Psychotherapy

What Is Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is a method of treatment for people who are experiencing emotional and behavioral problems, particularly diagnosable mental health conditions. It is conducted in a variety of ways and should only be provided by a professional trained in its administration.

This form of talk therapy helps a person identify and understand the causes of their problems, assisting in a healing process that results in improved functioning and overall well-being. It decreases or eliminates psychologically distressing symptoms that interfere with daily life.

What Conditions or Issues Does Psychotherapy Help Manage?

Psychotherapy helps with a multitude of issues. These can involve coping with challenging life events such as dealing with trauma, managing the emotional aspects of going through physical illness, and working through grief.

Psychotherapy can also help treat mental health conditions such as:

• Major depressive disorder
• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Separation anxiety
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Bulimia nervosa
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Additionally, psychotherapy can address interpersonal concerns such as difficulty handling social situations and experiencing struggles with relationships.

Who Needs Psychotherapy?

A person who could benefit from psychotherapy could be:

• Someone with severe relationship problems
• Someone grieving the passing of a loved one
• Someone experiencing long-term stress and anxiety due to interpersonal issues
• Those suffering from ongoing hopelessness, persistent anxiety, or irritability
• Those who are unable to enjoy activities that once provided them joy

Another group of people who might need psychotherapy are those who a physician has cleared yet are suffering from physical symptoms that lack a medical explanation. Symptoms could include things like insomnia, lack of appetite, or persistent and debilitating fatigue. On the other hand, a person may need psychotherapy after a medical doctor suggests or confirms the presence of a mental health disorder that is causing ongoing distress.

How To Prepare for Psychotherapy

After making the decision to try psychotherapy, an initial consideration should be what you are looking for in a psychotherapist. Things to consider, include:

• Do you want a therapist who specializes in treating a certain population?
• Do you want a therapist who includes faith-based beliefs in their practice?
• Would you prefer to meet in person or online?
• Would you prefer a therapist who is the same age? Or gender?

Defining your preferences can help you narrow down what you’re looking for and help you in your search for the right therapist. Another important consideration should be checking if your insurance covers psychotherapy and how many sessions are allowed or how frequently they will be covered.

Once you have chosen a psychotherapist and scheduled the first session, a helpful way to get ready is to write down what has been bothering you and the goals you would like to work on. This could help if you anticipate not being able to remember or pinpoint the main things that have been distressing you. You could also write down questions for your new provider.

Practicing meditation or mindfulness beforehand could be useful if becoming anxious is a concern. You may want to think about what has and hasn’t helped in the past, whether in previous psychotherapy or with someone else you had sought help from.

Requesting a phone consultation before the first session could also be beneficial. This allows you to start getting to know the psychotherapist and possibly get certain topics out of the way, such as addressing schedule availability or payment options.

Comfort might also be something to consider. You may want to think about dressing comfortably or making sure you have eaten in case the session occurs at a time you would otherwise be having a meal. Finally, a great way to prepare could be to congratulate yourself for having taken the initiative to seek out help.

What To Expect During A Therapy Session

In the first psychotherapy session, your provider will administer an intake assessment to gather background information and details about the symptoms you’re experiencing. Certified standardized tests are often incorporated into this process to assess for anxiety, depression, and other possible concerns. Information gathered will often cover any history of personal and familial mental health problems, medical issues, substance abuse, and trauma.

To experience the benefits of psychotherapy, a person should expect to be an active participant. Collaborating with the therapist in an honest and forthcoming way is vital. This should go both ways, as having a relationship built on trust is essential. The psychotherapy process will also involve creating a treatment plan and showing dedication to working towards identified goals. Finally, a person should expect confidentiality, as this is a requirement of the therapeutic process.

Types of Psychotherapy

There are numerous types of psychotherapy. The type a person receives depends on their mental health diagnosis and its severity, the psychotherapist’s recommendation, and the client’s preferences. Multiple approaches to psychotherapy may be used by a psychotherapist, often within each session.

Common types of psychotherapy include:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• Dialectical behavioral therapy
• Psychodynamic therapy
• Interpersonal therapy

Other forms of therapy, including art therapy, music therapy, psychoeducation, and animal-assisted therapy, can be incorporated to treat mental health conditions. Play therapy is particularly helpful in treating children. These types of psychotherapy methods include individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, and group therapy.

Length of Treatment

Sessions can take place at varying intervals, from several times a week to less frequently. Weekly sessions are common and often last between 45 and 55 minutes. The total duration of psychotherapy provision can vary from short-term to long-term depending on numerous factors, including whether a person is dealing with longer lasting and more complex challenges. How often sessions take place and for how long (such as days, weeks, or years) are subjects that the psychotherapist and client will discuss and decide upon together.

What Are the Benefits of Psychotherapy?

One key benefit of psychotherapy is that it works, with approximately 75% of people who get psychotherapy reporting some benefit from participating in it. It helps a person gain knowledge about their condition and its related symptoms by exploring feelings, cognitions, and behaviors. It promotes understanding of how these things are affecting both the client and the people around them.

Notably, it also provides significant relief of psychiatric symptoms by decreasing or eliminating them, subsequently improving the client’s overall functioning. Psychotherapy can result in real-life benefits, like clients ending up taking fewer sick days, having lower instances of needing disability, expressing greater satisfaction with work life, having improved relationships, and experiencing positive changes in the brain and body (including fewer medical problems). In many cases, psychotherapy can be as or more effective than psychotropic medications.

What’s the Difference Between Psychotherapy, Counseling, and Therapy?

Although the terms “therapy,” “counseling,” and “psychotherapy” have similarities and at times are used interchangeably, the concepts differ in fundamental ways.

The word “therapy” is frequently used to refer to mental health services, but it can also refer to physical therapy and speech therapy. “Psychotherapy” (rooted in the word “psychology”) refers specifically to mental health therapy provided by a professional trained in psychology. Psychotherapists receive extensive training in psychiatric disorders and research-proven methods of treating them.

The terms “mental health counseling” and “psychotherapy” have similarities as well as key differences. A counselor can be a mental health counselor or refer other things such as an academic or guidance counselor.

Even when it comes to mental health counseling, this is much broader than psychotherapy and can refer to advice, support, and guidance given to someone going through personal issues. Psychotherapy requires more specialized skills and formal training in diagnosable mental illnesses and proven ways of treating them.

How Do I Find a Therapist?

Multiple types of healthcare professionals are qualified to provide psychotherapy. These include clinical social workers as well as psychologists and psychiatrists. There are myriad ways to find one who is a good fit. You might already have a particular psychotherapist in mind or have a friend or loved one who has recommendations. If applicable, you can reach out to your insurance company for a list.

You can also obtain assistance from a number of websites, including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

If you think that you or someone you care about might benefit from receiving psychotherapy, reach out for help. Just like visiting a medical doctor, seeing a mental health professional is essential in caring for your mental well-being and maintaining whole-person health.