Evaluating therapies

Green spiky thistle plants with purple flowers against a blurred grey background.
EVALUATING THERAPIES

In therapy or meditation, is it normal to feel worse at first?

A ‘no pain, no gain’ mentality might make sense when striving for change – but don’t confuse discomfort and distress

by Nicholas Van Dam

Photo of a wooden door with a metal chain lock, slightly scuffed surface and ornate latch on top against a dark background.
WORRY AND RUMINATION

Should you confront your worries or try to banish them?

Psychotherapists have long believed it’s a bad idea to suppress worrisome thoughts, but new research is prompting a rethink

by Shayla Love

Stone relief depicting interrogation methods with figures enacting scenes of torture, accompanied by descriptive text.
COGNITIVE AND BEHAVIOURAL THERAPIES

CBT is the ‘gold standard’, but is that just for white people?

CBT is supported by a strong evidence base. However, effective cultural adaptation of the therapy is a work in progress

by Shayla Love

Photo of a child cuddling a small dog, sitting on a blanket indoors. The child gently rests their face against the dog.
EVALUATING THERAPIES

Time to move beyond the anecdotes around animal-assisted therapies

There’s so much excitement about using animals to help children with mental health problems, but what does the science say?

by Mirena Dimolareva