Online therapy

Therapy generally focuses on treating psychological issues and emotional challenges. This is often aimed at alleviating symptoms of mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, trauma and other psychological conditions.

Therapy usually takes a deeper look at the root causes of problems than coaching does, helping you explore the past in order to understand the causes of and patterns in your emotional suffering. It is often a long-term process, and focuses on healing and recovery.

How does it work?

We give you the opportunity to try out our service by offering you a 15-minute introductory consultation, free of charge. During this consultation, you will discuss your problems with an experienced therapist. Based on what you tell us, we recommend a practitioner with whom you can start working within a week. Alternatively, you can also start right away by choosing one of the therapists in our network.

Regular therapy sessions last 45 minutes. No matter what the reason, if you don’t form a connection with that particular therapist, you can switch at any time. We believe that a good personal connection is essential for a successful therapeutic process.

the gevoelszaken approach
the gevoelszaken.nl approach

Therapy types

At gevoelszaken, we focus on the most common therapy techniques, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, psychodynamic therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). There is abundant proof for the effectiveness of these therapy techniques. Many of our practitioners also use additional techniques such as EMDR, breath therapy, mindfulness, NLP, hypnotherapy, and so on. The profiles of the therapists and coaches list their specialisations.

Does online therapy really work just as well as ‘regular’ therapy?

There is compelling scientific evidence that online therapy is just as effective as in-person therapy when it comes to tackling mental problems. An example is Internet-Based Psychotherapeutic Interventions.

Naturally, there are differences between the two methods. Traditional therapy, in which the practitioner and client are present together in the same room, offers certain advantages that online therapy lacks. For example, the way a client moves says a lot about how they feel.

By contrast, online therapy has advantages over traditional therapy. As an online client, you do not have to navigate through heavy traffic to reach your practitioner. There is also a much wider selection of therapists available to you. In addition, an online practitioner can ‘read’ their clients surprisingly accurately through a screen. And finally, online treatment is advantageous for those wanting to get started quickly and choose from a wide range of options.

For more information, you can also read our blog post about online therapy.

Therapy types

ACT (Acceptance and commitment therapy)

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) promotes psychological flexibility through the acceptance of painful experiences and pursuit of values. Unlike traditional cognitive therapies, which try to change negative thoughts, ACT encourages the conscious observation of thoughts and feelings without being overwhelmed by them. Mindfulness plays an important role in this approach, helping individuals to live in the moment and act in accordance with their personal values, even when circumstances are difficult. ACT is broadly applicable for problems ranging from depression to anxiety, and focuses not only on relieving symptoms, but also on creating a meaningful life.

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Breath therapy

Breath therapy or breathwork is a holistic approach that harnesses the power of conscious breathing to promote physical, mental and emotional well-being. This therapy teaches individuals to control and optimise their breathing patterns in order to reduce stress, anxiety and somatic complaints. Breath therapy techniques such as deep abdominal breathing, rhythmic breathing and guided visualisation help to regulate the autonomic nervous system, promote relaxation and increase self-awareness. It is an accessible and powerful self-care tool that is easy to integrate into daily life, making it an effective strategy for emotional balance and resilience.

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Coaching

Coaching challenges you to reflect on your way of thinking and how it influences you in the way you currently function. While you may have your life pretty much under control, perhaps you also feel that you could be more effective in what you do. Coaching helps you to realise your full potential.

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Cognitive behavioural therapy

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a goal-oriented, practical approach focused on changing destructive thought patterns and behaviours that lead to psychological problems. CBT combines cognitive therapy, which examines the way your negative thoughts cause psychological suffering. CBT uses techniques such as exposure, cognitive restructuring and skills training to teach you how to change your thinking and respond to challenging situations. This approach has been proven effective for a range of disorders including anxiety, depression and PTSD. It provides practical strategies that help you to cope with daily stressors and improve your quality of life.

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EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing)

This technique is helpful for those who continue to suffer the effects of a shocking experience, such as an accident, sexual violence or a violent incident. Complaints include poor sleep, frequent feelings of fear, or difficulty trusting others. EMDR provides an alternative solution to hours of talk therapy, by means of structured and focused desensitisation. It is a scientifically grounded and surprisingly effective technique.

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Hypnotherapy

Being under hypnosis means being in a state of concentrated attention. This is different from the type of hypnosis that you see on television. Because it involves being in a light trance, you remain completely in control during the session. It is a powerful, rapid way of gaining insight into what is going on inside you. This is valuable, because things you are not consciously aware of can cause issues at a conscious level. This therapy enables you to gain insights that help you to have greater control over your unconscious reactions.

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Inner child work/regression therapy

Your ‘inner child’ is the echo of the child you once were; a part of yourself stemming from your childhood. Unpleasant or painful experiences can disrupt your connection with this child part of yourself in your adult life. This is reflected in the loss of your carefree nature, spontaneity and trust in yourself or others. You can reconnect with these inner parts of yourself by returning to the source of the pain, so that you can process it.

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Mindfulness

Mindfulness involves maintaining conscious attention and presence in the current moment, free from judgment. This practice teaches you to observe thoughts, feelings and sensations without getting caught up in them, which leads to greater calmness and emotional balance. Mindfulness uses techniques such as meditation, breathing exercises and body awareness to stimulate self-insight and reduce stress, anxiety and depression. It promotes a sense of acceptance and compassion, towards both yourself and others, and is applied in various contexts ranging from personal development to clinical therapy. This makes it a versatile tool for mental well-being.

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NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming)

NLP is aimed at discovering ‘how’ you do the things you do, and how to change them. Specifically, it’s about learning how you respond to what you perceive, and how to do that differently or more effectively. NLP is a psychological approach that focuses on the relationship between language, behaviour and thoughts. By exploring how you process information and how this guides your behaviour, it provides you with techniques for personal development and effective communication. This methodology is used for self-improvement, resolving personal conflicts and achieving professional goals.

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Psychodynamic therapy

Psychodynamic therapy explores the depths of the unconscious to understand unresolved conflicts and influences from the past that are still influencing your behaviour and emotions. This therapy technique focuses on the long term, aims for profound changes in personality and self-awareness, and is effective for a wide range of emotional disorders, making it a powerful tool for personal growth and self-discovery. Psychodynamic therapists make use of a wide range of therapeutic techniques such as inner child work, EMDR, parts work, hypnotherapy, and so on.

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REBT (Rational emotive behaviour therapy)

This technique enables you to explore negative, irrational thoughts that are holding you back. By examining and understanding these thoughts, you can replace them with more constructive thoughts, leading to a more positive view of yourself and those around you.

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Systemic therapy

Systemic therapy sheds light on unconscious beliefs and behaviours in your system. A system could be your family of origin (in which you grew up), your current family, blended families, or the department where you work. This technique helps to make these unconscious patterns visible to you, providing insights that guide your ongoing therapeutic journey.

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Voice dialogue/parts work

One reason we do not achieve our life goals is that there are unresolved conflicts between different ‘parts’ of ourselves. This might include your inner critic, parent, child or ‘controller’. Parts work is a powerful tool that helps us to notice, name, give a voice to and understand the many component parts that are active in our mind. This process of becoming aware has a liberating effect.

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