Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is a therapy which has been demonstrated to be effective for a range of mental health concerns, including depression and anxiety; eating disorders; substance-use issues; relationship difficulties; and even some severe mental illnesses. A core principle of CBT is that psychological problems are, in part, influenced by unhelpful thinking patterns, and unhelpful coping behaviours. CBT focuses on identifying the interactions between a person's thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. CBT is a goal-focused therapy, often fairly structured, with a focus on strategies to alter thoughts and behaviour to align better with good psychological and social functioning. It may include thought re-structuring; problem solving; behavioural experiments or exposure therapies; and de-arousal strategies.

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More can be read about CBT here.

Schema-Focused Therapy is a therapy approach which draws from CBT; Gestalt and experiential therapies; and Attachment and Object-Relations theory. Schema-focused therapy assumes that everyone has emotional needs that are universal and present from childhood (including safety, stability, nurturance, acceptance, autonomy, competence, identity, expression, spontaneity and play, and realistic limits), and that psychological and social dysfunction are often, in part, attributed to these needs not being met in childhood. Unmet needs are seen to lead to the development of early maladaptive schemas, which are broad, pervasive patterns of memories, emotions, thoughts, and bodily sensations relating to the way one views themselves and their relationships with others. Schemas can become problematic when they lead an individual to maintain a particular unhealthy type of attachment, relationship, or environment, as well as continuing to engage in coping styles that cause harm or dysfunction in their life. Schema-therapy: recognises the importance of the therapeutic relationship in offering corrective emotional experiences; helps clients to learn how to get their emotional needs met adaptively; and helps clients to process aversive childhood experiences via experiential therapies aimed at changing the emotional intensity attached to these memories.

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More can be read about Schema-Focused Therapy here.

Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) was developed by Prof. Paul Gilbert and is particularly helpful for individuals with high shame and self-criticism. It combines Jungian principles; evolutionary psychology; neuroscience; cognitive-behavioural ideas; and Buddhist philosophies. There is increasing evidence that the ability to practice compassion towards self and others assists with building positive relationships and improved physical and mental well-being. CFT assumes that psychological dysfunction is often associated with a combination of environmental factors (e.g., stressors, threats to physical or emotional safety) and difficulties with the brain's self-soothing system (i.e., one's ability to regulate their emotional responses). It also assumes that we all have the ability to activate our self-soothing system within the brain by dis-engaging from things like rumination or self-criticism, or de-threatening intense emotional experiences via mindfulness techniques. Therapy involves a combination  of psychoeducation about the emotional regulation systems within the brain, various emotional regulation strategies, mindfulness strategies, and imagery techniques to develop a compassionate mind-set and to help process traumatic internal emotional experiences.

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More can be read about CFT here and an interesting talk from Professor Paul Gilbert on CFT can be viewed here.