Psychotherapy involves undergoing regular meetings or
sessions with a psychotherapist who is trained to listen to
you in a non-judgemental empathetic way and who can help
you make sense of your thoughts and feelings in order to
reach an understanding of what the problems are and how
they can be dealt with in a more constructive and positive
way. It has not to be confused with psychiatry even though
some psychotherapists may have psychiatric training.
Psychotherapists are usually trained in another discipline
which may be psychiatry, nursing, psychology, or social
work amongst others, and will have undergone some form of
advanced training in psychological and counselling
techniques.
There is a current debate about the difference between
counselling and psychotherapy with no clear-cut definition
between the two. On a simple level, someone may need
counselling to help them deal with a particular crisis or
situation in their lives such as divorce, redundancy, or
other traumatic event. Counselling can help an individual
feel better and more positive, it can improve confidence
and help a person regain control of their lives.
Psychotherapy on the other hand can help people to deal
with psychological problems which may have developed over a
period of time or that require some kind of specialist
help. As you can see, there is a great deal of overlap
between them.
So what sort of problems can psychotherapy help with?
Basically, anything that is causing emotional or
psychological distress. For example:
* Anxiety and Stress
* Panic Attacks
* Depression
* Relationship problems
* Difficulties at work
* Eating disorders
* Alcohol and drug abuse
* Social exclusion
* Problems relating to sexuality
* Post traumatic stress disorder
* Personality disorders
* Victimisation and abuse
* Phobias
* Obsessive compulsive disorders
* Post natal depression
How do I get referred for psychotherapy?
You could start by speaking to your doctor as he or she
will be able to advise you on the best course of action for
you and your particular circumstances or you may prefer to
seek out a suitable therapist yourself on a private basis.
Current NICE guidelines recommend that when someone is
suffering from a mental health problem they should be
offered some form of therapy before resorting to drugs. In
the past this has not always been possible due to a general
lack of therapists in some areas so doctors were often left
with little option other than to prescribe medication.
However, the NHS in the UK plans to increase the number of
therapists in order to make talking therapies more
available on the NHS. Indeed, in the light of recent
reports that Prozac and other SSRIs are ineffective for
some types of depression, in the future psychotherapy is
likely to become one of the first options in any treatment
plan for mild to moderate depression as well as other types
of mental health problems.
What are the different types of psychotherapy available?
There are many different types of psychotherapy available,
so finding the right one for you can be daunting if you
don't know what the various options are. Broadly speaking,
some of the most common approaches include cognitive
behaviour therapy, psychoanalytic psychotherapy and group
therapy.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy or CBT as it is sometimes
referred to aims to change the negative behaviour patterns
or ways of thinking that may be quite destructive into more
positive ways of thinking in order to bring about a change
in the way that an individual perceives themselves, those
around them and the world in general. By talking to a
cognitive behaviour therapist about how you feel about
yourself, your environment and the people around you and
exploring how the way you think influences your behaviour,
new ways of coping and dealing with situations can be
identified.
Psychoanalytic psychotherapy
This type of therapy is aimed at reaching the underlying
reasons for the psychological problems or distress
experienced by an individual, which are often subconscious
in nature. By understanding the causes then it is possible
to reach a new level of awareness so that the individual
can alter their thinking patterns and behaviour and regain
a sense of wellbeing.
Group therapy
Sometimes people who are suffering from similar problems
and issues may benefit from group therapy sessions. The
main advantage here is that someone undergoing group
therapy doesn't feel alone, they have the support of others
in the group who are able to understand what each person is
going through, which can be a positive step forward to
becoming well again.
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Depression and anxiety are serious mental health conditions
that can strike anyone at anytime. For more information
about depression and selp help come and visit
http://www.fightingdepression.co.uk
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