Integrative Psychotherapy: A Comprehensive Guide
- Matthew Frener
- Dec 12, 2025
- 11 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
By Matthew Frener | Updated July 2026 | 7 min read
If you are looking for therapy in London or online that feels personal rather than formulaic, integrative psychotherapy may be a good fit. Instead of relying on one fixed method, it brings together different therapeutic approaches, such as psychodynamic therapy, CBT, DBT, relational therapy and trauma-informed work, depending on what you need.
This article explains what integrative psychotherapy is, how it works, who it can help, and what to look for when choosing an integrative psychotherapist in London. I also outline how I work with adults in Fitzrovia, Central London and online.
What Is Integrative Psychotherapy?
Integrative psychotherapy is a flexible form of therapy that combines different therapeutic approaches, such as person-centred therapy, psychodynamic therapy, CBT, DBT, relational therapy and trauma-informed work. Instead of using a single fixed method, an integrative psychotherapist adapts the therapy to the person, their history, their goals, and the difficulties they are facing.
The core idea is that no single type of therapy works for everyone. Some people benefit from practical tools for managing anxiety or emotional overwhelm. Others need space to explore earlier experiences, relationship patterns, trauma, identity, shame or self-esteem. Often, therapy needs to make room for several of these things at once.
In integrative psychotherapy, the work may draw on approaches such as psychodynamic therapy, CBT, DBT, person-centred therapy, relational therapy, Transactional Analysis and trauma-informed practice. The aim is not to use every approach at once, but to choose what is most helpful for you at different stages of the work.
This can make integrative psychotherapy especially useful for people whose difficulties are complex, long-standing or hard to separate into one clear category. Rather than fitting you into a method, the therapy is shaped around you.
As one integrative therapist put it:
"Every client who walks through the door is different. What works for one person might not work for another. As an integrative therapist, you can choose the right approach for the individual. I generally use a bit of everything. It's all-round support and makes therapy unique for that person."
This adaptability is what distinguishes integrative psychotherapy from more prescriptive modalities. Rather than fitting you to a method, the method is fitted to you.
Who Can Integrative Psychotherapy Help?
In my central London practice, I work with clients presenting with a wide range of issues. Integrative psychotherapy is particularly well-suited to:
Anxiety and panic - persistent worry, social anxiety, health anxiety, panic attacks
Depression - low mood, loss of meaning, emotional numbness, withdrawal
Trauma and PTSD - including complex trauma, childhood adversity, and attachment wounds
Relationship difficulties - patterns of conflict, intimacy issues, communication breakdown
ADHD - emotional dysregulation, overwhelm, self-criticism, and co-occurring anxiety
Addiction and compulsive behaviours - including alcohol, substances, and behavioural addictions
Bereavement and loss - grief, adjustment, and finding a way forward
Low self-esteem and identity - including LGBTQ+ identity, minority stress, and self-worth
Many clients I work with in Fitzrovia come having tried other forms of therapy before. The integrative approach is often a better fit for people whose difficulties are complex, long-standing, or don't fit neatly into a single diagnostic category.
How Integrative Psychotherapy Works in Practice
At the heart of integrative psychotherapy is the therapeutic relationship itself.
Research consistently identifies the quality of the client-therapist relationship as one of the strongest predictors of positive outcomes - more so than any specific technique.
In practice, integrative therapy works by:
Exploring your developmental history
Understanding the patterns and experiences that have shaped how you think, feel, and relate to others
Bringing the unconscious into awareness
Identifying subconscious thoughts, memories, and defences that influence your present-day experience
Working through relational patterns
Using the therapeutic relationship as a live, real-time space to understand and shift how you connect with others
Building new capacities
Developing emotional regulation, self-awareness, and healthier ways of responding to life's challenges
The process is collaborative. You are not a passive recipient of treatment - you are an active participant in your own healing.
Integrative Psychotherapy Techniques for Anxiety, Trauma, and Stress
One of the most common reasons people seek integrative psychotherapy is persistent stress or anxiety that has not responded well to a single approach. Because integrative therapy draws on multiple frameworks, it can address stress at several levels simultaneously - cognitive, relational, and somatic.
Techniques I commonly draw on include:
Grounding and somatic awareness
Stress is held in the body as much as the mind. Grounding techniques - breath-focused awareness, body scanning, and titrated exposure to physical sensation - help regulate the nervous system and interrupt the cycle of chronic activation. These draw on trauma-informed and somatic approaches.
Cognitive reframing (from CBT)
Identifying and gently challenging the thought patterns that sustain anxiety - catastrophising, black-and-white thinking, hypervigilance - creates new ways of interpreting stressful situations. This is drawn from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and is particularly effective for anxiety with a strong cognitive component.
Relational exploration
Much of what we experience as stress is relational in origin - fear of judgement, difficulty setting limits, patterns of over-responsibility. Exploring these patterns within the therapeutic relationship itself offers a live, real-time opportunity to understand and shift them.
Emotional regulation skills (from DBT)
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy provides concrete, practised skills for tolerating distress, regulating intense emotions, and reducing reactivity. These are especially useful when stress tips into overwhelm or emotional dysregulation.
The combination used will depend on you - your history, your nervous system, and what feels most useful at any given point in the work.
Therapeutic Approaches Used in Integrative Psychotherapy
In my Fitzrovia practice, I work integratively across several established therapeutic traditions, selecting and combining approaches based on what each client needs:
Person-Centred Therapy
Positions you as the expert on your own experience. The therapist provides unconditional positive regard, empathy, and genuine acceptance - creating the safety needed for real exploration.
Psychodynamic Therapy
Explores how unconscious feelings, early experiences, and past relationships shape your current behaviour and emotional life. Particularly useful for understanding recurring patterns.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) & Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
Focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours through structured, practical strategies. Evidence-based and effective for anxiety and depression.
Relational Approaches
Uses the therapeutic relationship itself as a window into your interpersonal world - how you connect, where you pull back, and what gets in the way of closeness.
Transactional Analysis (TA)
Offers a clear framework for understanding personality, communication patterns, and the scripts we carry from childhood that continue to influence adult life.
Somatic and Trauma-Informed Approaches
For clients dealing with trauma or PTSD, body-based awareness and trauma-sensitive techniques help process experiences that are held somatically as well as psychologically.
Benefits of Integrative Psychotherapy
Integrative psychotherapy offers several advantages over single-modality approaches - particularly for people whose difficulties are complex, long-standing, or don't fit neatly into one category.
It adapts to you, not the other way around. Rather than fitting your experience into a fixed framework, the therapist selects approaches based on what you actually need at each stage of the work.
It treats the whole person. By drawing on relational, cognitive, somatic, and psychodynamic perspectives, integrative therapy addresses thoughts, feelings, body, and patterns of relating - not just symptoms.
It works across a wide range of presenting issues. From anxiety and depression to trauma, ADHD, addiction, and identity, integrative therapy is well-suited to complexity and co-occurring difficulties.
The therapeutic relationship is central. Research consistently identifies the quality of the client-therapist relationship as the strongest predictor of positive outcomes - and this sits at the heart of integrative practice.
It is evidence-informed. Integrative psychotherapy draws on approaches with strong research support - including CBT, psychodynamic therapy, and DBT - rather than applying any one method dogmatically.
It can be short or long-term. The approach is flexible enough to support focused short-term work and deeper longer-term therapy, depending on what you are looking for.
Integrative Psychotherapy vs CBT, DBT and Psychodynamic Therapy
Integrative psychotherapy differs from single-modality approaches because it can draw on several therapeutic traditions rather than relying on one fixed method. CBT, DBT and psychodynamic therapy can each be helpful, but an integrative approach allows the therapist to adapt the work to the person, the issue, and what is most useful at different stages of therapy.
Therapy approach | Main focus | How it works | Best suited for |
Integrative psychotherapy | The whole person, including thoughts, emotions, relationships, body responses and personal history | Combines different therapeutic approaches, such as psychodynamic therapy, CBT, DBT, relational therapy and trauma-informed work, depending on the client’s needs | People with complex, long-standing or overlapping difficulties, including anxiety, trauma, ADHD, addiction, relationship patterns and identity issues |
CBT | Thoughts, behaviours and symptom patterns | Helps identify unhelpful thinking styles and behaviours, then develops practical strategies to change them | Anxiety, low mood, panic, phobias, health anxiety and practical coping with specific symptoms |
DBT | Emotional regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness | Teaches structured skills for managing intense emotions, reducing impulsive reactions and coping with distress | Emotional overwhelm, intense mood shifts, impulsivity, self-criticism, relationship conflict and difficulty tolerating distress |
Psychodynamic therapy | Unconscious patterns, early relationships and emotional conflicts | Explores how past experiences and unconscious feelings shape present-day relationships, self-image and behaviour | Repeating relationship patterns, low self-esteem, unresolved emotional pain, attachment difficulties and deeper self-understanding |
Relational therapy | Patterns that emerge between client and therapist, and in wider relationships | Uses the therapeutic relationship as a live space to understand how someone connects, protects themselves, withdraws or seeks closeness | Relationship difficulties, fear of intimacy, shame, people-pleasing, conflict patterns and minority stress |
Trauma-informed therapy | Safety, nervous system regulation and the impact of trauma | Works at a pace that feels manageable, using emotional, relational and sometimes body-based awareness to support recovery | Trauma, PTSD, complex trauma, childhood adversity, dissociation, anxiety and emotional dysregulation |
In practice, integrative psychotherapy may include CBT-style tools for anxiety, DBT skills for emotional regulation, psychodynamic exploration of early patterns, and trauma-informed work when safety and nervous system regulation are important. The aim is not to use every approach at once, but to choose what fits the client and their therapeutic goals.
Is Integrative Psychotherapy Evidence-Based?
Integrative psychotherapy is not simply eclecticism for its own sake - it is grounded in a substantial evidence base.
A meta-analysis of psychotherapies for depression found a small to moderate effect on improving overall functioning (effect size 0.43), with improvements in anxiety symptoms lasting up to 14 months post-treatment.
The collaborative nature of integrative therapy - with its emphasis on the therapeutic alliance - is itself one of the most robustly supported predictors of therapeutic outcome across all modalities (BACP).
As one prominent researcher noted:
"Psychotherapy integration can be defined as an attempt to look beyond the confines of single-school approaches to see what can be learned from other perspectives." - Psychiatric Times
Integrative Psychotherapy With Matthew Frener in Fitzrovia, London & Online
I am a UKCP Registered and Senior Accredited (BACP) Integrative Psychotherapist based in Fitzrovia, W1, central London. My practice is a short walk from Oxford Circus, Goodge Street, and Warren Street stations.
I work with adults on a one-to-one basis, both in person and online. My approach is relational, trauma-informed, and adapted to each person I work with.
I do not operate from a fixed protocol - I work with you as a whole person, drawing on whatever combination of approaches is most useful at any given point in our work together. To read about me and the way in which I work, click here.
Issues I commonly work with include anxiety, depression, trauma, PTSD, ADHD, addiction, bereavement, relationship difficulties, LGBTQ+ identity, and minority stress.
Sessions are 50 minutes and available weekly, in person in Fitzrovia or online via video call. To read about practical information for integrative psychotherapy sessions, click here.
What To Expect From Your First Therapy Session
Your first therapy session is a chance for us to explore what has brought you to therapy, what you are hoping for, and whether working together feels like the right fit. You do not need to have everything clearly worked out, and there is no pressure to share more than feels manageable.
We may talk about your current difficulties, relevant history, previous therapy, and any questions or concerns you have. If we decide to continue, sessions are weekly, last 50 minutes, and take place in person in Fitzrovia, Central London, or online.
How to Choose an Integrative Psychotherapist in London & Online
If you are looking for an integrative psychotherapist in London more broadly, here is what to look for:
Professional accreditation
Look for therapists registered with the BACP or UKCP. These organisations require rigorous training and adherence to ethical standards. The BACP directory lists over 18,000 registered therapists searchable by location and presenting issue.
Training in multiple modalities
A genuine integrative therapist will have formal training across several therapeutic approaches, not just a primary model with a passing familiarity with others.
A relational emphasis
The quality of the therapeutic relationship is the strongest predictor of outcomes. In an initial consultation, notice how you feel - heard, understood, and at ease.
Fit with your presenting issues
Ask specifically whether the therapist has experience with your particular concerns. Integrative does not mean all-purpose; good therapists know their areas of depth.
As the UKCP notes:
"Finding someone you connect and feel safe with is the most important thing, but doing some research about different philosophies and types of therapy can be very useful."
Frequently Asked Questions About Integrative Psychotherapy
What therapy services does Matthew Frener offer?
Matthew Frener Therapy offers individual integrative psychotherapy for adults in Fitzrovia, Central London and online. Areas of support include anxiety, trauma, PTSD, ADHD, addiction, depression, relationship difficulties, bereavement, low self-esteem, LGBTQ+ identity and minority stress. Sessions are tailored to each person rather than following a fixed therapeutic model.
What is Matthew Frener Therapy’s approach to treating anxiety?
Matthew uses an integrative approach to anxiety therapy, drawing on relational therapy, psychodynamic thinking, CBT-informed strategies, DBT skills and trauma-informed work where appropriate. Therapy may explore thought patterns, emotional regulation, body responses, relationship dynamics and earlier experiences that contribute to anxiety.
Does Matthew Frener Therapy offer integrative psychotherapy for trauma?
Yes. Matthew offers trauma-informed integrative psychotherapy for adults experiencing trauma, PTSD, complex trauma or the effects of childhood adversity. The work may include exploring nervous system responses, emotional regulation, relational patterns, shame, safety and the impact of past experiences on present-day life.
What are Matthew Frener’s therapy specialisations?
Matthew specialises in integrative psychotherapy for adults experiencing anxiety, trauma, ADHD, addiction, depression, relationship difficulties, bereavement, low self-esteem and LGBTQ+ related concerns. His approach is relational, trauma-informed and LGBTQ+ affirming, with sessions available in Fitzrovia, Central London and online.
How can I find an addiction therapist in Fitzrovia?
To find an addiction therapist in Fitzrovia, look for a qualified psychotherapist with experience in addiction, compulsive behaviours, emotional regulation and underlying relational or trauma patterns. Matthew Frener offers integrative psychotherapy in Fitzrovia for adults struggling with addiction, shame, anxiety, relationship difficulties and co-occurring mental health concerns.
Does Matthew Frener offer ADHD therapy in Central London?
Yes. Matthew offers ADHD therapy in Fitzrovia, Central London and online. Therapy can support adults with emotional dysregulation, overwhelm, rejection sensitivity, self-criticism, anxiety, relationship difficulties and the impact of living with ADHD. The work is neuroaffirming and adapted to each client’s needs.
How do I choose the right therapy in London?
Choosing the right therapy in London starts with identifying what you want support with, then looking for a therapist with relevant training, accreditation and experience. It is also important to consider whether you feel safe, understood and able to speak openly in the first consultation.
What can I expect from my first session?
Your first session is a chance to talk about what has brought you to therapy, what you are hoping for, and whether the therapeutic relationship feels like a good fit. There is no pressure to share everything immediately. The session is collaborative and paced around what feels manageable.
Are reviews or client feedback available for Matthew Frener Therapy?
Psychotherapy is confidential, so Matthew Frener Therapy does not use client testimonials. Trust is supported through professional registration, accreditation, clinical training and ethical practice. Previous clients may choose to leave feedback anonymously through Doctify, helping protect anonymity and confidentiality. To read feedback Matthew Frener has received through Doctify, please click here.
Is integrative psychotherapy suitable if I have tried therapy before?
Yes. Integrative psychotherapy can be especially useful if you have tried one type of therapy before and found it too narrow, too structured or not deep enough. Because the approach can draw on several therapeutic traditions, it can adapt to more complex, long-standing or mixed difficulties.
