Treatment Programs

Anxiety House Sunshine Coast only uses evidence based psychological therapies, as we want to provide clients with treatments that have solid evidence backing their effectiveness. The choice of therapy is an interplay between yourself, the therapist, and the presenting issue. This process is collaborative and based on best practice guidelines. Some examples of evidence-based therapies we use across the lifespan with children, adolescents, and adults are listed below.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, also known as ‘ACT’, is a present action-oriented approach where clients are encouraged to stop avoiding, denying, and struggling with their inner emotions and, instead, accept these feelings as natural, and appropriate responses. ACT focuses on alternative ways to connect with these emotions, and as clients begin to accept these difficult feelings and thoughts, they start committing to making necessary changes in their behaviour in line with their values and what if important to them in their life.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or ‘CBT’ for short, supports people to identify and change unhelpful thinking patterns that have impacted their behaviour and emotions. The focus within CBT is on identifying and changing the automatic negative thoughts that govern unhelpful behaviours. The aim is that once identified, the unhelpful thoughts are replaced with more objective, realistic thoughts. CBT is an active therapy with a significant skills focus, as well as including exposure and response prevention, reducing behavioural avoidance and other ways of ‘testing out’ our thinking patterns.

There are several specific CBT program we use at Anxiety House Sunshine Coast, such as:

  • CBT-I: a specific manualized treatment program for insomnia
  • CBT-E: a specific manualized treatment program for eating disorders

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is a ‘third wave’ type of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. In DBT, you work with your clinician to learn to better regulate your emotions. Emotion regulation lets you navigate powerful feelings in a more effective way. Other key components of DBT include the development of mindfulness skills, or the ability to “live in the moment”, as well as skills around how to communicate more effectively with challenging triggers in yourself and others. DBT was originally intended to treat Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), but it has been adapted to treat other mental health conditions.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a type of psychotherapy that involves a combination of cognitive therapy, meditation, and mindfulness. MBCT was developed by therapists Zindel Segal, Mark Williams, and John Teasdale, who sought to build upon cognitive therapy and uses techniques such as body scans and mindfulness of the breathe to develop increased awareness and acceptance of the present moment.

Schema Therapy (ST)

Schema Therapy (ST) can assist individuals identify unhelpful thoughts and behaviours underlying psychological issues. ST expands on CBT through exploration of emotions, maladaptive coping methods, and an emphasis on the origin of mental health concerns. ST is an integrative approach that brings together elements from cognitive behavioral therapy, attachment and object relations theories, as well as Gestalt and experiential therapies. Distinguishing features of schema therapy include an emphasis on the origins and development of your current concerns, a focus on you needing to understand your core emotional needs and ways to meet these needs, as well as processing of memories from aversive childhood experiences.

Metacognitive Therapy

Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) is a psychotherapy developed by Adrian Wells. MCT focuses less on the content of your thinking patterns, and more on the processes of your thinking. MCT assists you to develop new ways of controlling your attention. Your therapist works with you to identify and challenge your beliefs about your thinking, and can be particularly useful for clients who engage in excessive worry, overthinking or ruminative thinking processes. This approach has been developed into specific ways of understanding and treating mental disorders such as generalised anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety, depression, and health-anxiety.


Interested in joining our team at Anxiety House Sunshine Coast (AHSC)?

    • Masters and/or Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
    • Eligible for registration with AHPRA as an endorsed “Clinical Psychologist” or eligibility for the clinical psychology registrar program
    • Eligible for Medicare registration
    • Professional indemnity insurance
    • Clinical supervision
      – Supportive team environment
    • Peer mentoring
    • Modern refurnished consulting rooms
    • Stream of referrals
    • Psychiatry input with our sister practice Oxford Clinic
    • On site educational and developmental assessments
    • Full-time on-site reception services
    • Internet
    • Company email
    • Practice management software
    • Continued professional development offerings as a team
    • Marketing service.
    • Private practice mentoring
    • Career development and company progression
    • Free training in OCRD and Eating Disorders.
    • Working in a well-established clinic with a solid reputation
    • Be part of a larger organisation with sister clinics in Brisbane (double CPD)
    • Attractive remuneration
    • Ability to develop your skills within niche areas
  • Together, let us help those people who are suffering from mental disorders. If you’re interested, please complete the form below and we will reach out to you.

    Join Our Team

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