What is Integrative Therapy?

Integrative therapy is a personalised and comprehensive approach to therapy that combines various techniques and concepts from different therapeutic schools to meet the unique needs of a given client. An integrative approach seeks to consider an individual’s mental, physical, and emotional health in a whole and unified way.

You, the client, rather than the therapist, are the expert on yourself, and we work together to understand the sources of your concerns, whether they be anxiety, unhappiness, physical discomfort, or limiting behaviours.

An integrative approach is comprehensive, which means we consider various factors besides mental constructs such as negative self-talk and limiting beliefs. These include being mindful of corresponding bodily sensations that may arise and/or parts that may be in conflict with one another. Through EFT, mindful focusing or other somatic interventions that include the body, we notice all of what presents with the current concern.

Research shows that ultimately our stresses and limitations are held not only in our mental narratives but also physiologically in our body and nervous system. Both somatic and cognitive approaches are essential for healing, recovering and building resilience as we make positive life changes.

Woman having an integrative counselling session in Hong Kong

For example, when working with anxiety, we not only notice negative thought patterns, beliefs, and fears but also pay attention to any associated physical sensations, such as tightness in the chest or an increased heart rate. Similarly, this process works in reverse – when addressing physical symptoms, such as frozen shoulder or back pain (whether it is acute or chronic), we can also explore the associated emotions, thoughts, and beliefs that arise while noticing the sensations in the body.

It’s worth noting that emotional ‘stress’ can frequently exacerbate pain. Acknowledging the specific emotional aspects of physical problems often helps to release energetic blocks and facilitate healing in the body.

When working with physical symptoms, I often work in conjunction with other professionals, such as physiotherapists or naturopathic doctors, for improved outcomes. Ultimately, my integrative approach allows me to meet you where you are, to address your specific, individual needs.

As an integrative counsellor and psychotherapist, I believe that embarking on a journey of self-discovery and increased self-awareness is an essential step towards improving our overall well-being and finding more fulfilment and meaning in life. Through the processes of awareness, we can gain deeper insight into our life experiences. Through acceptance and change, we can develop the skills necessary to make healthier choices that support our physical, emotional, and psychological well-being. This journey is not always easy, but it can bring profound personal growth and transformation so we feel empowered to live our best life.

Whether it is acute or chronic pain, emotional discomfort or mental angst, together we will work with your current concerns towards healing. With compassion, patience, and empathic insight, my intention is to get you well on your way to living a life that is fulfilling and meaningful, where you can feel freedom, happiness and joy.

“I’m not talking about a connection. My thesis is the mind and body are one thing. If you see it as one thing, then wherever you’re putting the mind, you’re necessarily putting the body. When I’m talking about mind-body unity as one thing, that means every single thought you have affects your health. So, being happy is not a trivial thing. When you’re being happy, the only way you can be happy is by this act of noticing and that’s very important for your health.” – Dr. Ellen Langer, researcher and professor of psychology at Harvard University

Questions you may have:

Counselling and psychotherapy are both forms of talk therapy, but they differ in their focus and duration.

Counselling is typically a short-term approach aimed at addressing specific issues or challenges. Examples include managing work stress, fear of public speaking, burnout, phobias, adjustment problems or handling minor relationship difficulties. Counselling provides guidance and practical tools to effectively manage these concerns and restore a sense of balance in life.

Psychotherapy is a more in-depth, long-term process that delves into deeper, more complex issues. We explore self-perceptions, patterns of thought and behaviour, unresolved trauma, or deeply rooted conflicts that may stem from childhood or past experiences. For example, depression, anxiety issues, trauma and abuse, long-standing relationship problems, family conflicts or chronic conditions. Psychotherapy seeks to promote self-awareness and long-lasting change by addressing the underlying, often unconscious, causes of distress.

While Counselling tends to focus on the here and now, Psychotherapy involves exploring the past to understand how it influences the present. Both approaches are valuable and may even overlap depending on individual needs, such as the nature and depth of the challenges a person is facing.

Signs that you could benefit from therapy include:

  • You experience anxious feelings.
  • You experience low moods for prolonged periods of time.
  • You don’t feel better despite efforts and help from family and friends.
  • You worry excessively and expect the worst of most situations.
  • You’re struggling with relationship difficulties or a with navigating a distressing breakup.
  • You notice inexplicable changes in mood or behaviours or feel constantly irritable.
  • You feel stuck in grief or need help navigating the grief of a recent loss.
  • You have an upcoming surgery and could use support through the process, including through recovery.
  • You are looking for emotional support through a serious illness.
  • You’re feeling uncertain about a change in life path and or career.
  • You have trouble adjusting to a new life situation
  • You’ve had a stressful or distressing experience which needs to be shared and processed in a safe environment. This may include separation or divorce, loss of a loved one, an accident, relocation, witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event, or childhood trauma.
  • You’re experiencing a personal crisis, because life does not always flow in the way we want it to, and you may not have the resources to cope with unexpected events.
  • Despite wanting to succeed, you’re finding it difficult to set or achieve goals.

Therapy can also serve as a guide for personal development, to expand awareness and grow into one’s full potential, and can be beneficial for anyone.

Each individual is unique, and as a result, the ideal frequency of therapy sessions can vary.

In general, attending one session per week is often most effective for maintaining continuity and establishing rapport and trust. Weekly sessions also provide sufficient time to reflect and process experiences before moving forward. Some clients prefer bi-weekly or multiple sessions per week, depending on specific needs and circumstances.

As part of a collaborative process, we will typically discuss and determine the pace and frequency of sessions that would be most suitable for you. 

A standard individual session is 60 minutes. Depending on your needs, sessions can be 90 minutes for a different fee.

I offer both online sessions (via Zoom) and in-person sessions to accommodate your preferences and convenience. The effectiveness of the sessions remains consistent in both formats, as outcomes are not influenced by whether the sessions are conducted online or in person.

“Discussing emotions is not always easy for people. But ultimately, to create a healthy and thriving society, one in which we are not simply materially successful but relationally aware, we need to get comfortable with understanding and expressing emotions.”