Psychotherapy: Types Of Therapy

If you’re thinking of trying therapy, you might’ve already noticed the surprising amount of types available. Though some approaches work best for specific conditions, others can help with a range of issues. Most therapies in wide use have been well-tested and deemed effective. The critical aspect is that the patient works collaboratively with the therapist and can identify improvement and positive change over time.

What Is Therapy?

Therapy is a form of medical treatment, that helps you tackle troubling emotions, thoughts, behaviors, or life situations. It is also known as psychotherapy, talk therapy, or counseling.

Provided should be provided by trained professionals only: psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, or licensed counselors. Therapy sessions refer to structured meetings between a provider and a patient, whether online or in person with the goal of improving some aspect of their life. Psychotherapy encompasses many types of treatment and is practiced by a range of clinicians using a variety of strategies.

Tepes Of Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that looks at how the way you think and feel affects your behavior. By changing your thought patterns, you can change your responses to specific, often difficult, situations.

Behavioral Therapy

While it can be used in a variety of therapeutic settings, behavior therapy is often beneficial for parents and children. It’s a way to highlight behaviors that are desirable while discouraging unwanted ones.

Psychoanalytic Therapy

Talk therapy known as psychoanalytic psychotherapy is used to reveal unconscious feelings and thoughts in your psyche. It’s based on Freud‘s theories of psychoanalysis. By exploring your unconscious mind and looking at how it influences your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, you can become aware of the unconscious material and begin to enhance how your ego functions. The ultimate goal of psychoanalytic psychotherapy is to help you resist the demands of the superego and become less controlled by biological urges that can hinder you and your mental health.

Psychodynamic Therapy

This form of talking therapy aims to help individuals understand their emotions and mental process at a deeper level. The therapy helps individuals become more self-aware and recognize patterns they develop over time.

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)

Interpersonal psychotherapy is an attachment-focused therapy technique that helps you solve interpersonal problems, reduce stress, and improve social functioning. It’s a highly structured approach with a very strict timeline that should be completed within 3 to 4 months. This evidence-based technique is often used to treat mood disorders.

Systemic Therapy

Systemic therapy is a form of group therapy that can help you on an individual level and in relationships. It focuses on interactions and relationships in groups, so problems can be solved and relationships can move forward. By reducing stress and conflict, the interactions between family members can be greatly enhanced.

Imago Relationship Therapy

Imago relationship therapy focuses on conflict in relationships. It takes the approach that any conflict you experience in your relationships as an adult stems from childhood circumstances that shaped how you respond to challenges and difficulties. It can be a very effective form of therapy for couples wanting to better their relationship, improve communication skills, rebuild trust, or enhance intimacy, among other things.

Somatic Therapy

This type of therapy incorporates the mind, body, soul, and one’s emotions. It focuses mainly on the connection between the mind and body to help those who have suffered from trauma and abuse.

Mentalization Therapy

This type of psychodynamic therapy focuses on how one’s behavior is linked to one’s thoughts, wishes, desires, and feelings.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a form of therapy aimed to help individuals find their way of living in the moment, improve relationships, and regulate their stress and emotions. The therapy is often divided into four key areas; Emotion regulation, mindfulness, distress tolerance, and assertiveness.

Emotion Focused Therapy

this form of psychotherapy focuses on the link between emotions and identity and how it affects decision-making. It helps individuals improve bonding and attachment in relationships.

Humanistic Therapy

Humanistic therapy focuses on personal understanding of the individual as a person. Its emphasis is to help an individual be their true selves and lead to a fulfilling life by understanding one’s worldview and self.

Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy is a form of behavioral therapy that helps individuals confront their anxieties and fears. Individuals are exposed to a situation that causes them to fear multiple times. After controlled exposure over time, feelings and stress are reduced in an individual.

Unlimited Messaging: this therapy form allows an individual to text, video, or voice their therapist at any time, from anywhere.

Finding a Therapist

There are countless compassionate and effective therapists in the world—but not every single therapist is the best person to help every individual seeking treatment. Though it can be frustrating for patients and professionals alike, finding the right therapist is usually a process of trial and error.

Here are several tips about how to get the most out of psychotherapy:

Make sure you feel comfortable with your therapist. If you don’t, look for another therapist with whom you feel more at ease.
Approach therapy as a partnership. Therapy is most effective when you’re an active participant and share in decision-making. Make sure you and your therapist agree about the major issues and how to tackle them. Together, you can set goals and measure progress over time.
Be open and honest. Success depends on a willingness to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences, and to consider new insights, ideas, and ways of doing things. If you’re reluctant to talk about certain issues because of painful emotions, embarrassment, or fears about your therapist’s reaction, let your therapist know.
Stick to your treatment plan. If you feel down or lack motivation, it may be tempting to skip psychotherapy sessions. Doing so can disrupt your progress. Try to attend all sessions and give some thought to what you want to discuss.
Don’t expect instant results. Working on emotional issues can be painful and may require hard work. You may need several sessions before you begin to see improvement.
Do your homework between sessions. If your therapist asks you to document your thoughts in a journal or do other activities outside of your therapy sessions, follow through. These homework assignments can help you apply what you’ve learned in the therapy sessions to your life.
If psychotherapy isn’t helping, talk to your therapist. If you don’t feel that you’re benefiting from therapy after several sessions, talk to your therapist about it. You and your therapist may decide to make some changes or try a different approach that may be more effective.

If You’re In An Immediate Crisis

The Crisis Text Line is available 24/7, free of charge. Just text 741741, and you’ll be connected to a trained crisis counselor. You can text back and forth until the acute event is over.

If you’re in crisis and having thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please get help immediately. Dial 911 or reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at: 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Many people are trained to help those in crisis, and they’re just a phone call away. Your information is confidential, and access is always free: