Psychotherapy, also referred to as talk therapy, is the most common type of mental disorders treatment. As its name suggests, talk therapy involves both the patient and the psychotherapist engaging in an open talk.
During psychotherapy sessions, the mental health care professional aims to identify and change the patient’s troubling thoughts. The patient spends some time discussing how situations, events, behaviors, or emotions affect their lives.
There are many types of psychotherapies. Though some people may respond reasonably well to a specific type of psychotherapy, there is no single type of psychotherapy that works best for everyone.
As such, mental illness professionals adopt an eclectic approach, which involves combining two or more therapies to treat various psychiatric conditions. The process involves working through adverse life events or distressing thoughts, but the results usually lead to a more fulfilling life for the patient.
The Major Types of Psychotherapy Treatment
As stated earlier, there is no one-size-fits-all psychotherapy treatment. Depending on your specific mental health condition, your psychiatrist will decide on the best approach to adopt. The treatments can vary significantly for different patients, even if their mental illnesses are similar.
Nevertheless, you can visit BetterHelp.com and request their expert or mental health professionals to design a custom-made approach that will comfortably walk you through your mental issues. This article explores some of the commonly used psychotherapy procedures.
Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychodynamic therapy is the most common type of mental disorders treatment. The procedure involves weekly sessions, long-term or short-term, depending on the severity of your mental illness. During the treatment process, the psychiatrist focuses on your past life events, past and current relationships, and desires, which are likely to determine your everyday choices, feelings, and emotions.
For instance, if your parents were too overbearing and strict during your upbringing, you may be extremely wary of developing an intimate relationship for fear that your partner could become domineering like your parents.
In short, the mental care professional aims to unearth the subconscious compromises you may have made to shield yourself from painful thoughts or experiences. The cognitive therapist then uses the identified links to your current behavior to overcome your mental troubles.
Psychodynamic therapy is also essential in treating relationship disorders. By identifying the cause of your inability to interact with others warmly, the psychiatrist can help you restore your severed relationships for a happier, enjoyable life. The therapist guides you through the motions of improving your communication skills, developing healthy ways of fulfilling your relationship needs, and identifying your expectations in every type of relationship.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Unlike psychodynamic therapy that focuses on feelings and emotions, cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on changing the ingrained thought patterns and behaviors that cause your current mental problems. The approach aims to change destructive behaviors like excessive drinking, smoking, unfounded phobias, anxiety, and depression.
During the therapy sessions, the psychiatrist identifies your negative patterns of thinking and guides you through achieving a more positive attitude towards self and general life situations.
For example, you may have negative thinking patterns like excessive self-criticism, self-doubt, or guilt that make you see yourself as a failure. Such thoughts may also compel you to believe that everybody hates you or even become excessively pessimistic. You may even withdraw from friends or things that you loved to do.
Through cognitive behavioral therapy, the doctor aims at making you understand the negative thoughts that you harbor. During the treatment process, the mental health care provider will help you rightly judge life situations, positively transform your thinking, and help you deal with life events beyond your control. Eventually, you will develop more effective and positive responses to distressing feelings and circumstances.
Final Remarks
Contrary to public misconception, treatment of mental disorders does not always entail medication or hospitalization. Psychotherapy is one such method of care and treatment. With the emergence of credible online mental health services providers, you can easily access quality mental health care from the comfort of your house.
