Which psychological approaches does the service use?

Holly Health uses validated behaviour change techniques and science based approaches. Including:

• Mindfulness-based techniques
  • To pay full attention to the present moment and get in touch with brain and body
  • Mindfulness interventions can lead to substantial physical and mental health outcomes.
  • Studies show that practising mindfulness has measurable effects on the brain: It helps us better regulate our emotions by strengthening or ‘rational brain’ (also known as the pre-frontal cortex), increases our sense of happiness and wellbeing by decreasing our internal chatter, and increases awareness of our internal bodily signals (called interoceptive awareness).
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)- based approaches
  • This evidence-based approach is framed around personal values rather than short-term goals, which has been shown to result in long-term commitment for change.  
  • ACT also increases cognitive flexibility, which helps us ‘detach’ from unhelpful thoughts which typically lead to or contribute to anxiety, self-criticism, over-thinking and other mental health challenges.
• The science of self-compassion
  • Studies show that self compassion is associated with increase life-satisfaction, happiness, intrinsic motivation, optimism and social connectedness.
  • It is also negatively associated with maladaptive qualities such as self-criticism, depression, anxiety, and rumination.
• CBT-based approaches
  • CBT is the gold standard for many mental health challenges and conditions.
  • The idea behind CBT is identifying and challenging thoughts and behaviours, as well as understanding their relationship with emotions.
  • This approach includes helpful tools such as restructuring and meta-cognition for identifying unhelpful thought patterns and developing alternative responses and coping strategies which facilitate behaviour change.
• Small habits approach
  • To form small, incremental changes that build confidence, and create and sustain long term health behaviours
  • Habit loops are formed in the brain through regular repetition of small actions.  
  • Evidence from behaviour change theories like the COM-B model and self-determination theory show that feeling capable and empowered to take action leads to long-term behaviour change.
  • That’s why starting small is key to feel motivated to keep going in a way that feels achievable and sustainable.