Psychotherapy is a general therapy term for treating mental health issues by talking with a psychologist, or another licensed clinical social worker.
During psychotherapy with a mental health professional, you get to learn about your condition and your moods, feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, or other mental health issues, relationship problems, personality disorders, and personal experiences. Psychotherapy helps you learn how to take control of your life and respond to challenging situations with healthy coping skills.
There are many types of psychotherapy, each with its own approach. The type of psychotherapy that’s right for you depends on your individual situation. Psychotherapy is also known as talk therapy, counseling, psychosocial therapy, or, simply, therapy.
What are the different types of psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is typically used in combination with medications to treat mental health conditions. It might be the only treatment you need for certain problems or it might be one part of a more comprehensive treatment plan that also includes medications and other forms of therapy.
The three main types of psychotherapy are cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, and interpersonal psychotherapy.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy
A type of psychotherapy that focuses on how your thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes affect your feelings and behaviors. It teaches you how to recognize and change inaccurate or negative thinking so it doesn’t lead to problematic behavior such as overeating, substance abuse, or feeling depressed for no clear reason. CBT is often used for treating anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorder.
Psychodynamic therapy
A type of therapy that examines how past experiences influence the way you think and feel about yourself and others. This approach focuses on the unconscious mind. The therapist helps you identify patterns in your relationships with yourself and other people that may be causing you distress. This type of therapy isn’t as frequently used as CBT and interpersonal therapy.
Psychodynamic therapy is often used to treat depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorder.
Interpersonal therapy
A short-term type of psychotherapy that focuses on the relationships you have with others, including your significant other or family members. It helps you understand your current relationships and learn how to develop better interpersonal skills so you can be more effective in your relationships. This type of therapy is often used to treat depression, anxiety disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorder.
How do I find the right therapist for me?
Not all therapists are the same. It’s important to find one that’s a good fit for you. You may want to ask friends or family members if they know of someone who treats patients with conditions like yours or can recommend other therapists.
You can also ask your primary care physician for a referral to a therapist. Your employer’s employee assistance program, which offers free and confidential services, may be able to help connect you with a mental health professional. You might also find listings of therapists in your area through the following websites:
When you’re looking for a mental health professional, here are some qualities to look for:
-They’re licensed counselors or therapists who have completed coursework in the specific type of psychotherapy that interests you.
-They have experience treating patients with similar diagnoses or issues. o You feel comfortable talking about personal information with them, and they make you feel comfortable enough to explore your thoughts and feelings.
-They offer a supportive environment that’s conducive to growth and change.
-They’re respectful of your values, beliefs, and preferences.
-They’re available when you need them, whether it’s in person, by phone, or online.
-Look for the ones that accept most health insurance available in your area i.e Los Angeles.
What if I don’t like my therapist?
If you don’t feel comfortable with your therapist, you should talk about it. They may not realize that certain things are making you uncomfortable. If the problem is more serious or if talking to them doesn’t help, talk to someone else. Ask your primary care physician for a referral to another therapist or visit the websites listed above to find a different therapist.
Interpersonal psychotherapy
A time-limited, structured treatment for depression or anxiety that’s based on a short-term model of psychodynamic therapy. Instead of focusing on deep unconscious material, it focuses on the here and now by helping you understand the interactions between yourself and other people in your life.
What is CBT?
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on how your thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes affect your feelings and behaviors. It teaches you how to recognize and change inaccurate or negative thinking so it doesn’t lead to problematic behavior such as overeating, substance abuse, or feeling depressed for no clear reason. CBT is often used for treating anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorder.
How does CBT help? CBT can help by changing how you think about yourself and your experiences. For example: If you have depression, CBT can help you identify and challenge the depressive thoughts that contribute to your low mood. If you have an eating disorder, CBT can help you understand how certain thoughts affect your feelings about food and why they lead to problematic behaviors like bingeing or purging.
How is CBT different from other therapies?
Many therapists use this method when solving relationship issues and people with low self-esteem. Instead of a general approach that looks at interpersonal issues, CBT focuses on your current thoughts and feelings.
What is Family Therapy?
It’s a type of psychotherapy specifically for families and couples. The therapist uses family dynamics and relationships to identify and address problems in individuals within the family system/relationship network.
How does it work?
Family therapy can help family members communicate better and resolve conflicts. It can also help them understand how their behavior affects one another. Family therapy can be helpful for families with a Member who has a mental illness, such as bipolar disorder, depression, or schizophrenia. It can also help families who are struggling to cope with a death, divorce, or other major life change.
What if my family doesn’t want to go to therapy?
Family therapy usually works best when all family members participate, but this isn’t always possible. If some family members don’t want to participate or are unable to participate, the therapist may still be able to help the family using individual counseling sessions with each family member.
What is Psychodynamic Psychotherapy?
Psychodynamic therapy focuses on the relationship between your conscious, everyday self and the hidden forces within you that may affect your behavior. It aims to help people with psychological problems recognize destructive patterns in their lives so they can change negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
The term “psychodynamics” comes from two Greek words that roughly mean “mind” and “movement.” Psychodynamic therapy assumes that the energy within you might be moving in negative ways. For example, an anxiety disorder might be related to unresolved conflict, worry, or frustration from your past.
What is it used for?
Psychodynamic therapy can help people with a variety of conditions, such as anxiety disorders and addiction. It can also help people with psychological problems such as sleep disturbances or phobias.
What is Narrative Therapy?
Narrative therapy is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on the concept of “narrative,” which means how we create stories about ourselves and others. These stories can become powerful tools that control how we see ourselves and others, as well as how we behave.
How does it work?
Narrative therapy helps people understand the stories they tell themselves and how these stories can limit their lives. The therapist will help you identify your “problem story” – the story you tell yourself that is causing you pain or leading to self-destructive behavior. You and your therapist will then work together to find healthier ways of thinking about yourself and your life experiences that lead to more fulfilling, positive stories.
CBT is different from other therapies because it is a problem-solving approach. It helps you identify the thoughts and behaviors that are causing you problems and teaches you how to change them. CBT is based on the idea that your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are all interconnected. If one of them is out of balance, it can affect the others. CBT focuses on how your past experiences may have contributed to the development of certain ways of thinking and behaving. It also helps you recognize how these thoughts, feelings, and behaviors affect what happens in your life today.
