Types of Therapy Explained: CBT, DBT, IFS, EFT, Gottman & More

Choosing therapy often starts with an alphabet soup: CBT, DBT, IFS, EFT... As a counsellor and psychotherapist trained across many of these approaches, here's my honest, plain-English guide to what each one actually does, and which kinds of problems each fits best. I practise the majority of these myself, so where an approach is mine, I've said so.

CBT, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

The most researched therapy in the world. CBT maps how thoughts, feelings and behaviours feed each other, then changes the pattern with practical, testable steps. Best for anxiety, depression, stress and overthinking. I'm CBT-trained and use it daily.

MBCT, Mindfulness-Based CBT

CBT's mindful sibling: instead of only challenging thoughts, you change your relationship to them, powerful against rumination and depression relapse. Part of my core toolkit.

REBT, Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy

CBT's direct ancestor, famously direct: it hunts the rigid 'musts' and 'shoulds' underneath distress. I draw on REBT within my CBT work when its head-on style fits.

DBT, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy

Built for emotions that arrive big and fast: four skill families covering mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance and relationships. I teach DBT skills one-to-one online.

ACT, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Less fighting with thoughts, more living by values while carrying discomfort lightly. One of the approaches I blend into integrative work.

IFS, Internal Family Systems

Parts work: the inner critic, the pleaser, the protector, understood as a system that can heal when your core Self leads. Gentle and profound, especially for trauma and self-criticism. I'm IFS-trained.

EFT, Emotionally Focused Therapy

The attachment-science couples therapy: de-escalate the pursue-withdraw cycle, then rebuild secure bonds through structured vulnerable conversations. I practise EFT with couples online.

The Gottman Method

Four decades of research on real couples, distilled into concrete skills: the Four Horsemen and their antidotes, love maps, repair attempts. I'm Gottman-trained.

Narrative therapy

You are not the problem, the problem is the problem. Externalise it, find the exceptions, and re-author the story you live by. I offer narrative therapy online.

Person-centred, psychodynamic and more

Person-centred therapy trusts your own capacity for growth inside a genuinely accepting relationship; psychodynamic work traces present patterns to their past roots; solution-focused therapy builds forward from what already works; motivational interviewing resolves ambivalence about change. All of these live in my integrative toolkit, see my full training.

What about 'MFT'?

In the US, MFT (Marriage and Family Therapist) is a licensed title, like 'psychologist' in Australia, rather than a method. I'm not a US-licensed MFT; I'm an Australian-registered counsellor and psychotherapist trained in marriage and family approaches including Gottman and EFT. For the full titles story, read my guide to psychotherapist vs therapist vs counsellor.

So which therapy should you choose?

Here's the honest answer: for most people, the specific modality matters less than the fit with your therapist, and good integrative therapists choose the approach to fit you rather than squeezing you into their one method. That's exactly how I practise. If you're unsure, bring the question to a free 15-minute consultation and we'll work it out together.