Do you ever feel too overwhelmed or anxious to deal with your problems? If so, you’re not alone. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 51.5 million adults in the United States experienced depression, anxiety, or another mental illness in the past year. These problems can arise from coping with family or relationship troubles, stress, substance, and alcohol abuse among other issues. And when untreated, these problems can become exhausting.
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Psychotherapy, often referred to as counseling or therapy, is a term for treating mental health problems by speaking with a psychiatrist, psychologist, or other mental health providers. There are 6 types of psychotherapy that psychologists apply to help individuals develop healthier habits. In this blog, we will discuss the various types of psychotherapy, the formats as well as what you can do to make your psychotherapy a success.
What is the Purpose of Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is used to understand your mental health condition as well as your moods, feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Throughout treatment, you will learn healthy habits to take control of your life as well as coping skills to deal with challenges and problematic situations. Psychotherapy can be used to treat a variety of mental health problems including:
- Anxiety
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Mood Disorders including bipolar disorder and depression
- Eating Disorders such as bulimia or anorexia
- Addiction including alcohol, substances, and drug dependence.
- Personality Disorders
- Schizophrenia or psychotic disorders
Types of Psychotherapy
When it comes to any type of mental health treatment, approaches can vary depending on the associated behaviors and moods. Psychotherapy is no different. After talking with the doctor, they will decide which approach or combination of approaches will best benefit you.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is among the most common approaches to psychotherapy. CBT is based on the idea that individuals can make permanent, healthy changes in their behavior by shifting their negative, inaccurate patterns of thinking.
Psychodynamic Therapy
The second most commonly used type of psychotherapy is psychodynamic therapy. This approach is based on the assumption that the individual’s present-day mental problems stem from unresolved, unconscious conflicts, typically from childhood. With this approach, your doctor will speak with you about your past in order to help you better manage and understand your feelings by talking about them.
Interpersonal Therapy
Interpersonal therapy focuses on your connections, behaviors, and interactions with family and friends. The purpose of this approach is to improve communication skills, increase self-esteem, and resolve mental health issues caused by loss, grief, conflicts, and life transitions such as becoming a parent.
Supportive Therapy
As the name suggests, with supportive therapy your therapy will work with you to help you manage your anxiety and unhelpful thoughts on your own. Supportive therapy aims to improve your self-esteem.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
With acceptance and commitment therapy, your therapist will work with you to become aware of and accept your feelings in order to commit to making a change. This therapy aims to increase your ability to cope and adjust to challenging situations.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
A form of cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is used most often for high-risk, tough to treat patients. While it was initially designed to treat individuals with suicidal behavior, it has been widely used to change unhealthy behaviors or problems that threaten safety, relationships, work, and emotional well-being. DBT helps you change these behaviors through keeping daily diaries and therapy.
How to Make Your Psychotherapy a Success
With any of the types of psychotherapy, you can expect to understand your behaviors and emotions as well as learn to regain a sense of control within your life through healthy coping skills.
In order to make your psychotherapy a success, it requires time, effort, and active participation. Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:
- Attend all of your scheduled sessions.
- Work with your doctor to develop goals.
- Identify all sources of stress and positive events through a journal.
- Communicate and express your feelings.
- Be open and honest. Your success depends on your willingness to share your experiences, we are here to help you.
- Stick to your treatment plan, skipping a session can disrupt your progress.
- Don’t expect instant results as it may take several sessions to see improvement.
Seeking help is a huge step in improving your mental health and wellbeing. At Modern Psychiatry and Wellness, we are here to help you get back to living a happy and healthy life. To learn more about psychotherapy and mental health – contact our office today.
