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Psychotherapy is a process with the aid of which a mental health professional helps a client deal with psychological, behavioral, or emotional difficulties. It is also known as talk therapy and employs a variety of verbal and psychological techniques to help the client resolve their issues.
The main goals of psychotherapy are to enable clients to overcome challenges, utilize coping strategies, and improve their mental health. Therapists help clients explore their thoughts, feelings, emotions, and behaviors. Through the therapeutic process, clients can reclaim control over their lives and overcome obstacles and stressors that they encounter.
How does psychotherapy work?
Mental health problems can be debilitating in nature and have a negative impact on a person's quality of life. Psychotherapy can be helpful for those suffering from:
- Personality disorders like Borderline personality disorder
- Anxiety disorders like Post traumatic stress disorder
- Substance abuse disorders like alcoholism
- Eating disorders like binge eating disorder
- Mood disorders like Bipolar disorder
Therapy is used for more than just coping with mental disorders. Other benefits include promoting behaviors and habits that will lead the client to a higher quality of life, resolving stress and anxiety in their daily lives, and dealing with major life changes such as divorce, which can have a negative impact on their well-being, among others.
With the help of psychotherapy, clients learn to manage unhealthy reactions and come to terms with the issues they are facing. They learn to reorient their consciousness, challenge negative thought patterns, and focus on the positive aspects of their lives. Therapy also builds communication skills, helping clients to develop the ability to maintain healthy relationships and boundaries.
There are different types of psychotherapy options available to clients based on their needs and wants. The most common types of therapy available to clients include:
- Individual therapy which involves a one on one session with a professional
- Couples therapy where a couple works with a therapist to improve their relationhip
- Family therapy where a family looks to improve their family dynamics
- Group therapy where a client has a therapeutic session with others who share the same goal or problem
Different psychotherapy techniques and approaches
There are many different therapeutic approaches and techniques. The therapist decides which technique will be used to assist the client in dealing with their problems or issues.
The technique chosen to help the client is based on a number of factors. The therapist's training, the client's preferences, and goals all play a role in determining which techniques will be employed.
1) Cognitive Behavior Therapy
This form of therapy aims to improve the client's mood and day-to-day functioning by changing their thoughts and behaviors. The client learns to recognize attitudes and actions that contribute to mental health issues. The client is then able to change their negative ways of thinking and behaving in a structured manner as a result of this therapy.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is used to help clients who are experiencing emotional difficulties. It is also effective in dealing with mental health illnesses like anxiety disorders, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, according to research.
2) Dialectical Behavior Therapy
This therapeutic approach focuses on teaching clients particular skills that will help them manage emotional distress. Clients can also develop problem-solving skills while exploring alternatives to their current behaviors.
This form of psychotherapy was initially utilized to help clients who were facing suicidal thoughts. According to a study, DBT has proven to be highly effective for clients with borderline personality disorder who engage in self-destructive behavior.
3) Humanistic Therapy
Humanistic therapy has many different versions, including gestalt, person-centered, transactional, logotherapy, and existential therapies. The conceptual basis of humanistic therapy is that clients are capable of reaching their potential through personal growth.
The therapist will guide the client in the right direction needed to achieve the goals that they have set. According to various studies, humanistic therapy models have been used to help clients cope with anxiety and depression.
4) Solution Focused Brief Therapy
This therapeutic approach is goal-oriented and takes place over a short period of time. Solution-focused brief therapy helps clients identify and utilize their own solutions to problems. Therapists help clients help themselves by setting clear and realistic short-term goals.
This psychotherapy approach is best suited to situations where step-by-step solutions can be worked out. It is primarily used to help clients struggling with emotional and relational issues, according to the research.
5) Interpersonal Therapy
This therapeutic approach entails the client experiencing relief from problems such as anxiety or depression by resolving interpersonal conflicts. Interpersonal therapy is centered around the premise that relationship problems affect the client's ability to manage their stress.
It is a structured approach that occurs over a brief period of time. According to studies, this approach has proven to be highly effective in the battle against depression. Additionally, it is beneficial for teenagers who are struggling with depression.
6) Psychodynamic therapy
This psychotherapy approach enables clients to gain insight into their problems and identify how their negative behaviors have developed over time. Negative behavioral patterns like defense mechanisms are identified with the aid of this approach, allowing the client to work towards productive behaviors.
Psychodynamic therapy involves concentrating on unconscious processes as they manifest in the client's current behavior and comprehending the impact of the past on recent actions. This approach has been proven to be useful in treating mental illnesses like depression and anxiety.
Steve George Verghese is a trained psychologist with an MSc in Counseling Psychology from the Indian Institute of Psychology and Research.
