Therapy, also known as “Psychotherapy” or “Talking Therapy”, is the process by which you sit down with your psychologist, psychotherapist or psychiatrist to talk about problems you are experiencing in relation to your thoughts, feelings, behaviours or interpersonal relationships. Therapy is essentially a conversation between two people in which the therapist’s only goal is to help you, the patient, feel better.
There are a number of different types of therapeutic approaches which are outlined below.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT is based upon the idea that how you think and act affects how you feel. As a solution-focused approach, it is oriented towards problem solving and learning new skills.
There are two parts to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy:
- The “Cognitive” part focuses on helping you take notice of, and track, your thought patterns. Once these have been mapped out, you are then taught how to challenge automatic thoughts (by replacing unhelpful thinking) and how to regulate your emotions (such as mindfulness and attention training, or self-management training).
- The “Behavioural” part focuses on practical behavioural strategies to manage your emotions. This may include activities to self-soothe when you experience unpleasant feelings (such as relaxation skills), but also may include strategies to challenge yourself in relation to your symptoms.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
DBT is a type of therapy specifically designed to help people change patterns of behaviour linked to self-harm, suicidal ideation and substance misuse. Originally developed for Borderline Personality Disorder, it has shown increasing evidence of effectiveness in the treatment of a range of mood and anxiety disorders. It combines elements of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy with Mindfulness and Acceptance. Mindfulness is the art of teaching your brain to observe your feeling state whilst accepting your internal feeling state and waiting for your feelings to change. An essential principle in this therapy is that of “Dialectics” – the process of learning how to synthesise apparently contradictory truths or opinions.
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
IPT is an attachment-based psychotherapy that focuses on interpersonal (relational) issues in the present which are believed to underlie psychic distress. This present-focused therapeutic approach encourages the patient to regain control of mood and functioning. Regardless of whether life events follow, or precede, disturbance in mood, in IPT the patient learns how to resolve the distressing life events, improve social skills, and better organise one’s life.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
ACT has a main focus on values, forgiveness, acceptance, compassion, and living in the present moment. ACT differs from CBT in that instead of challenging distressing thoughts, ACT seeks to create a rich and meaningful life whilst accepting the pain that inevitably goes along with it.
Play Therapy
Play Therapy is a form of counselling or therapy that uses play to communicate with and help people, especially children. It is a non-intrusive and therapeutically beneficial approach when working with troubled children. Providing a safe and nurturing environment allows the child the freedom to explore, create and process their inner world, through the language of play.
How do I know my therapist is right for me?
When choosing a therapist, the most powerful predictor of a positive outcome is often the nature of your connection with your therapist in the room. There is no right or wrong approach in therapy – it is all about the goodness of fit between you and your therapist. It can sometimes take a couple of sessions before you feel completely comfortable with the process. After the first few sessions, when speaking to your therapist:
- You should feel safe, heard, and respected
- You should be able to formulate a shared understanding of your current difficulties and challenges.
- You should be able to create a list of agreed goals to work upon in therapy
- You should be able communicate freely when therapy is not working, or when you feel sessions are no longer as productive as you would like
