movements can help the brain process and integrate distressing memories so they lose their emotional intensity.
Example: If you have recurrent nightmares after a car accident, an EMDR therapist may ask you to recall the traumatic event while tracking their hand movements with your eyes. This dual focus on the memory and a rhythmic task can help the brain reprocess the event, making it feel less distressing over time.
Similarly, MEMI builds on similar eye-movement techniques with a focus on replacing distressing imagery with new, adaptive mental pictures. For instance, you might visualise a past event resolving in a way that fosters safety and empowerment, helping to weaken the emotional charge of the original memory.
8. Gestalt Therapy
Premise: Change begins with awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations in the here and now. Rather than analysing problems from a distance, an awareness of how they manifest in the present moment—be it non-verbal cues, body language, or interactions with your therapist—reveals old patterns and helps you choose new ways of relating.
Example: If you harbour unresolved feelings toward an important person (e.g. an absent father), your therapist might use the “empty chair” technique, inviting you to speak to an imagined version of them. This process can bring buried emotions to the surface, create a sense of closure, and open the door to reframing your relationship with the past.
9. Gottman Couples Therapy
Premise: Healthy relationships are built on friendship, trust, and effective conflict management. The Gottman method focuses on strengthening the “Sound Relationship House,” which includes building love maps, sharing fondness and admiration, and turning toward each other in everyday moments.
Example: If trust has been broken, your therapist may help both parties process what happened and express remorse and hurt. They might guide you to rebuild transparency (e.g. openly sharing schedules) and increase positive interactions, (e.g. expressing appreciation daily), thereby replacing suspicion with reliability and repairing the relationship.
10. Grief Therapy
Premise: Bereavement is a deeply personal process, and that healing comes from finding ways to live meaningfully while carrying the loss. Rather than “getting over” grief, Grief Therapy helps you process emotions, adjust to life without your loved one, and maintain a healthy, ongoing connection with your memory of them.
Example: Your therapist might guide you through telling the story of your grief and loss and exploring complex emotions such as anger, guilt, or even relief as they arise. Together, you might create rituals to honour your loved one (e.g. visiting a place you shared) and take small steps to re-engage with meaningful activities and relationships.
11. Hypnotherapy
Premise: A relaxed, focused state (often called a trance) can help you access your subconscious mind to address unhelpful patterns of thoughts and behaviours. In this state, you are more open to suggestions that can support positive change, while still remaining aware and in control.
Example: If you have a fear of flying, your hypnotherapist may guide you to visualise each stage of a flight—from arriving at the airport to landing—while remaining calm and in control. By repeatedly pairing these mental images with feelings of relaxation, your brain can reframe the experience and reduce the fear response when you encounter it in real life.
12. Internal Family Systems
Premise: Our mind is made up of different “parts,” each with its own perspectives, feelings, and roles. Some try to protect us; others carry pain from past experiences. IFS helps you build a compassionate relationship with all your parts, guided by your core “Self,” which is calm, curious, and grounded.
Example: If part of you wants to take on every project at work, but another feels fatigued, your therapist may help you explore each part’s motives. The former may fear being seen as inadequate, while the latter may be trying to protect you from burnout. Guided visualisation or dialogue helps these parts understand each other’s intentions, and negotiate an approach that balances achievement with self-care.
13. Interpersonal Therapy
Premise: Our relationships and social roles have a profound impact on our mental health. Rather than exploring your entire life history, IPT targets current relationship patterns and social functioning, focusing on improving communication and resolving interpersonal conflicts.
Example: If you’re a caregiver wrestling with feelings of overwhelm and resentment, your therapist may help you broach conversations about shared responsibilities with family members, communicate your needs more clearly, and strengthen your support network to reduce stress and isolation.
14. Mindfulness-Based Therapies
Premise: Paying purposeful, non-judgmental attention to the present moment can reduce distress. Combining mindfulness with cognitive and behavioural strategies, approaches like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) can help you relate differently to unhelpful thoughts and emotions, rather than trying to eliminate them.
Example: If you’re prone to rumination, your therapist may guide you through a “body scan” meditation—slowly moving your attention from head to toe, noticing sensations without trying to change them. Over time, this practice can train your mind to observe thoughts and feelings as passing events, making it easier to disengage from repetitive, negative thinking patterns.
15. Motivational Interviewing
Premise: Lasting change comes from tapping into your own motivations, rather than being told what to do. MI is a collaborative, non-judgmental approach that helps clients explore their own resistance, strengthen their commitment to change, and build confidence in their ability to do so.
Example: If you’re on the fence about quitting smoking, your therapist may help you identify personal reasons for change (e.g. being more present for loved ones) and explore past successes, reminding you that you already possess the motivation and skills to do it again. This supportive dialogue reduces defensiveness and encourages you to take actionable steps you feel ready and willing to commit to.
16. Narrative Therapy
Premise: The stories we tell about ourselves shape our identity. When these stories become problem-focused, they can limit how we see ourselves and what we believe is possible. NT helps you separate your identity from the problem and create narratives that reflect your values and strengths.
Example: If you feel like a failure after being laid off, your therapist might help you explore instances where you showed resilience, name this new narrative (e.g. “The Survivor”), and gather real-life examples that support it. Re-authoring your story can open up new possibilities about the future and shift your sense of self positively.
17. Person-Centred Therapy
Premise: Given the right therapeutic environment—one with empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuineness—people have an innate capacity for growth. Rather than directing the session, a person-centered therapist provides a safe, non-judgmental space for you to explore your thoughts and feelings at your own pace.
Example: If past bullying has damaged your self-worth and trust in others, your therapist might listen openly to your experiences, validate your feelings, and offer acceptance without trying to “fix” them. Being genuinely heard and accepted—perhaps for the first time—can shift how you see yourself and others, empowering you to make healthier choices.
18. Psychodynamic Therapy
Premise: Our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours today are influenced by early life experiences. By bringing these unconscious processes into awareness—often through exploring patterns in relationships with others, including your therapist—you can gain insight into the roots of your difficulties and make lasting changes.
Example: If you fear being close to others, your therapist may help you trace this pattern back to earlier experiences, such as being hurt by a trusted adult. In the safety of the therapeutic space, you might explore how this fear manifests today—perhaps by keeping others, including your therapist, at a distance—and experiment with new ways of connecting with others and building fulfilling relationships.
19. Schema Therapy
Premise: Schemas, or long-standing patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving, are often formed in childhood in response to unmet emotional needs. While these patterns may have helped you cope in the past, they can become unhelpful in adulthood, negatively influencing how you see yourself, others, and the world.
Example: If you believe that you will be abandoned, you might feel anxious when your partner is momentarily unavailable, fearing they will leave you. Your therapist may help you understand the origins of this schema, identify its triggers, and use techniques such as imagery rescripting to meet the unmet needs from your past in healthier ways.
20. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Premise: Focusing on solutions, rather than dwelling on problems, can create meaningful change in a short timeframe. SFBT assumes that you already have the strengths and resources you need to overcome challenges, and is centred on identifying and building on these.
Example: if you’re feeling burnt out at work, your therapist may encourage you to recall instances where you felt more engaged and identify what contributed to that. Together, you’d explore how to bring more of those elements—be it supportive colleagues or a meaningful goal—into the present and set small, achievable steps toward your preferred future.
21. Somatic Therapy
Premise: As the body and mind are deeply interconnected, unresolved trauma or stress can be stored in the body, manifesting as tension, pain, or other physical symptoms. By incorporating body-based techniques, somatic approaches aim to release stored stress, restore a sense of safety, and improve emotional regulation.
Example: If you feel shaken when recalling a difficult event, your therapist may ground you and introduce gentle movements or postures to help your body shift out of its defensive state. Over time, this process can reduce the physical imprint of distress and increase your ability to stay calm in triggering situations.
22. Systemic Therapy
Premise: Individual issues cannot be fully understood in isolation; they must be seen within the context of the relationships, groups, and systems you are part of, such as family, workplace, or community. Systemic therapy focuses on patterns of interaction, communication, and roles to create healthier dynamics.
Example: If a teenager is in persistent conflict with their parents, the therapist might work with them individually to map out family interaction patterns and explore how each person’s behaviour influences the others. They might also share insights and strategies with their parents, ensuring the family system responds supportively as the teen practises new communication skills.
23. Transactional Analysis
Premise: We interact with others through three ego states—Parent, Adult, and Child—that shape how we think, feel, and behave in relationships. By being aware of the ego state we are communicating from and how others are responding, we can break unhelpful patterns and build healthier interactions.
Example: If you find it hard to receive feedback, your therapist may help you notice if you’re responding from your “Child” state by shutting down or becoming argumentative. Through role-play, you might practise shifting into your “Adult” state by processing feedback objectively, asking clarifying questions, and responding in ways that support the relationship.
Therapy at Intellect Clinic
Now, you don’t need to know the ins and outs of these modalities to start therapy, though you’re welcome to ask your therapist about the approaches they’re using if you’re curious. And if this isn’t your first rodeo, sharing what has or hasn’t worked for you can also give your therapist a head start in tailoring their approach.
50-minute sessions with our counsellors and clinical psychologists are priced at $160 and $240 (Singapore dollars) respectively, and we offer appointments at our clinics in:
- Marina One
- Dhoby Gaut
- Tanjong Pagar
- Woodleigh
- Tembeling
