PSYCHOTHERAPY

Psychotherapy is a general term for treating mental health

problems by talking with a psychiatrist, psychologist or
other mental health provider. During psychotherapy, you
learn about your condition and your moods, feelings, thoughts
and behaviors.
The term psychotherapy is derived from Ancient
Greek psyche (meaning "breath; spirit; soul")
and therapeia (healing; medical treatment). The Oxford English
Dictionary defines it as "The treatment of disorders of the mind or
personality by psychological methods”. Psychotherapy is often
dubbed as a "talking therapy" or "talk therapy",

Psychotherapy is the use of psychological methods, particularly

when it is based on regular personal interaction, to help a person
change behavior, increase happiness, and overcome problems.
Forms of psychotherapy rely on verbal communication.
Psychotherapy is the treatment of disorders and conditions.
Psychotherapy helps you learn how to take control of your life and
respond to challenging situations with healthy coping skills.

There are many types of psychotherapy, each with its own

approach. The type of psychotherapy that is right for you depends
on your individual situation. Psychotherapy is also known as talk
therapy, counseling, psychosocial therapy or, simply, therapy.

Examples of psychotherapists include psychiatrists, psychologists,

licensed professional counselors, licensed social workers, licensed
marriage and family therapists, psychiatric nurses, licensed
professional Chaplain or pastoral care giver and other licensed
professionals with mental health training.
Psychotherapy is sometimes called talk therapy because it’s
based on conversations you have with a trained psychotherapist,
psychiatrist, therapist, or counselor.

In a confidential setting, you and your therapist discuss parts of

your life that you will like to improve. But, talking is simply an
avenue to discuss a large array of experiences, in an effort to be
able to learn more from them.

Depending on your therapist, the type of therapy, and your own

needs, you might talk about your:

 personal history
 emotions
 relationships
 thought patterns
 behaviors and habits
 goals and obstacles

Several different types of mental health

professionals provide psychotherapy, including:

 licensed professional counselors

 social workers
 marriage and family therapists
 developmental or child psychologists
 psychoanalysts
 psychiatrists or psychiatric nurses
 psychotherapists
 WHY IS PSYCHOTHERAPY NECESSARY

Psychotherapy can be helpful in treating most mental health

problems, including:

 Anxiety disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder

(OCD), phobias, panic disorder or post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD)
 Mood disorders, such as depression
 Addictions, such as alcoholism, drug dependence,
compulsive gambling or sex maniac
 Eating disorders, such as over feeding or under feeding.
 Personality disorders, a personality disorder is a type of
mental disorder in which you have a rigid and unhealthy
pattern of thinking, functioning and behaving. A person with a
personality disorder has trouble perceiving and relating to
situations and people
 Schizophrenia: Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder in
which people interpret reality abnormally. Schizophrenia is a
chronic, severe mental disorder that affects the way a person
thinks, acts, expresses emotions, perceives reality and relates
to others.
Not everyone who benefits from psychotherapy is diagnosed with
a mental illness. Psychotherapy can help with a number of life's
stresses and conflicts that can affect anyone. For example, it may
help you:

 Resolve conflicts with your partner or someone else in your

life
 Relieve anxiety or stress due to work or other situations
 Cope with major life changes, such as divorce, the death
of a loved one or the loss of a job
  Learn to manage unhealthy reactions, such as passive-
aggressive behavior
 Come to terms with an ongoing or serious physical
health problem, such as diabetes, cancer or long-term
(chronic) pain
 Recover from physical or sexual abuse or witnessing
violence / WAR
 Cope with sexual problems, whether they're due to a
physical or psychological cause
 Sleep better, if you have trouble getting to sleep or staying
asleep (insomnia)
In some cases, psychotherapy can be as effective as medications,
such as antidepressants. However, depending on your specific
situation, psychotherapy alone may not be enough to ease the
symptoms of a mental health condition. You may also need
medications or other treatments

Definition of Terms
Psychotherapist: This is a trained individual that gives pieces of
advice/suggestion to client/counselee in order to solve his /her
problems. This is an all-encompassing term for those who help
people deal with stress, anxiety, and other emotional problems
through therapy. Psychotherapists include psychologists,
psychoanalysts, and some psychiatrists. Each one of these has a
different degree and focus.

Client: a person using and receiving the services of a

professional person
Patient: a recipient of health care services that are performed by
healthcare professionals. An ill, injured or abnormal person who is
in need of treatment from health care provider
Who are counsellors?
Counsellors provide therapy, counselling, or advice in a specific
field of focus. They can specialize in different areas like
relationships, careers, families, business / partnership, general
mental health, or education counselling. Typically, people visit
counsellors to seek specific advice or for help solving problems or
making important decisions in life.

Who are psychoanalysts?

Psychoanalysts use a very specific method of treatment and

therapy. They focus on alleviating symptoms, but also delve into
the root causes of psychological problems. Psychoanalysts are
unable to do psychological testing, cannot prescribe medications,
and are usually best for treating conditions like childhood trauma.

Who are psychologists?

Psychologists are professionals who study psychology. They focus

on testing (like IQ testing) and specialized types of therapy like
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for addressing mental health
issues. Despite their doctoral degree, they are not medical
doctors, and so they’re unable to prescribe medications. If you
feel that you have a mental disorder that requires treatment
beyond talk therapy but not medication, see a clinical
psychologist.

Psychiatrists are mental health professionals, they usually focus

on the medical side of mental illness by prescribing medications.
Similarly, psychopharmacologists specialize in medications for
psychological concerns and are considered psychiatric
pharmacists.

Who are social workers?

Social Workers design programs and services that help address

the psychological problems of individuals within our society. If
they have a specialized training, they can also design treatments
or develop welfare plans for individuals. They are not involved
with any psychological testing however and focus on the social
environment as the cause of the individual’s problems. Social
workers can have an individual practice or can work in community
hospitals or outreach programs.

AIM OF PSYCHOTHERAPY

1. To help people with a broad variety of mental illnesses and

emotional difficulties.
2. To eliminate or control troubling symptoms so a person can
function better and can increase well-being and healing.
3. To help people to cope with daily life challenge and trauma.
4. To understand, predict, describe, influence, and control
behavior, and improve the quality of life.
5. To know yourself better.
6. To alleviate emotional pain or confusion.
7. To assist you in developing a more complete understanding of
your psychological issues.
8. To Establish more effective coping mechanisms.
9. To Foster a more accurate understanding of your past and
what you want for your future.
10. Psychotherapy is to facilitate positive change in clients
seeking better emotional and social functioning to improve
their feelings of satisfaction and the overall quality of their
lives.
11. Psychotherapy helps clients to live a happier, healthier, and
a more productive lives.

Ethics of Psychotherapy

The goal of psychotherapy is not to change you, change is your

choice, but it is to build awareness, compassion, understanding,
respect, empathy and acceptance toward yourself and others.
 Types of psychotherapy

There are a number of effective types of psychotherapy. Some

work better than others in treating certain disorders and
conditions. In many cases, therapists use a combination of
techniques. Your therapist will consider your particular situation
and preferences to determine which approach may be best for
you.

Although many types of therapies exist, some psychotherapy

techniques proven to be effective include:

 Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps you

identify unhealthy, negative beliefs and behaviors and replace
them with healthy, positive ones
 Dialectical behavior therapy, a type of CBT that teaches
behavioral skills to help you handle stress, manage your
emotions and improve your relationships with others
 Acceptance and commitment therapy, which helps you
become aware of and accept your thoughts and feelings and
commit to making changes, increasing your ability to cope
with and adjust to situations
 Psychodynamic and psychoanalysis therapies, which
focus on increasing your awareness of unconscious thoughts
and behaviors, developing new insights into your motivations,
and resolving conflicts
 Interpersonal psychotherapy, which focuses on addressing
problems with your current relationships with other people to
improve your interpersonal skills — how you relate to others,
such as family, friends and colleagues.
 Supportive psychotherapy, which reinforces your ability to
cope with stress and difficult situations.
Psychotherapy is offered in different formats, including individual,
couple, family or group therapy sessions, and it can be effective
for all age groups.

During Psychotherapy

For most types of psychotherapy, therapist encourages people to

talk about their thoughts and feelings and what is troubling them.
Therapist help people to gain more confidence and comfort to talk
during the process.

Psychotherapy sometimes involves intense emotional discussions,

the client may burst into crying, upset or even having an angry
outburst during a session. Clients may feel physically exhausted
after a session. Your work as a therapist is to provide help for
them to cope with such feelings and emotions.

As a therapist, you may ask your client to do "homework" —

activities or practices that build on what they have learn during
your regular therapy sessions. Over time, discussing their
concerns can help them improve their mood, change the way
they think and feel about themself, and improve their ability to
cope with problems.

Confidentiality

Professionally, the ethics of a therapist specialist requires

confidentiality. Except in rare and specific circumstances,
conversations with your client are confidential. However, a
therapist may break confidentiality if there is an immediate threat
to safety (yours or someone else's) or when required by state or
federal law to report concerns to authorities. A therapist can
answer questions about confidentiality.
 Length of psychotherapy

The length of psychotherapy sessions depends on the followings:

 The particular mental illness or situation of your client

 Severity of the symptoms
 How long your client had been dealing with the situation
 How quickly your client make progress or respond to
treatment.
 How much stress / trauma your client experiencing
 How much the mental health of your client interfere with his
day-to-day life.
 How much support your client receive from family members
and others
 How much fee does your client pay
It may take only weeks to help you cope with a short-term
situation. Or, treatment may last a year or longer if you have a
long-term mental illness or other long-term concerns.

OUTCOME

Psychotherapy may not cure your condition or make an

unpleasant situation go away. But it can give you the power to
cope in a healthy way and to feel better about yourself and your
life.

EXPECTATION FROM THE CLIENT

To get a better result, the client have to help the specialist in the
following ways.

1. Feel comfortable with your therapist.

 2. Approach your therapy as a joint effort. Therapy is most
effective when you are an active participant and share in
decision-making. Make sure you and your therapist agree
about the major issues and how to tackle them. Together,
you can set goals and measure progress over time.
3. Be open and honest. Success depends on willingness to
share your thoughts, feelings and experiences, and to
consider new insights, ideas and ways of doing things. If the
client is reluctant to talk about certain issues because of
painful emotions, embarrassment or fears about the
therapist's reaction, such act could obstruct the healing
process.
4. Stick to your treatment plan. If the client feels down or
lack motivation, it may be tempting for the client to skip
psychotherapy sessions. Doing this can disrupt the progress.
5. Don't expect instant results. Working on emotional issues
can be painful and may require hard work. You may need
several sessions before you begin to see improvement.
6. Do your homework between sessions. If you are asks to
document your thoughts in a journal or do other activities
outside of your therapy sessions, follow through. These
homework assignments can help to apply what you have
learnt in the therapy sessions to your life.
7. If psychotherapy is not helping, talk to your
therapist. If you feel that you are not benefiting from the
therapy after several sessions, talk to your therapist about it.
You and your therapist may decide to make some changes or
try a different approach that may be more effective.

CLASSIFICATION OF THERAPY
Therapies are sometimes classified according to their duration
1. SHORT TERM THERAPY: - a small number of sessions over
a few weeks or months may be classified as brief therapy.
2. LONG TERM THERAPY: where regular sessions take place
for years.