Nynke Jacobs Psychology offers a variety of evidence-based psychological treatments. Based on the initial assessment, we will collaboratively choose the approach most suitable for your treatment goals. The combination of my extensive training and clinical experience allows me to flexibly implement interventions from different therapy approaches to tailor each session to your unique needs.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
What is CBT?
Numerous research studies suggest that CBT leads to significant improvements in functioning and quality of life. In certain cases, it may be as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of psychological therapy or psychiatric medications.
CBT is based on the idea that how we think (cognition), how we feel (emotion) and how we act (behaviour) all interact together. This therapy approach aims to help clients become aware of their negative thinking patterns, and of behavioural patterns which reinforce the distorted thinking. CBT helps clients to develop alternative ways of thinking and behaving which aims to reduce their psychological distress.
CBT in Therapy
CBT places an emphasis on helping individuals learn to be their own therapists. Through exercises in the session as well as “homework” exercises outside of sessions, clients are helped to develop coping skills, whereby they can learn to change their own thinking, problematic emotions, and behaviour.
As a CBT therapist, I will emphasise what is going on in your current life, rather than what has led up to your difficulties. A certain amount of information about your history is needed, but the focus is primarily on moving forward in time to develop more effective ways of coping with life.
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing
What is EMDR?
EMDR has been used effectively for over 30 years in a variety of international settings and cultures with many different types of psychological distress. EMDR includes a set of standardised protocols that incorporate elements from many different treatment approaches and has comparable results to that of other trauma treatments such as exposure therapy, but over a much shorter timeframe.
EMDR is based on the idea that symptoms occur when trauma and other negative or challenging experiences overwhelm the brain’s natural ability to heal, and that the healing process can be facilitated and completed through bilateral stimulation while the client is re-experiencing the trauma in the context of the safe environment of the therapist’s office.
EMDR in Therapy
During EMDR, I will work with you to identify a specific problem as the focus for the treatment session. While you recall the disturbing issue or event, and describe what was seen, felt, heard and thought, I will ask you to make eye movements either by following my fingers, an object or a light on a bar that moves from left to right in front of your face. We could also choose other bilateral stimulation or combine multiple variations at once. These eye movements are used until the memory becomes less disturbing and is associated with a positive thought and belief about yourself. Over time, exposure to traumatic memories will no longer induce negative feelings and distressing symptoms.
EMDR is symptom focussed and conducted in session. There is generally no homework involved. It is not necessary to talk in detail about the trauma, which contributes to being better tolerated by clients than exposure therapy.
If you like to read more about trauma, healing and post-traumatic stress disorder, please visit
www.emdr.nl
https://emdraa.org/
https://emdr-europe.org/
Schema Therapy
What is Schema Therapy?
Central to Schema Therapy is the reduction of chronic symptoms by identifying and resolving self-defeating life patterns and deeply rooted emotional themes (called early maladaptive schemas), building resilience and productive responses to life challenges, and drawing out and enabling the strong parts of the client’s personality.
Early Maladaptive Schemas result from unmet core emotional needs in childhood. Dr. Jeffrey Young began the development of Schema Therapy in the mid-1980s and identified the following five core emotional needs for human beings: secure attachments to others (include safety, stability, nurturance, and acceptance); autonomy, competence, and sense of identity; freedom to express valid needs and emotions; spontaneity and play; realistic limits and self-control. Besides toxic childhood experiences, the child’s emotional temperament plays a role in the development of schemas too.
When emotional needs go unmet in childhood, individuals may enter adulthood with deficits in their abilities to find ways for these needs to be met, independently and through healthy relationships with others. Their maladaptive schemas, which can be described as ways individuals interpret life events and the behaviour of others, can later disrupt life: Individuals may make unhealthy choices, form toxic relationships, lack fully developed social skills, engage in destructive behaviour patterns, have a poor sense of judgment, and experience feelings of worthlessness or self-doubt. Discovering the origins of your unmet emotional needs and learning to construct nurturing relationships through Schema Therapy can help you begin to build feelings of self-worth and adequacy.
Schema’s in Therapy
Schema Therapy focuses extensively on the processing of memories of aversive childhood experiences, making use of experiential techniques to change negative emotions related to such memories. The therapy relationship is one which recognises, articulates, validates, and (to some extent) fulfils the needs of the client. At the same time, as a Schema therapist I will empathically, and nonjudgmentally confront my clients on their maladaptive behaviours and cognitions, emphasising their self-defeating nature. In addition to interventions conducted in session, clients will be provided with cognitive and behavioural exercises and techniques to apply in their daily life. If you like to read more and watch animations about schema therapy, please visit https://www.schematherapie.nlAcceptance and Commitment Therapy
What is ACT?
ACT is developed by Steven C. Hayes in 1982 and focuses on helping clients to behave more consistently with their own values by assisting them to clarify what is truly important and meaningful to them, and apply mindfulness and acceptance skills to their responses to uncontrollable experiences. ACT differs from some other kinds of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in that rather than trying to teach clients to better control their thoughts, feelings, sensations, memories and other private events, ACT teaches them psychological skills to deal with painful thoughts and feelings effectively – in such a way that they have much less impact and influence.
ACT in Therapy
ACT typically starts with an assessment of the client’s aims as well as the things they have done already to achieve these desired outcomes. The therapist particularly seeks to identify patterns of trying to control or avoid uncontrollable internal experiences, particularly those that disrupt valued living. ACT uses metaphors, stories and experiential exercises to illustrate the uncontrollability and acceptability of much psychological experiences and reveals thoughts to be less powerful and limiting than usually regarded. The emphasis is on what is going on in the client’s current life and undermine the power of destructive cognitive, emotive and behavioural processes, rather than on past experiences that led up to their difficulties.
A growing body of empirical data indicates that applying acceptance, mindfulness, and openness to experience might be effective for the treatment of depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, substance abuse, chronic pain and anorexia. In addition, ACT can be an effective model for life coaching and executive coaching.