Different Psychotherapy Techniques

We know that there are many psychologists that approach differently to psychological issues. Maybe, you also heard that not all therapies have the same process. Do all psychologists have a different psychotherapy type? Are there different schools of psychotherapy? Let’s find out together!

What Is Psychology? (In simple words). (n.d.). [Illustration]. Open Minds Psychology. https://openmindspsychology.co.uk/index.php/2020/07/11/what-is-psychology-in-simple-words

What Is Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy means treating mental health issues. Psychiatrists, psychologists, and other licensed mental health professionals. We are able to learn about our state as well as our moods, feelings, ideas, and behaviors through psychotherapy. Psychotherapy teaches us how we can be in control of our lives. Also, psychotherapy helps us to learn how we can face with challenges of life. 

Psychotherapy is useful for treating many mental health problems. Also, it is helpful for learning to deal with life stress and conflicts that occur as a result of this stress. For instance, anxiety disorders, mood-related disorders, personality disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and addictions are the mental health-related side of psychotherapy. Each of these problems is benefiting from psychotherapy. 

For the side that is not related to mental health problems, mostly life stress is the main issue. Especially for the last one or one and a half year, living in an abnormal world order have made our distress level in the crease. For example, relieving anxiety and/or stress, sleeping better, coping with possible sexual problems, solving conflicts, recovering from traumatic events, and dealing with conflicting issues.

(source: 4 Popular Mental Health Counseling Theories from Grace College. (2020, May 20). [Illustration]. Grace College Online. https://online.grace.edu/news/masters/mental-health-counselor-theories/)

How Does Psychotherapy Work?

Each therapy session’s structure is related to our therapist’s approach. What we can expect in general is to talk about the difficulties we are facing, and our emotions related to these. This will probably entail dealing with some distressing thoughts. 

Talking about and deal with this kind of issue is a challenge for us. Yet, the result usually makes us have a happier and more fulfilled life. Depending on the severity of our mental condition, psychotherapy alone can be useful for treatment. However, if our condition is more severe, psychotherapy’s conjunction with medication can be more useful. 

Therapy Concepts Everyone Needs to Know. (2019, April 19). [Illustration]. Nami. https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/April-2019/Therapy-Concepts-Everyone-Needs-to-Know

There are many different techniques of psychotherapy. Almost every year, due to the need of helping people, many other types are occurring too. Yet, some of them are more rooted and underpin the “newcomers”. Let’s look at some of them. 

Psychodynamic therapy evolved from psychoanalysis which is a long-term therapeutic technique for mental health problems. The psychodynamic therapy method seeks us to teach more about ourselves by investigating the unconscious significance of our behavior. Also, this technique investigates the relationship between the unconscious mind and actions. It aims to modify these negative attitudes by revealing our unconscious motivations.

Behavioral therapy is an action-oriented method to treat mental health problems. This therapy method can assist us in changing our learned behavioral responses from the past. This type of treatment is problem-focused. Behavioral therapy is a good way of treating problems like aggression or eating disorders by replacing unhealthy features with healthier ones.

Cognitive therapy seeks to alter negative and dysfunctional patterns of thinking. Afterward, this altering results in avoiding negative and dysfunctional behaviors. We can adjust our feelings and actions to be more positively aligned by changing our ideas.

Humanistic therapy argues that people have the capacity to realize and reach their full potential. This type of therapy assists us in finding purpose in our lives. Humanistic therapists try to assist us to comprehend what we are going through. This is done by providing guidance and support without interpreting your emotions for us.

Holistic therapy is not a specific method. Holistic therapists combine multiple techniques. This frequently occurs as a result of the need to create a custom solution to whatever problem we are having. 

As mentioned before, other techniques are like sub-techniques of these methods. Now, it is your time to choose your side!

Sources:

Different approaches to psychotherapy. (2009). Apa.Org. https://www.apa.org/topics/psychotherapy/approaches

Psychotherapy – Mayo Clinic. (2016, March 17). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/psychotherapy/about/pac-20384616

Raypole, C. (2019, March 1). A Guide to Different Types of Therapy. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/types-of-therapy#behavioral