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What is Root Cause Therapy?

October 15, 20252 min read

What is Root Cause Therapy?

You might have tried talking therapies or mindfulness app when life feels overwhelming, but still wondered "why do these patterns keep repeating?". Root Cause Therapy (RCT) offers a gentle yet powerful answer: instead of just managing symptoms, it helps you uncover the deeper emotional and physiological "why" behind them.

At its heart, RCT sees every worry, ache or habit as a signal from your body and mind telling you something important is unresolved. Rather than teaching you new coping tools alone, RCT teams you up with a therapist to explore where those signals first appeared - often early life experiences, stressful relationships, or buried beliefs about yourself.


Watch & Learn

Below is a brief YouTube introduction to Root Cause Therapy. It gives a clear, visual overview of how RCT works, and what makes it different. Click the image to watch "Introduction to Root Cause Therapy".


Three simple principles of RCT:

  1. Discover:
    Notice what's showing up in your body (tight chest, churning stomach, racing thoughts) and name it as a signal, not a problem to fight.

  2. Explore:
    In a safe, curious space, you and your therapist gently trace that signal back - maybe to a childhood moment when you felt unheard, or to a busy season when stress became "normal."

  3. Integrate:
    With new insight, your nervous system learns a different story - one where you're supported and capable, so that old triggers lose their hold.


A quick example:

Sarah came to RCT after years of crippling perfectionism at work. In sessions, she realised her drive was rooted in childhood praise only when "everything was flawless." Once she saw how old patterns still ran her day-to-day, she could begin to loosen perfectionism's grip and notice relief she'd never experienced before.

If you've been searching for more than "manage your anxiety" or "push through the stress". RCT might be what finally helps you understand your patterns and transform them at their source.


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