Michelle Preston

How therapeutic approaches work online

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, focuses on helping people notice their thoughts and feelings without being driven by them, and then commit to actions that reflect their values; it can be useful for anxiety, low mood and life changes. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, CBT, works by identifying unhelpful thought and behaviour patterns and testing new ways of thinking and acting to reduce distress and improve coping. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationship patterns affect current relationships and emotional responses, helping people understand and change repeating cycles.

Choosing the right approach is a collaborative process. The therapist will discuss your goals, try methods from different approaches and adapt what feels most helpful. Over several sessions the plan can be adjusted so the work suits your needs, pace and preferences.

Online therapy offers practical flexibility. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation and guided exercises, phone sessions can be a simpler option when bandwidth is limited, and live chat or text-based messaging suit quick check-ins or people who prefer written reflection. These formats make it easier to fit therapy around work, family or mobility needs while working with registered or accredited professionals and experienced therapists.