UNDERSTANDING PSYCHOTHERAPY
- whereemotionsflow
- Mar 15
- 4 min read
By Irene L. Solomon
LEARNING ABOUT PSYCHOTHERAPY-
Psychotherapy is a collaborative treatment based on the relationship between an individual and a psychologist, (American Psychological Association, 2012). It is also known as talk therapy, counselling, psychosocial therapy or simply therapy. It requires active engagement on the part of the psychotherapist and sustained emotional efforts from the patient’s side. It is not necessary that only people who have mental illnesses undergo psychotherapy. Sometimes, people who may face ordinary hurdles such as difficulties in understanding one’s feelings, hardships in interpersonal relationships, etc. can also seek psychotherapy. It enables people to master control over emotions, overcome generalized anxiety and even improve interpersonal relationships to a great extent.
Some downsides of psychotherapy include- 1) It is a very slow process, often requiring as minimum as 2 sessions per week for several years. This makes it a rather expensive option as compared to other forms of therapy. 2) In lieu of how lengthy the entire procedure is, the patient may lose the motivation as well as interest to put in efforts to improve his/her emotional health.
TYPES OF PSYCHOTHERAPY-
Psychotherapy has various branches, each having its own working mechanisms. There are over 400 types of psychotherapy, each having its own significance depending upon client needs. For the sake of convenience, we will be focusing on the four major types of psychotherapy-
1. CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)- Cognitive behavioral therapy is a subunit of psychotherapy that is used to treat numerous problems like depression, anxiety, eating disorders, etc. The 3 components of CBT are- thoughts, feelings, and behavior. The basic assumption here is that what we feel stems from our thought processes or what we think. Subsequently, our feelings reflect in our behavioral patterns. Its basic aim is to eliminate negative thoughts from the patient’s mind and make positive changes in his/her behavior.
2. IPT (Interpersonal Therapy)- Interpersonal therapy was invented in the 1970’s by psychotherapists Myrna Weissman and Gerald Klerman as a mode of treatment for mood disorders like depression. IPT is time-bound and the usual duration of its sessions span from 12 to 16 weeks. Here, the patient is free to openly discuss the difficulties s/he experiences in his/her relationships. Practitioners of interpersonal therapy are of the view that most problems associated with mental health are an outcome of conflicts in relationships between individuals. So, the objective of IPT is to better interpersonal relationships of the client.
3. Psychodynamic Therapy- Psychodynamic therapy is a school of psychotherapy that is useful in treating issues like anxiety, problems related to relationships, depression and family dynamics. In this form of psychotherapy, the mental and emotional problems of people are resolved by uncovering their unconscious thoughts and repressed emotions. It delves into how a person’s present behavioral pattern is shaped by previous experiences and life events. It encourages people to become more aware about oneself.
4. Humanistic Therapy- Humanistic therapy or humanism, is a branch of psychotherapy that can be applied to mainly those people who have low self-esteem. Humanistic therapy was born out of the humanistic psychology perspective. It offers a person-centered approach that focuses on personal growth and fulfillment of the self “through self-mastery, self-examination, and creative expression” (Block, 2011, p. 765).
BENEFITS OF PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR TEENAGERS-
1. SELF AWARENESS- Adolescence is a phase where teens are preoccupied in exploring the world and the self. So, they lack complete self-awareness. In such times, psychotherapy can help teens recognize their own feelings, emotions and thoughts, thus enabling them to become self-aware.
2. INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS- Many teenagers face difficulties in building interpersonal relations due to issues like social anxiety, low confidence level, etc. Since psychotherapy aims to resolve interpersonal conflicts, it boosts their communication skills and allows them to forge meaningful interpersonal relations.
3. EMOTIONAL REGULATION- Adolescence is a period of emotional instability; by providing them with strategies to cope with emotional turmoil, teenagers learn to manage their oscillating emotions themselves.
4. SLEEP PATTERN- Emotional suffering is strongly linked with irregular sleep patterns. Therapy can help them develop healthier sleep schedules by eliminating any form of stress and unveil the causes of their disturbed sleep, leading to more peaceful sleep routines.
CONCLUSION-
In conclusion, psychotherapy is very effective in treating a broad assortment of mental problems like eating disorders, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, weakened interpersonal relationships, etc. As mentioned above, there are more than 400 forms of psychotherapy, each one operating on unique mechanisms. The 4 major types of psychotherapy are CBT, IPT, psychodynamic therapy and humanism or humanistic psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is known to have produced excellent results in teens experiencing mental and emotional problems. It is advantageous because it allows adolescents to manage maladaptive feelings, strengthen interpersonal as well as communication skills, gain self-awareness and so on.
REFERENCES-
1. Understanding psychotherapy and how it works
American Psychological Association. (2023, December 12). Understanding psychotherapy and how it works. https://www.apa.org/topics/psychotherapy/understanding
2. Mayo Clinic. (2024). Mayo Clinic. Mayoclinic.org; Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. https://www.mayoclinic.org
3. Guy-Evans, O. (2023, September 21). Psychotherapy: Definition, Types, Techniques, Efficacy. Www.simplypsychology.org.
4. Brief Psychodynamic Therapy Treatment
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