Types of Therapies

Talk therapy, psycho-social therapy, counselling, or simply therapy describe psychotherapy. Talking with a psychologist, psychiatrist, counsellor, or other mental health specialist is the primary strategy for addressing mental health problems. Its purpose is to help people understand their illness and provide the techniques and tools for coping with negative thoughts and actions. Depending on the degree of their mental condition, psychotherapy alone may be sufficient treatment for many people. Psychotherapy is sometimes paired with medicine. There are different types of therapies available as per the needs. We will study these types of psychotherapy later in the article.

What is Therapy?

Psychotherapy, sometimes known as talk therapy or simply “therapy,” is used to treat emotional suffering and mental health issues. It entails evaluating and understanding life choices and issues individuals, couples, or families face. It is provided by a range of educated professionals—psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, or licenced counsellors. Therapy sessions are scheduled appointments between a qualified therapist and a client to improve a certain aspect of the client’s life. Psychotherapy covers a wide range of treatments and is delivered by various doctors using a variety of techniques. The most important feature is that the client or patient collaborates with the therapist and can recognise progress and good change over time.

Types of therapies

There are numerous techniques for psychotherapy. There is no one-size-fits-all solution that will work for everyone. A therapist will frequently employ a hybrid approach, combining approaches from many styles of psychotherapy. A single targeted style of psychotherapy may be the optimal treatment option at other times. Their requirements determine the type of psychotherapy a person receives.

A list of some of the most frequent types of psychotherapy is provided below. This list is by no means complete, and many of these treatments are continually changing. Some therapeutic procedures have undergone extensive scientific testing, while others are younger and frequently integrated with more recognised psychotherapies.

Behavioural therapy

Behavioural therapy is a method of mental health treatment that is focused and action-oriented.

According to behavioural theory, certain behaviours originate from things you learned in the past. Some of these actions may hurt your life or cause you distress. Behavioural therapy might assist you in altering your behaviour. You won’t spend much time in behavioural therapy discussing unconscious reasons for your conduct or working through emotional concerns. Instead, you’ll concentrate on techniques to alter distressing behavioural reactions and habits. There are many subtypes of behavioural therapy like Systematic desensitisation, Aversion therapy and flooding.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioural treatment (CBT) combines cognitive and behavioural therapy. Cognitive therapy is based on the idea of focusing on a person’s thoughts and beliefs and how they influence their mood and behaviour. The idea is to make a person’s particular thinking more adaptable and healthy by bringing awareness. Behavioural therapy, on the other hand, focuses on behaviour. Behavioural therapy can help to change behaviour patterns by raising awareness of a person’s undesirable behaviours, activities, or routines.

Psychodynamic therapy.

Psychodynamic therapy focuses on how previous and present life events and relationships affect your current feelings, relationships, and decisions. Its purpose is to assist you in recognising and understanding negative sentiments and repressed emotions so that you can address internal psychological problems and improve your life experiences, self-esteem, and relationships. This method is widely used to help people who are depressed.

A psychodynamic therapist will urge you to open up about various topics to help you unearth memories, experiences, or dreams that shaped your life. You will investigate why you have made some undesirable decisions or behaviours to prevent making similar mistakes in the future.

Humanistic therapy

People’s ability to make rational judgments and realise their full potential is emphasised in this strategy. Concern and respect for others are also important qualities.

Humanistic philosophers such as Jean-Paul Sartre, Martin Buber, and Sren Kierkegaard influenced this therapeutic technique.

Three types of humanistic therapy have a disproportionately large impact. Client-centred therapy rejects the idea that therapists are experts in their patients’ personal life. Instead, therapists help clients change by emphasising their concern, care, and interest. Gestalt therapy emphasises the importance of “organismic holism,” or being aware of the present moment and accepting personal responsibility. Existential therapy emphasises freedom of choice, self-determination, and the search for meaning.

Psychoanalytic therapy

The purpose of psychoanalytic treatment is to understand the subconscious or unconscious mind. This type of treatment may be beneficial for those who have been in therapy for a long time and wish to delve deeper into the unconscious origins of the thoughts that impact their actions.

Psychoanalysis is widely used to treat patients with compulsions, obsessions, or phobias. The therapist will then guide their patients through exploring their unconscious and subconscious brains to uncover and eliminate harmful behaviours.

Psychoanalysts with training in psychoanalytic theory and procedure, such as psychiatrists (M.D. ), psychologists, or qualified professional counsellors, are the best candidates to supervise the psychoanalysis process.

Integrative or holistic therapy

Holistic therapy is psychosynthesis-based integrative counselling practice. It is concerned with determining the relationship between a person’s soul, mind, and body and how problems in one area of their lives may affect other areas.

Pursuing integrative and holistic therapy as a career exposes practitioners to increased self-awareness and environmental understanding, resulting in increased self-acceptance and client acceptance. Psychiatrists in this profession consider their patients’ symptoms as a window into their consciousness, leading to or calling attention to a person’s higher awareness.

Conclusion

There are many different therapies accessible to people who need assistance with certain concerns. For some illnesses, certain therapy methods may be more beneficial than others. It’s crucial to note that what works for one person might not work for another, so deciding on the best type of treatment for a particular person is a personal decision. We’ve gone over each sort of therapy in great depth.