For those who have never experienced psychotherapy, it’s easy to have created a picture in the mind’s eye of what it is – and what it’s not – based on inaccurate representations from television dramas and Hollywood blockbusters. Based on this, it’s easy to see why people might be reluctant to give psychotherapy a try.
The truth is that there are a number of forms of psychotherapy available, and whilst there are some fundamental differences in techniques, the ultimate goal is to improve the mental health of the patient. In this article, we’ll take a look at the basics of the most popular forms of psychotherapy today.
Cognitive behavioural therapy
The basis of cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT for short (), is to make permanent positive changes in the lives of a patient by changing negative thought patterns. As arguably the most popular form of psychotherapy, most psychotherapy jobs involve the professional therapist using CBT in order to work with the patient to identify behaviours that are having an adverse effect on the patient’s wellbeing, and devising an action plan on how to combat such behaviours.
Interpersonal therapy
Those suffering from illnesses such as depression often respond well to interpersonal therapy. The goal of interpersonal therapy is to focus on the relationships the patient has with other people, and to understand how the illness of the patient affects their ability to communicate with those around them, including friends, family, partners and colleagues. This helps the patient to understand how best to conduct themselves during depressive episodes, and can help improve everyday quality of life.
Rogerian counselling
The Rogerian approach to psychotherapy is to simply listen to the patient without judgement or advice. This technique works particularly well with patients who are isolated or lonely, as a result of their illness or otherwise. It’s often thought that simply talking about problems can enable the patient to recognise behaviour patterns within themselves that they can subsequently change. This long-form therapy is often effective amongst patients who don’t consider psychotherapy a viable treatment method, and anumber of studies have shown that it works.
Group therapy
Patients who wish to explore the challenges in life with those who have suffered similar symptoms or setbacks often respond well to group therapy – statistically, it’s been shown to work. One of the main advantages of group therapy is that it lets the patient understand that they aren’t alone in experiencing certain symptoms, and many find the support of others helps them to overcome obstacles.
