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My Therapeutic Approaches
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At Apex Therapy & Coaching, I understand that no two people are the same — and neither are their journeys to healing and growth. That is why I offer a broad range of therapeutic models and approaches, allowing us to tailor our work to what is right for you as an individual, couple, or family.

Whether you are seeking support for trauma, anxiety, relationship difficulties, life transitions, or something else entirely, our therapists draw on a diverse and evidence-based toolkit to help you find the path that works best for you.

 

Below you will find an overview of the therapeutic approaches we use across our Chester, Flint, and Deeside practices, as well as in our worldwide teletherapy sessions. If you are unsure which approach might suit you, please don't worry — we will always take the time to explore this with you together.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT helps you develop psychological flexibility by learning to accept difficult thoughts and feelings rather than fighting them. Through mindfulness and values-based action, you'll build a richer, more meaningful life even in the presence of pain or uncertainty.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT explores the connection between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. By identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and gently challenging them, you can develop healthier ways of responding to life's difficulties.

 

Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)

CFT was developed to help people who struggle with high levels of shame and self-criticism. Drawing on neuroscience and evolutionary psychology, it cultivates warmth and compassion — both towards yourself and others — as a foundation for emotional healing.

Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT)

CRAFT is an evidence-based approach designed to support family members and loved ones of people struggling with addiction. It teaches practical communication and behavioural strategies to help your loved one engage with treatment, while also improving your own wellbeing.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

DBT blends acceptance and change, helping you build skills in four key areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. It is particularly helpful for managing intense emotions and improving relationships.

 

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

EFT focuses on the emotional bonds between people. Whether working individually or with a partner, it helps you understand and reshape emotional responses, fostering deeper connection, security, and trust in your most important relationships.

 

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR is a structured, evidence-based therapy for trauma. Using bilateral stimulation — such as guided eye movements — it helps the brain process distressing memories so they lose their emotional intensity and no longer interfere with daily life.

 

Existential Therapy

Existential therapy invites you to explore the deeper questions of human existence — meaning, freedom, choice, and mortality. Rather than focusing solely on symptoms, it encourages honest reflection on how you are living your life and what truly matters to you. It can be particularly helpful for those navigating major life transitions, feelings of emptiness, or a sense that something is missing. Through this process, you can develop a clearer sense of purpose, take ownership of your choices, and build a more authentic and fulfilling life.

Focusing and Mindfulness

Focusing and Mindfulness invites you to slow down and tune into the subtle bodily sense of your inner experience. Developed by Eugene Gendlin, Focusing works alongside mindfulness practices to help you listen deeply to what your body and emotions are telling you. This gentle, non-directive approach can unlock new insights and support lasting emotional healing from the inside out.

 

Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt therapy emphasises present-moment awareness and personal responsibility. Rather than focusing solely on the past, it explores how you experience yourself right now — in your body, emotions, and relationships — to promote authentic self-expression and growth.

 

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy uses a deeply relaxed, focused state of awareness to help access the subconscious mind. In this receptive state, unhelpful patterns, beliefs, and behaviours can be explored and gently shifted. It can be effective for a wide range of concerns including anxiety, phobias, confidence, sleep difficulties, and unwanted habits.

 

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

IFS views the mind as made up of different "parts," each with its own perspective and role. By developing a compassionate relationship with all parts of yourself — including those that feel wounded or protective — you can achieve greater inner harmony and healing.

 

Jungian Therapy

Rooted in the work of Carl Jung, this depth psychology approach explores the unconscious mind, including dreams, symbols, and archetypes. It supports a journey of self-discovery and individuation — the process of becoming more fully and authentically yourself.

 

Muss Rewind Trauma Therapy

The Rewind Technique is a gentle, non-intrusive approach to treating trauma, phobias, and anxiety. Unlike some trauma therapies, it does not require you to talk in detail about distressing experiences, making it a safe and accessible option for those who find it difficult to revisit painful memories. By working with the brain's natural processing mechanisms, it helps neutralise the emotional charge attached to traumatic memories, allowing you to move forward with greater freedom and calm.

 

Narrative Therapy

Narrative therapy recognises that the stories we tell about our lives shape how we see ourselves. By examining and reauthoring unhelpful narratives, you can separate your identity from your problems and discover a more empowering way of understanding your experiences.

 

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)

NLP explores the relationship between how we think (neuro), how we communicate (linguistic), and the patterns of behaviour we have developed (programming). By becoming aware of and reshaping these patterns, NLP can support positive change in confidence, communication, relationships, and emotional wellbeing.

Positive Psychology Coaching

Positive Psychology Coaching draws on the science of wellbeing, strengths, and human flourishing. Rather than focusing on what is wrong, it explores what is right — helping you identify and build on your natural strengths, cultivate resilience, and move purposefully towards a more meaningful and satisfying life.

 

Psychodynamic Therapy

Psychodynamic therapy explores how unconscious processes, past experiences, and early relationships shape your current thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Through a reflective and collaborative therapeutic relationship, it supports deep self-understanding and meaningful, lasting change.

 

Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT)

Developed by Albert Ellis, REBT identifies the irrational beliefs that drive emotional distress and helps you actively challenge and replace them with more rational, flexible thinking. It is a practical, direct approach to changing how you feel by changing how you think.

 

Schema Therapy

Schema therapy identifies deep-rooted patterns — or "schemas" — formed in childhood that continue to drive unhelpful behaviours and emotional pain in adulthood. By understanding and healing these core patterns, lasting change becomes possible even for longstanding difficulties.

Somatic Experiencing

Somatic Experiencing is a body-focused approach to healing trauma and stress. Developed by Dr Peter Levine, it recognises that trauma is held not just in the mind but in the body. By gently tracking physical sensations, it helps release stored tension and restore the nervous system's natural balance, supporting deep and lasting recovery.

 

Stress-Strain Coping Strategies (SSCS)

SSCS focuses on understanding the relationship between external stressors and the internal strain they create. By building a personalised toolkit of coping strategies, you can manage stress more effectively, build resilience, and protect your long-term mental health.

Tapping (Emotional Freedom Technique - EFT or Thought Field Therapy - TFT)

Tapping, also known as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), combines elements of cognitive therapy with acupressure. By tapping on specific meridian points on the body while focusing on a distressing thought or feeling, it helps to calm the nervous system and reduce the emotional intensity of difficult experiences. It is a practical, self-empowering tool that can be used both in sessions and in everyday life.

 

Three-Stage Trauma Recovery Model

Based on the pioneering work of Judith Herman, this model guides trauma recovery through three stages: establishing safety and stability, processing and mourning traumatic experiences, and reconnecting with everyday life. It offers a compassionate, structured path through even the most complex trauma.

This website is not intended as a substitute for urgent medical care. Please seek immediate assistance if necessary.
                     

Chester - Deeside - Flint - Surrounding Areas and Worldwide via Teletherapy (Online or Telephone)

organisational registration

Accredited Fellow Member of ACCPH (Association for Counsellors, Coaches, Psychotherapists and Hypnotherapists) – Reg. No. 0000002096

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Apex Therapy & Coaching 
2026

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