Psychotherapy & counseling

Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is a way to help people with a broad variety of mental illnesses and emotional difficulties. Psychotherapy can help eliminate or control troubling symptoms so a person can function better and can increase well-being and healing. 

Psychotherapy helps with various problems, such as difficulties in coping with daily life, the impact of trauma, medical illness, or loss, like the death of a loved one, and specific mental disorders such as depression or anxiety. Moreover, several types of psychotherapy exist, and some may be more effective for certain issues. In addition, psychotherapy can be combined with medication or other therapies to enhance treatment outcomes.

Therapists typically conduct sessions in individual, family, couple, or group settings, which allows both children and adults to benefit. Sessions are usually held once a week for about 30 to 50 minutes. To achieve success, both the patient and therapist need to remain actively involved. Furthermore, trust and a strong relationship between the person and their therapist are essential for working together effectively and benefiting from talk therapy.

Benefits and Types of Psychotherapy

Additionally, talk therapy can be short-term (a few sessions) to address immediate issues or long-term (months or years) to tackle longstanding and complex problems. In this process, the patient and therapist collaborate to set treatment goals and determine how often and how long to meet. As a result, therapy can be customized to meet the individual’s specific needs.

Research shows that most people who receive psychotherapy experience symptom relief and improve their ability to function in daily life. Notably, about 75 percent of people who begin psychotherapy show some benefit from it. Studies have also demonstrated that talk therapy improves emotions and behaviors, while simultaneously promoting positive changes in the brain and body. Consequently, it leads to fewer sick days, less disability, fewer medical problems, and increased work satisfaction.

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Strick reminder from Brain Health USA to seek a doctor’s advice in addition to using this app and before making any medical decisions.

Resources:

    • Lebow J. Overview of psychotherapies. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed March. 1, 2016.

    • Different approaches to psychotherapy. American Psychological Association. http://www.apa.org/ Accessed March 2, 2016.

    • Help for mental illnesses. National Institute of Mental Health. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help/index.shtml. Accessed March 2, 2016.

    • How to choose a psychologist. American Psychological Association. http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/choose-therapist.aspx. Accessed March 2, 2016.