The Different Types of Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy can be a powerful vehicle for personal transformation. By speaking with a trained therapist in a safe and confidential environment, a person has the opportunity to explore their inner world and gain an understanding of their behaviours.
Research has now shown that individual psychotherapy can be highly effective at improving the symptoms of a wide range of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and OCD. Psychotherapy can also be extremely beneficial for families, couples, and groups, promoting positive changes and improved relationships.
In individual therapy, you receive personalized guidance and support form your psychotherapist in a one-on-one setting. Their support is tailored specifically to your needs to ensure effective and positive results. Couples therapy focuses on enhancing the way you and your partner interact and function within your relationship. It involves you and your partner working collaboratively with a therapist.
Family therapy emphasizes on improving the dynamics within your family and involves multiple individuals to promote positive changes and healthier relationships. Another effective approach is group therapy, where individuals with a common goal come together to provide and receive support from one another. Group therapy also gives an opportunity to the members of the group to practice new behaviours and foster growth in a safe and supportive environment.
More and more people are embracing the potential of psychotherapy in their life, but many are confused which is the right type for them. The following are some of the most common types of psychotherapy to give you a better idea of your options:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is one of the most used modalities in therapy. CBT is effective because it looks at the relationship between an individual’s thoughts, feelings and behaviours. It allows people to make sense of their surroundings and acknowledge how their perceptions influence them.
It helps individuals identify their distorted thoughts, understand that their thoughts and perceptions are not always facts, and learn how to consider situations from a different perspective. CPT is a very empowering form of psychotherapy and works on a variety of issues such as depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, eating disorders and schizophrenia.
Eye Movement Desensitization And Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) has been used successfully for decades to treat PTSD. EMDR works by reducing the emotional distress that has been stored away in the brain from past traumas.
In each EMDR session, a trained therapist assists their client in performing a series of back and forth repetitive eye movements that essentially find the lingering traumatic emotions and disarm them.
Interpersonal Therapy
Interpersonal therapy focuses on improving the relationships an individual has with others. In these sessions the trained therapist helps their client evaluate their social interactions to recognize any negative patterns. Patterns can include social isolation and aggression. The goal is for the person to learn strategies for interacting positively with others.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of types of psychotherapy. But if you are interested in learning more about psychotherapy and would like to explore treatment options, I would be happy to speak with you. Please feel free to give my office a call.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) focuses on two main aspects of acceptance and change. Acceptance allows individuals to understand that their feelings, behaviours, and experiences are valid, while change involves making positive modifications to manage their emotions and enhance their well-being.
DBT was originally invented to treat individuals with suicidal behaviours and borderline personality disorder. However, it is also used to treat other mental health conditions such as mood disorders, binge eating, depression, ADHD, and PTSD.
SOURCES:
https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Treatments/Psychotherapy
https://psychcentral.com/lib/types-of-psychotherapy
https://positivepsychology.com/types-of-therapies/