Cognitive-behavioural therapy stresses the role of thinking in how we feel and what we do. It is based on the belief that thoughts, rather than people or events, cause our negative feelings. The therapist assists the client in identifying, testing the reality of, and correcting dysfunctional beliefs underlying his or her thinking. The therapist then helps the client modify those thoughts and the behaviours that flow from them. CBT is a structured collaboration between therapist and client and often calls for homework assignments. CBT has been clinically proven to help clients in a relatively short amount of time with a wide range of disorders, including depression and anxiety.

Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) may assist individuals who struggle with mood disorders, anxiety, or feelings of shame and self-criticism, often stemming from early experiences of abuse or neglect. Through exercises like role-playing, visualization, meditation, and activities that promote gratitude for everyday life, CFT teaches clients about the mind-body connection and guides them in practicing awareness of their thoughts and bodily sensations. This helps clients cultivate self-compassion and compassion for others, which can help regulate their emotions and foster a sense of safety, self-acceptance, and comfort.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an action-focused approach to psychotherapy that originates from traditional behaviour therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy. In ACT, clients learn to cease avoiding, denying, and battling internal emotions. Instead, they accept these deeper feelings as appropriate responses to specific situations, which should not hinder their progress in life. By embracing this perspective, clients start to take their difficulties and commit to essential changes in their behaviour, regardless of their current life circumstances or feelings.

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is an approach to therapy that helps clients identify their emotions, learn to explore and experience them, understand them and then manage them. Emotionally Focused Therapy embraces the idea that emotions can be changed by arriving at or 'living' the maladaptive emotion (e.g. loss, fear or shame) in session and then learning to transform it. Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples seeks to break the negative emotion cycles within relationships, emphasizing the importance of the attachment bond between couples and how nurturing the attachment bonds and an empathetic understanding of each one’s emotions can break the cycles.

The humanistic method takes a positive view of human nature and emphasizes the individual's uniqueness. Therapists in this tradition who are interested in exploring the nature of creativity, love, and self-actualization help clients realize their potential through change and self-directed growth. Humanistic therapy is also an umbrella term for gestalt, client-centred therapy, and existential therapy.

For clients with chronic pain, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, and other health issues such as anxiety and depression, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, or MBCT, is a two-part therapy that aims to reduce stress, manage pain, and embrace the freedom to respond to situations by choice. MCBT blends two disciplines--cognitive therapy and mindfulness. Mindfulness helps by reflecting on moments and thoughts without passing judgment. MBCT clients pay close attention to their feelings to reach an objective mindset, thus viewing and combating life's unpleasant occurrences.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a therapy method that engages clients' motivation to change their behavior. Clients are encouraged to explore and confront their ambivalence. Therapists attempt to influence their clients to consider making changes, rather than non-directively explore themselves. Motivational Interviewing is frequently used in cases of problem drinking or mild addictions.

Person-centred therapy uses a non-authoritative approach that allows clients to take more of a lead in discussions so that, in the process, they will discover their solutions. The therapist acts as a compassionate facilitator, listening without judgment and acknowledging the client's experience without moving the conversation in another direction. The therapist is there to encourage and support the client and to guide the therapeutic process without interrupting or interfering with the client's process of self-discovery.

Solution-focused therapy, sometimes called "brief therapy," focuses on what clients would like to achieve through therapy rather than on their troubles or mental health issues. The therapist will help the client envision a desirable future and then map out the small and large changes necessary for the client to undergo to realize their vision. The therapist will seize on any successes the client experiences to encourage them to build on their strengths rather than dwell on their problems or limitations.

Strength-based therapy is positive psychotherapy and counselling that focuses more on internal strengths and resourcefulness and less on weaknesses, failures, and shortcomings. This focus sets up a positive mindset that helps you build on your best qualities, find your strengths, improve resilience, and change your worldview to a more positive one. A positive attitude, in turn, can help your expectations of yourself and others become more reasonable.