Are you struggling with psychological problems and want to talk to someone about it? Family and friends don’t understand you or can’t help you in times of trouble? Psychological therapy can be the solution to your problems. While many people are initially reluctant to apply, it is often the most effective way we can get our lives back on track. Check what exactly psychological therapy is all about, what are its goals, methods used by the psychotherapist, and what results you can expect after several therapeutic sessions.
What exactly is psychological therapy?
Generally speaking, psychological therapy, also called psychotherapy for a short time, is a set of methods of treating mental disorders. The methods of operation are based on direct contact between the patient and the psychotherapist and cover the entire series of meetings. Depending on the type of problem and the patient’s needs, it may be individual therapy or group therapy. In people suffering from serious psychological disorders, in addition to conversations, psychotherapy may also include pharmacological treatment. When the problems a patient faces on a daily basis make it difficult for him to function, medications can help heal, relieve pain, and return to normal.
Who can conduct psychotherapy?
Psychological therapy is a special type of treatment that relies heavily on conversation. That is why it is so important that it is run by people with appropriate education and experience, who know perfectly well how to deal with patients who find themselves in a difficult life situation. Therefore, psychotherapy can only be carried out by psychologists and psychiatrists adequately trained for this. They usually act as guides. They not only show the patient what to do and what to do to feel better, but also adjust all techniques and advice to a specific person and their mental condition.
Psychotherapy - for whom?
Many people treat psychological therapy as a last resort. Still, few patients realize that an early enrollment in psychotherapy may allow them to effectively deal with psychological disorders. The therapy works well for people who feel very lonely and want to improve their emotional life. Lack of motivation to act, low self-esteem, lack of self-confidence, difficulties in establishing relationships are just some of the disorders that are worth working on under the care of a psychotherapist. In addition, psychotherapeutic sessions will work well for people who have not only personal problems, but also those related to professional life.
Methods of psychotherapy
The goal of psychotherapy is not only to fight the patient’s problems, but also to provide him with adequate support in everyday life. Although the main therapeutic method is conversation, many therapists enrich it with additional elements such as drawings, experiments, writing letters, analysis of symbols, etc. The course of psychotherapy depends to a large extent on many patients. For example, if a child participates in the therapy, the psychologist or psychiatrist should conduct the meeting in such a way that the little patient is not embarrassed, willing to work and, above all, not bored.
What can psychological therapy help?
As we have already mentioned, psychotherapy will work for people struggling with severe psychological disorders, as well as for patients who need daily spiritual support, conversation and understanding. People suffering from anxiety, depression, phobias or eating disorders can go to it without any worries. Psychological therapy can also take the form of immediate help after a difficult life, e.g. death of a loved one, accident, etc. It is often considered one of the most effective forms of additional support in people suffering from diseases such as migraine, allergy, asthma, and atopic dermatitis. It is also a popular form of treatment for eating disorders.
The first therapeutic session
After identifying the problem, the psychotherapist offers the patient a specific form and frequency of meetings and a type of therapy, e.g. individual therapy, group therapy, therapy for couples. During the first psychotherapeutic session, the facilitator usually concludes a special contract with the patient, in which they agree on the details of the meetings and the rules of the therapy. It is a very convenient solution, because thanks to the appropriate agreement, the patient knows how long the planned treatment should last and what effects to expect.
The course of therapy
The length of therapy depends on many factors, e.g. the severity of the problem the patient is struggling with. Some cases require many months of work, while others require only a few meetings. A single psychotherapeutic session usually lasts about an hour, and its frequency should be specified in the contract. Sometimes one meeting a week is enough, and sometimes there must be more of these visits to the psychotherapist. For meetings to be meaningful and effective, the patient’s attitude and honesty are important. The more actively he participates in therapy, the faster he will feel its results.