Integrative Therapy

What is integrative therapy?

Integrative therapy is not a single method. It is an approach where your therapist draws on multiple therapeutic traditions and adapts them to your specific needs. Rather than following one model rigidly, an integrative therapist blends ideas from several approaches into one way of working.

This is the most common approach in UK private practice. If you look at a therapist's profile and see "integrative" listed, it means they have the flexibility to work in different ways depending on what you need.

Source: Austen 2005

How it works

An integrative therapist might draw from:

• CBT for practical strategies when you need structured problem-solving
• Person-centred therapy for creating a warm, accepting space when you need to be heard
• Psychodynamic ideas for exploring patterns rooted in past experiences
• Mindfulness and body-based approaches for managing stress and anxiety
• Solution-focused techniques for times when you want to move forward quickly

The blend is not random. Integrative therapists are trained to assess what you need and when, adjusting their approach as your therapy progresses. What helps in the first few sessions may differ from what helps six months in.

Sources: BACP: types of therapy, UKCP: approaches

What sessions look like

Sessions typically last 50 minutes. The format may vary depending on where you are in your therapy. Some sessions might feel structured and practical (working on specific coping strategies), while others might be more exploratory (sitting with a difficult feeling and understanding where it comes from).

Your therapist will check in about what is working and what is not. Integrative therapy is inherently collaborative because the approach itself is shaped by your feedback.

Who is it best suited to?

Integrative therapy suits a wide range of people and concerns. It may suit you if you:

• Are not sure which approach would work best for you
• Have multiple concerns that might benefit from different techniques
• Want a therapist who can adapt as your needs change
• Have tried a single-model approach before and found it too rigid or too loose
• Are looking for something personalised rather than one-size-fits-all

Common concerns include anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, self-esteem, bereavement, life transitions and general emotional wellbeing.

How it differs from other approaches

The key difference is flexibility. A CBT therapist works within the CBT framework. A psychodynamic therapist works within the psychodynamic framework. An integrative therapist draws on several frameworks and combines them into one way of working.

This does not mean integrative therapy is less rigorous. Good integrative therapists have a coherent theoretical foundation that guides how and when they shift between approaches. It takes significant training and clinical experience to integrate well.

Eclectic therapy

In eclectic therapy, your therapist uses methods from several schools, chosen for what you need. One session might centre on listening, the next on a practical exercise.

The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) lists it as a type of counselling. It rests on the belief that, for any given problem, no one approach works better than all the others.

It differs from integrative therapy in the theory behind the choice. An integrative therapist blends ideas into one model, while an eclectic therapist picks what works without unifying them.

Cooper and McLeod note that choosing between techniques still relies on some theory. When that theory stays unstated, nobody can examine it.

They also wrote that integrative and eclectic positions have not been successful in generating research. If you see either label on a profile, ask how the therapist chooses what to use.

Sources: BACP: types of therapy, Austen 2005, Cooper & McLeod 2007

Pluralistic therapy

Pluralistic therapy is a British framework rather than a method. Mick Cooper and John McLeod set it out in 2007. It starts from the view that different people are helped by different things at different times.

Its central question is not what you need but what you want. You and your therapist agree the goals, break them into tasks and then choose the methods together.

The framework does not expect one therapist to offer everything. Each of you offers what you know, then you agree the work together. Sometimes you agree that a referral elsewhere would suit you better.

The research is young. A study of pluralistic therapy for depression ran without a control group. Its authors state that no inference about effectiveness can be drawn from it.

They add that the approach still needs testing against a comparison therapy, such as CBT.

Abertay University says its BACP-accredited master's course is the only one in Scotland teaching it in full.

Sources: Cooper & McLeod 2007, Pluralistic Practice: FAQ, Cooper et al. 2015, Abertay University: MSc Counselling

Human givens therapy

Human givens therapy starts from the idea that you have essential emotional needs, and inner resources to meet them. In this model, you stay mentally well when those needs are met and those resources are used well.

The psychotherapists Joe Griffin and Ivan Tyrrell developed the approach.

One session may mix several methods. Your therapist might explain how the mind works, reframe a problem, teach a skill and use guided imagery. Human givens therapists describe drawing on cognitive, behavioural, interpersonal, solution-focused and hypnotherapy methods.

Its professional body, the Human Givens Institute, holds a register accredited by the Professional Standards Authority. The Authority renewed that accreditation with two conditions. One asks the institute to show independent quality assurance of its training route by October 2026.

Neither BACP nor UKCP lists human givens as an approach.

The independent research is thin. A 2008 review found the evidence base limited, resting mostly on expert opinion and short case studies. A doctoral review in 2020 searched for independently published studies, found six and named the gap.

One evaluation looked at a veterans charity staffed by human givens therapists. Hall and Greenberg reported that veterans using it should expect benefit similar to NHS outpatient care. That study had no control group, and the charity funded it.

Sources: HGI: vs other approaches, HGI: origins, PSA: HGI accreditation, BACP: types of therapy, UKCP: approaches, Corp et al. 2008, Serjeant 2020, Hall & Greenberg 2025

A good starting point

If you are new to therapy and unsure what you need, an integrative therapist can be an excellent choice. They can meet you where you are and adjust as they learn more about how you work best. You do not need to know which approach suits you before you begin.