RaleyMonroe914
Psychotherapy 101, Introducing Psychotherapy
This article attempts to introduce the basic ideas and tenants of psychotherapy. It starts by introducing the thought of the psychotherapist, their training and also the profession. It then goes on to introduce the psychotherapeutic relationship and some of their ideas. It ends by introducing probably the most common psychotherapy theories.
The Psychotherapist:
A psychotherapist is somebody that provides psychotherapy to clients on a professional basis. This can be to the people, couples, families or in an organization setting. A psychotherapist might have other trainings or backgrounds. For instance they might also be a doctor, social worker, mental health worker, nurse or counsellor. However when seeing a client for psychotherapy they will have only that role with the client and never be providing them with every other service.
Psychotherapists will often have had a rigorous training which is generally between 4-8 years long. This training may have involved a time of supervised practice as well as their personal therapy. Many psychotherapists will be people in an expert organisation like the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
The Psychotherapeutic Relationship:
The psychotherapist accounts for developing a relationship where psychotherapeutic change can occur. This requires ensuring that the psychotherapy occurs in a private, comfortable and safe environment. They will offer towards the client a certain level of confidentiality which helps to ensure that the customer feels certain that they can open to the psychotherapist without their loved ones friends, colleagues, or any other professionals being informed about what they're discussing. The psychotherapist will even listen cautiously towards the client and help them to identify their set goals and wishes for that work. It is primarily the active listening and engagement through the psychotherapist that helps create the psychotherapeutic relationship.
Psychotherapeutic Ideas:
The way in which the psychotherapist works together with a customer will depend upon their training and the theory they use to assist the client. In general psychotherapy is trying to help the person live a far more satisfying life by helping to: build the individuals sense of their very own esteem; resolve issues using their past that are affecting them in the present; these to have healthier relationships; and also to gain perspective and skills to tackle their problems themselves.
Psychotherapeutic Approaches:
The main methods to psychotherapy are:
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy - This has its roots in psychoanalysis and tries to work with the clients unconscious processes to help relieve distress and tension.
Person Centred Psychotherapy - This really is in line with the work of Carl Rogers. Here the psychotherapist offers the core conditions of empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard to help the customer find their own solutions to their problems.
Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy - Here the client's thoughts and behaviours are focused on and maladaptive thoughts and behaviours are changed to help the individual move ahead fro their situation.
Integrative Psychotherapy - Here the psychotherapist mat be trained in a variety of approaches and adjusts how they are working to suit the needs of the customer.
