My 5 Favourite Tools for Counselling

Over the years, I’ve spent hundreds of hours, learning new therapy techniques, one of my values is learning and growth. I find so much pleasure, through reading, participating in group courses attending workshops, not only to better support my clients but to also, allow for my own internal growth and expansion, so I can live more fully.

My work as a therapist is guided by tools that bring the mind and body into deeper integration. I specialise in using EMDR, parts work, movement, and creative tools practices to help clients reconnect with their inner wisdom and move forward with clarity. Here are five of my favourite tools for therapy:

1) EMDR: Rewiring the Nervous System

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is one of the most effective tools I use to help people move past trauma, limiting beliefs, and stuck emotions. EMDR works by allowing the brain to reprocess distressing memories in a way that feels safe and grounded.

What I love about EMDR is that it taps into your brain’s natural ability to heal. You don’t have to explain everything in detail. We let your nervous system do the work. Over time, painful memories lose their emotional charge and become integrated parts of your story, no longer defining who you are.

2) Parts Work: Meeting the Inner Cast

Internal Family Systems (IFS) and other parts-based approaches help us understand that we are not just one "self"—we are made up of many parts, each with its own voice, needs, and fears. Some parts want to protect you; others carry your past wounds. When these parts feel heard and unburdened, inner conflict softens.

In therapy, we gently meet your inner parts and help them shift from survival roles to supportive ones. Over time, clients begin to feel more internally aligned, less reactive, and more compassionate toward themselves.

3) Movement: Letting the Body Speak

Sometimes, the mind just won’t quiet—and that’s when we turn to the body. I incorporate gentle movement and somatic awareness into sessions to help you reconnect with sensations and feelings that live below the surface of words.

This could look like grounding exercises, breath work, or following an intuitive movement. These practices help release stored tension and offer insights that traditional talk therapy might miss. Movement is a language your body already knows—we’re just learning how to listen.

4) Inner Landscape Work: Creativity as a Mirror

Inner landscape work is a creative process where we use art, imagery, and metaphor to explore what’s happening inside. You don’t have to be an artist for this—it's more about allowing your imagination and intuition to lead.

We might explore what your “emotional weather” looks like, draw your inner protector, or map the terrain between you and a goal you’re trying to reach. This kind of work bypasses the analytical mind and taps into something deeper. It often leads to surprising clarity, connection, and healing.

5) The "Wise Witness": Developing Self-Compassion

One of the most transformative tools in individual counselling is cultivating the wise witness( the adult)—a grounded, compassionate part of you that can observe your thoughts and feelings without getting overwhelmed by them. This inner observer doesn’t judge. It just sees.

Over time, the wise witness becomes an anchor. When anxiety spikes or old patterns kick in, you can pause, step back, and notice what’s happening with more space and less shame. This self-to-self relationship leads to real, lasting change.

There are so many other tools and exercises I love using, maybe I’ll delve into them another time.

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