When choosing which Psychologist or Psychology Practice to start with consider the types of therapies on offer. With so many different therapies offered by Melbourne Psychologists, you’d be forgiven for feeling a bit overwhelmed from the get go! In this guide we break down the different types of therapy available from Melbourne’s psychologists so you can make an informed decision on your journey to emotional wellness and resilience.
Key Points
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a personalised and evidence based approach that is tailored to individual needs including cultural backgrounds and mental and physical health concerns. Research has shown that CBT is effective for many disorders including anxiety and depression with long term benefits for recovery. Because of its strong evidence base it’s one of the most commonly used therapy by Psychologists in Melbourne and often incorporates a range of CBT techniques.
- The therapeutic relationship is the foundation of good therapy, building trust, empathy and clear communication to create a safe space for growth, healing and recovery for all sorts of mental health issues including stress management. Melbourne’s therapeutic options include Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Mindfulness-based Therapies, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Schema Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS) and EMDR Therapy for mental health needs from eating disorders to chronic pain and building psychological resilience. Each of these therapies has varying degrees of research evidence to support their effectiveness for different conditions and populations.
- Melbourne Psychologists are experienced, caring and committed to recovery, offer a range of services that are accessible and culturally sensitive to the community’s diverse population.
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Table of Contents
Therapy Considerations: Laying the Foundation for Recovery and Healing
Evidence Based Therapy
Melbourne Psychologists work under what’s called a “scientist-practitioner model.” This means that their practice as therapists is informed by science, or in other words the therapies they use are evidence based which means the therapy is proven to work.
Therapies are tested by psychologists at universities in Australia and around the world to see if they work for specific mental health conditions including post traumatic stress disorder. Psychologists in Melbourne and Australia wide will use therapeutic modalities that are recommended by the research. Your psychologist will tell you what the research says about the therapy they are recommending for you.
If you’re not sure if a therapy is evidence based, ask your psychologist.
Tailored Support for Individual Needs
Good therapy is not one size fits all treatment. Therapists offer personal support, culturally sensitive care and a mental health care plan that addresses the psychological issues and life challenges, a roadmap for recovery.
Often Psychologists in Melbourne won’t offer just one type of therapy, they will bring together a range of therapies. This allows Psychologists to create a treatment plan that’s been custom made for the person they are working with.
Building a Strong Client-Therapist Connection
A good client-therapist relationship is essential for therapy and recovery. This is not just important in sensitive areas like couples therapy and grief therapy, trust and empathy are key in all therapy regardless of the issue.
While each therapy has research to support its effectiveness with certain populations, there is also a growing body of research that suggests the therapeutic relationship may be more important and critical to progress and recovery than the type of therapy used. So it’s important you feel the therapeutic relationship is one where you feel safe, trusted and confident in the work between you and your Psychologist.
Creating a Safe Space for Therapy
Creating a safe space involves your Psychologist setting therapeutic boundaries and building trust in the therapeutic relationship. Trust can take time to develop and we encourage you to tell your Psychologist how you are feeling. Some aspects of many therapies can’t start without trust in the therapeutic relationship. For example exposure therapy for anxiety and repetitive behaviors, or trauma processing in Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR). If you ever feel your safety is compromised in the therapeutic relationship, tell your Psychologist or another health professional as soon as possible.
Trust and Communication
Trust and communication are key to a successful therapeutic process and recovery. These are important relational aspects within your 1:1 therapeutic relationship with your Psychologist but also if you are working with a team of health professionals. You should feel you can speak up about your experiences in therapy with your Psychologist. They may need feedback about how you are going in therapy – but if not – you can tell your therapist how the therapy is making you feel at any time. This helps to build trust and for your therapist to tailor the therapy to you.
If you are working with a Psychologist or a team of multiple health practitioners (doctors, Psychologists, psychiatrists etc) trust and communication within your team is also important. An experienced team will communicate with each other about important handover information around your psychological assessment and ongoing psychological care.

Therapy Options in Melbourne for Psychological Recovery
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a structured, goal oriented psychotherapy that addresses negative thought patterns and counterproductive behaviours. It helps individuals change their thinking patterns and develop healthier ways of thinking and behaving. As an evidence based treatment CBT stands out for its effectiveness across a range of conditions including but not limited to anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorders, eating disorders and chronic pain management. It’s particularly good at addressing the complex interplay between mental and physical health, a holistic approach to wellbeing. The success of CBT is well documented through numerous research studies and is probably the most researched and validated type of therapy over the last 30 years. Most Psychologists in Melbourne have training in CBT techniques.
Mindfulness based Therapies
Mindfulness based therapies encourage individuals to pay attention to their moment to moment awareness of their thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations and surroundings. This is particularly good for emotional wellbeing, reducing stress and addressing various mental health conditions and contributing to recovery. By learning to observe their internal experiences without getting caught up in them individuals can develop a more compassionate and balanced perspective. Mindfulness has been shown through research to be an effective component of treatment for a wide range of issues including depression, anxiety, eating disorder, PTSD, substance abuse and borderline personality disorder.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a type of psychotherapy that combines traditional behaviour change techniques with mindfulness to increase psychological flexibility. By helping individuals to accept their thoughts and feelings rather than fighting or feeling guilty about them ACT can increase their ability to accept and tolerate their emotional states. ACT also focuses on the therapeutic relationship as it encourages active collaboration between the therapist and client. ACT is effective for treating a range of psychological disorders not limited to but including depression, anxiety and stress related issues. It helps us in our recovery journey by teaching us how to live in accordance with our values and take action towards our goals.


Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
DBT or Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is a evidence based psychotherapy that combines cognitive behavioural techniques with mindfulness principles from Eastern meditative practices. It’s good at teaching patients a set of skills to navigate through painful and intense emotions and reduce interpersonal conflicts so they can improve their relationships and overall wellbeing. DBT was originally designed to treat Borderline Personality Disorder but is now used to treat a range of mood disorders and other complex mental health issues. The DBT strategy is based on a dialectical philosophy that balances acceptance and change, helping individuals to accept their current reality while working towards personal growth. Research supports the effectiveness of DBT especially for emotional regulation.
Schema Therapy
Schema Therapy is a integrative psychotherapy that combines cognitive behavioural, experiential, interpersonal and psychoanalytic therapies into one model. It’s considered a more advanced form of cognitive behaviour therapy and is designed to identify and change deeply ingrained patterns or themes in thinking and behaviour known as schemas. These schemas are at the root of chronic psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, eating disorder, personality issues and are part of what’s causing psychological distress, difficulty to function and relationship problems. Schema Therapy helps individuals break free from the maladaptive coping mechanisms that have hindered their recovery and personal growth. Research has shown support for Schema Therapy as a transformative treatment for chronic mental health conditions especially personality disorders.
EMDR Therapy Melbourne
EMDR or Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing is a type of psychotherapy designed to reduce the distress associated with traumatic memories such as those experienced by people with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). EMDR involves the client recalling distressing images while doing side to side eye movements. This allows the brain to reprocess the traumatic memories so they no longer elicit the same intense emotional response. EMDR has been researched extensively and has been shown to be effective for PTSD and is now recommended as a first line treatment for PTSD by the World Health Organisation. Besides PTSD there is growing evidence that EMDR can help with other mental health issues and can be used to treat depression, anxiety and post traumatic stress disorder in management.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
IFS or Internal Family Systems is a therapeutic approach that goes into the inner world of an individual by identifying different emotional and cognitive patterns or “parts” within the mind. This helps with recovery by understanding each part’s perspective and role in the internal psychological system. IFS creates a dynamic and compassionate inner dialogue that promotes healing especially for individuals with complex trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and eating disorder. The IFS process encourages the integration of these parts into a more cohesive self so there’s a peaceful inner environment and improved emotional wellbeing. As research into IFS continues to grow, emerging studies are showing its effectiveness in improving mental health outcomes especially in trauma and PTSD.
Mentalisation-Based Therapy (MBT)
Mentalisation-Based Therapy (MBT) is a therapeutic approach that helps an individual to mentalise their behaviour which means to understand the mental states that underlie human behaviour in oneself and others. This is especially effective for individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) as it helps clients to regulate emotions, reduce impulsivity and improve interpersonal relationships which leads to healing and resilience.
What about Psychoanalytic Therapy?
Psychoanalytic Therapy is a type of therapy that goes deep into an individual’s unconscious processes and tries to uncover patterns and conflicts that have roots in past experiences. This intense therapy requires clients to attend multiple sessions a week for many years so it’s a long term commitment. Due to the extensive nature of this therapy, only a few practices in Melbourne offer Psychoanalytic Therapy. These practices have therapists who are trained in psychoanalytic techniques and can provide the consistent and deep level of engagement required for this type of work.


Where to From Here? Melbourne’s Therapeutic Options for Better Mental Health and What They Mean For You
Just know the basics
While it’s good to know the basics of the different therapies in Melbourne, you don’t need to be an expert in every therapy out there. Knowing the basics empowers you to have an informed conversation with your psychologist about the therapies that resonate with you and your recovery goals. But the details and nuances of each therapy is the psychologist’s domain and they will guide you through the process and explain how each therapy works and how it can help your specific situation. The goal is to find a therapeutic fit for you and your healing without you needing to be an expert in every therapy.
Working Together to Find the Right Therapy
Your psychologist will do an assessment and together you’ll work out which therapy or combination of therapies will suit your recovery journey and your individual needs. It’s normal to feel uncertain or even a bit overwhelmed by the different therapies out there. But remember your psychologist is there to guide you through the process and explain how each therapy works and how it can help your specific situation. Whether it’s exploring cognitive patterns through CBT, practising mindfulness or working through complex emotions through DBT, the goal is to find a fit for you and your healing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Melbourne has CBT, ACT, DBT, EMDR, Schema Therapy and IFS to deal with anxiety, depression, eating disorders and chronic pain. These therapies are evidence based and can be tailored to individual recovery needs.
Melbourne has CBT, ACT, DBT, EMDR, Schema Therapy and IFS to deal with anxiety, depression, eating disorders and chronic pain. These therapies are evidence based and can be tailored to individual recovery needs.
To find the therapy that suits your treatment preferences and recovery goals talk to a psychologist in Melbourne. They can help you find a treatment that matches your mental and physical health.
In your first session your psychologist will discuss your background, current issues and what you hope to achieve with therapy. This will help your psychologist create a treatment plan for you and get you started on the road to recovery.
Cova Psychology offers clients a warm and individualised approach to therapy, with a range of evidence based treatments including CBT, ACT, DBT, Schema Therapy, EMDR and IFS. With a team of experienced professionals, team Cova Psychology support individuals to understand and overcome their mental health issues, build resilience and achieve long term recovery.
Cova Psychology for Your Mental Health in Melbourne
The team at Cova Psychology, located in the Melbourne CBD, is known for its evidence based psychological services in Melbourne. Our team of Psychologists are committed to providing individualised therapy in the heart of Melbourne CBD. At Cova Psychology we believe a supportive and collaborative environment is key to recovery. Clients have access to a range of therapies including CBT, ACT, DBT, Schema Therapy, EMDR and IFS for a wide range of mental health issues. We are committed to ongoing learning and application of the latest research so you can have access to the latest treatment options in the Melbourne CBD. Contact us or book now.


Dr. Chris Coleiro
Chris is Clinical Psychologist and a co-director of Cova Psychology, located in the Melbourne CBD, where he provides supervision to psychologists whilst cultivating a supportive culture within the Cova team. Chris has worked extensively in the assessment and treatment of trauma, PTSD, and Borderline Personality Disorder. He combines a range of therapies in his approach including CBT, Schema Therapy, EMDR and IFS. Chris is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), the APS college of Clinical Psychology, and of the Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing Australian Association (EMDRAA).