Who is a psychotherapist? This is a specialist whose task is to treat pathological mental conditions of mild or moderate severity. The causes of such mental illnesses can be psychological trauma received by the patient in childhood, factors transmitted genetically, or severe stress conditions.

It should be said that the competence of a psychotherapist does not include the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that have developed against the background of serious brain damage or physiological injuries.

Unlike a psychologist, a psychotherapist, having a medical education, is engaged not only in counseling patients, but is also able to make a diagnosis.

He can also prescribe appropriate treatment, including medication. However, the list of drugs in this case is limited to sedatives and antidepressants: the prescription of more serious psychotropic drugs is the domain of the psychiatrist.

Unlike a psychiatrist, a psychotherapist deals only with patients with moderate and milder mental disorders. Another major difference between the two is the treatment methods. The psychiatrist’s methods include the use of specialized medications on specific areas of the brain to stimulate them and achieve the desired effect.

The main tool of a psychotherapist is the word, because the essence of his work is to understand what exactly caused mental disorders and build treatment in relation to this anchor. Medications are used only as an adjunct to therapy; their main task is to relax the patient or, conversely, to help with concentration.

By the way, It is the psychotherapist who can decide to refer the patient to a psychiatrist if a serious mental disorder is suspected. It should also be said that diagnosis and any decision regarding planned treatment or referral to another specialist are made exclusively after undergoing a full examination. Such an examination is also intended to exclude a history of organic brain damage, otherwise the disease is not within the scope of the psychotherapist.

Psychotherapeutic methods of treatment

At the moment, psychotherapy already has a fairly wide range of approaches to the treatment of a particular psychological disease. However, three of them should be especially highlighted; these are the so-called foundations of psychotherapeutic “art”:

Psychoanalysis. The object of work in this psychotherapeutic method is the subconscious, as a concept that has a direct impact on the human psyche and his consciousness;
Existential approach. The peculiarity of this technique lies in the complete study of the patient’s life and the compilation of a kind of life psychological chain. Thanks to this chain, it is possible to determine the roots of a particular human reaction to certain situations, which is subsequently used in treatment;
Gestalt therapy. This technique is based on the principle of self-regulation of the human psyche.

Features of psychotherapeutic influence

As stated above, the psychotherapist’s main tool is the “word,” that is, treatment through direct communication. By influencing the conscious and unconscious of the patient during a conversation, the doctor has the necessary influence on the patient, contributing to recovery.

At When contacting a psychotherapist, you must always remember what treatment is, this is a purely voluntary matter, so you do not need to oppose yourself to the psychotherapist during sessions. Moreover, some aspects of treatment can be adjusted directly by the patient: this relates to the choice of the treatment method that will be most suitable for him. A number of such methods of influence include:

Two-way conversation;
various types of coding, also using hypnosis;
NLP;
bioenergetic impact technique;
psychoanalysis;
cognitive behavioral therapy (anger management, etc.).

Scope of activity of a psychotherapist

As mentioned above, the competence of a psychotherapist includes mental disorders of mild and moderate severity, which determines his scope of activity, for the most part, by the following series of psychological pathologies and conditions:

Various types of neuroses;
assistance in getting rid of various bad habits, such as alcoholism, smoking, addiction to social networks and others;
various types of psychoses;
help with getting out of a persistent depressive state, regardless of the reasons for its occurrence;
Bulimia and anorexia;
Feeling of frequent fatigue, anxiety, nervous tension;
Mental states accompanied by delusional ideas and severe anxiety attacks (panic attacks);
Various types of phobias;
Apathetic states and absolute indifference to what is happening around.

However, not every stressful situation is a reason to contact a psychotherapist.

The most common reasons for turning to a psychotherapist and the principles of his work

In fact, all the conditions discussed above are a general description, and each problem is unique, just like each person.

Can highlight the main points or the most common reasons for turning to a psychotherapist for help. These include: losses, developmental setbacks, interpersonal conflicts, symptomatic conditions (various types of phobias, anxiety states, and so on), serious personality disorders, excessive use of psychoactive substances.

Quite often it happens that a visit to a psychotherapist is preceded by a serious loss or some milestone reached in development. Then it turns out that the problem did not arise yesterday, but something interfered with the decision to seek help. In this case, the patient will need serious person-oriented therapy for a decent period of time, because treating the symptoms or eliminating the problem will no longer bring a noticeable result. The same principle applies to cases where several of the above reasons are present simultaneously.

Whatever the root of the problem that is the goal of psychotherapeutic analysis and treatment, the doctor is obliged to take into account the life stage of the patient himself and the same indicator of his family. This is due to the correspondence of the specifics of the problem to each of the stages of development of a person or family unit.

Besides Therefore, the psychotherapist must always take into account the interpersonal picture of the patient’s relationships, its hierarchy. Does it relate to the problem, and what symptoms relate to this area. Who in the patient's environment can have the greatest influence on him, as well as the level of support available to him. If we talk about the existential side of the issue, here we should pay attention to the patient’s values, life and moral, as well as the ability to take responsibility for his life and attitude towards it.

Psychotherapy and children

Child psychotherapy is considered as a separate branch. Considering that the appearance of neuroses is possible at any age, initially a small patient is in the “hands” of a neurologist, who can refer him directly to a psychotherapist only after reaching 3 years of age.

The main reasons for this direction may be:

Reluctance to study and low performance over a long period of time;
anorexia and bulimia;
constant tearfulness, constantly excited state, rude behavior;
serious phobias, enuresis, etc.;
constant isolation and reluctance to make contact with anyone.

To summarize, we can say: the work of a psychiatrist is to provide psychological assistance during periods of extreme emotional states, to localize symptoms of a psychological nature and subsequently get rid of them, to help in the event of internal conflicts, especially if such conditions affect interpersonal relationships.
In addition, psychotherapy can provide serious assistance in changing those personal qualities and behavioral habits, the presence of which negatively affects self-realization and relationships of any type.

As Avicenna said, a doctor has three main tools: words, medicine and a knife. In the first place, undoubtedly, is the word - the most powerful way to influence the patient. A bad doctor is the one whose conversation with him does not make the patient feel better. A sincere phrase, support and acceptance of a person with all his vices and shortcomings - this is what makes a psychiatrist a true healer of the soul.

The above applies to all specialties, but most importantly to psychotherapists.

Psychotherapy is a therapeutic method of verbal influence, which is used in psychiatry and narcology.

Psychotherapy can be used either alone or in combination with medication. Psychotherapy has the greatest effect on patients with neurotic spectrum disorders (anxiety-phobic and obsessive-compulsive disorders, panic attacks, depression, etc.) and psychogenic diseases.

Classification of psychotherapy

Today there are three main areas of psychotherapy:

• Dynamic
• Behavioral (or behavioural)
• Existential-humanistic

They all have different mechanisms of influence on the patient, but their essence is the same - focusing not on the symptom, but on the whole personality.

Depending on the desired goal, practical psychotherapy can be:

• Supportive. Its essence is to strengthen and support the patient’s existing defenses, as well as to develop behavioral patterns that will help stabilize emotional and cognitive balance.
• Retraining. Complete or partial reconstruction of negative skills that worsen the quality of life and adaptation in society. The work is carried out by supporting and approving positive behaviors in the patient.

Depending on the number of participants, psychotherapy can be individual and group. Each option has its pros and cons. Individual psychotherapy is a springboard for patients who are not prepared for group sessions or who refuse to participate in them due to their character traits. In turn, the group option is much more effective in terms of mutual communication and exchange of experience. A special variety is family psychotherapy, which involves working together with two spouses.

Areas of therapeutic influence in psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is a good treatment method due to three areas of influence:

Emotional. The patient is provided with moral support, acceptance, empathy, the opportunity to express his own feelings and not be judged for it.

Cognitive. There is awareness and “intellectualization” of one’s own actions and aspirations. In this case, the psychotherapist acts as a mirror that reflects himself to the patient.

Behavioral. During psychotherapy sessions, habits and behavior patterns are developed that will help the patient adapt to the family and society.

A good combination of all the above areas is practiced in cognitive behavioral psychotherapy (CBT).

Types and methods of psychotherapy: characteristics

One of the pioneers of psychotherapy and psychoanalysis was the famous Austrian psychiatrist and neurologist Sigmund Freud. He formed the psychodynamic concept of the emergence of neuroses based on the suppression of the needs and demands of the individual. The psychotherapist’s task was to transfer unconscious stimuli and make the client aware of them, thereby achieving adaptation. Subsequently, Freud's students and many of his followers founded their own schools of psychoanalysis with principles that differed from the original doctrine. This is how the main types of psychotherapy that we know today arose.

Dynamic psychotherapy

We owe the formation of dynamic psychotherapy as an effective method of combating neuroses to the works of K. Jung, A. Adler, E. Fromm. The most common variant of this direction is person-centered psychotherapy.

The treatment process begins with a long and scrupulous psychoanalysis, during which the patient’s internal conflicts are clarified, after which they move from the unconscious to the conscious. It is important to bring the patient to this point, and not just voice the problem. Effective treatment of the client requires long-term cooperation with the doctor.

Behavioral psychotherapy

Unlike supporters of the psychodynamic theory, behavioral psychotherapists see the cause of neurosis as incorrectly formed behavioral habits, and not hidden incentives. Their concept states that a person’s behavior patterns can be changed, depending on which his condition can be transformed.

Behavioral psychotherapy methods are effective in treating various disorders (phobias, panic attacks, obsessions, etc.). Showed itself well in practice confrontation and desensitization technique. Its essence is that the doctor determines the cause of the client’s fear, its severity and connection with external circumstances. Then the psychotherapist carries out verbal (verbal) and emotional influences through implosion or flooding. At the same time, the patient mentally imagines his fear, trying to paint a picture of it as brightly as possible. The doctor reinforces the patient’s fear so that he feels the reason and gets used to it. A psychotherapy session lasts about 40 minutes. Gradually, a person gets used to the cause of the phobia, and it ceases to worry him, that is, desensitization occurs.

Another subtype of behavioral technique is rational-emotive psychotherapy. Here the work is carried out in several stages. The first is to determine the situation and the person’s emotional connection with it. The doctor determines the client’s irrational motives and ways to get out of a difficult situation. Then he evaluates the key points, after which he clarifies (clarifies, explains) them, and analyzes each event together with the patient. Thus, irrational actions are recognized and rationalized by the person himself.

Existential-humanistic psychotherapy

Humanistic therapy is the newest method of verbal influence on the patient. What is being analyzed here is not the deepest motives, but the formation of a person as an individual. The emphasis is on higher values ​​(self-improvement, development, achieving the meaning of life). Viktor Frankl contributed a major role to existentialism, who saw the lack of personal fulfillment as the main cause of human problems.

There are many subtypes of humanitarian psychotherapy, the most common of which are:

Logotherapy– a method of dereflection and paradoxical intention, founded by V. Frankl, which allows you to effectively cope with phobias, including social ones.

Client-centered therapy– a special technique in which the main role in treatment is played not by the doctor, but by the patient himself.

Transcendental Meditation– a spiritual practice that allows you to expand the boundaries of your mind and find peace.

Empirical therapy– the patient’s attention is focused on the deep emotions he experienced earlier.

The main feature of all of the above practices is that the line in the doctor-patient relationship is blurred. The psychotherapist becomes a mentor, as equal as his client.

Other types of psychotherapy

In addition to the verbal method of communication with the doctor, patients can attend classes in music, sand, and art therapy, which help them relieve stress, show their creativity and open up.

Clinical psychotherapy: conclusions

Psychotherapy has an invaluable impact on the patient during treatment and rehabilitation. Neurotic spectrum disorders are more effectively amenable to drug correction if it is combined with the work of a psychotherapist or psychologist, and sometimes even without taking medications; psychotherapy can lead to the complete disappearance of painful manifestations. Subsequently, patients move from taking medications to using the skills acquired in psychotherapy sessions. In this case, it acts as a step from pharmacotherapy to self-control over painful manifestations (phobias, panic attacks, obsessions) and the patient’s mental state. Therefore, work with a psychotherapist must be carried out with patients and their relatives.

It is a postmodern practice, an alternative to academic psychology. Because therapists rarely find useful information in research, they are forced to develop their own knowledge base. They do this not on the basis of skills that are used in academic psychology, but on observations of the environment, using their own schemes to construct a system of knowledge that can find practical application.

Psychotherapy as a theoretical and applied direction of psychology

Psychotherapy has the following definitions:

• a direction of practical psychology based on a system of objective (scientific) knowledge about the possibility of psychological influence on a child and his adult environment;
• a system of active measures and influences aimed at correcting (changing) deviations (disorders, defects, disturbances) in the mental development of the individual, preserving his individuality, correcting the behavior of the child and adult members of his environment;
• a method of working with patients (clients) in order to provide them with assistance on modification, change, and weakening of factors that interfere with their normal life.

Subject, purpose and objectives of psychotherapy

The subject of the specialist’s consulting activity is determined by the symptoms and causes of deviations in the development and behavior of the client, therefore psychotherapy is focused on:

• human development (psychomotor, emotional, cognitive, personal, competence, communication, etc.);
• behavioral reactions, actions, acts, manifestations;
• strengthening of voluntary regulation;
• improving indicators of adaptation to an educational institution (including readiness for school, lyceum or college);
• stabilization of personal emotional state;
• structuring thinking;
• memory activation;
• broadcasting development;
• regulation of psychomotor functions, etc.

The general goal of psychotherapy is the return of the individual to internal well-being. The most important task that psychotherapy implies is to help people who are faced with their own inability to achieve goals and who experience frustration, deprivation, despondency and anxiety in connection with this, to create their own assets and liabilities and teach them to use their capabilities effectively, namely:

• recognize your own potential;
• to use him;
• remove obstacles to its implementation (in particular, discard what prevents you from living with a feeling of pleasure, joy and happiness).

The objectives of psychotherapy can be presented as a list:

• information about certain psychological phenomena and characteristics of the psyche and behavior;
• training (training) in new actions, ways of making decisions, expressing feelings, etc. (these are programs aimed at enhancing life skills, communication skills in the field of human relations, problem solving, providing support in choosing a healthy lifestyle);
• development of the activity component of the personality: its skills, abilities and abilities;
• promoting the formation of age-related psychological formations (assistance in the formation of identity and personal development);
• correction of emotions and behavior;
• optimization of the social development situation;
• eliminating (reducing) anxiety, overcoming depression, stress and their consequences.

History of the development of psychotherapy

In ancient times, the first psychotherapists were shamans, magicians and sorcerers. Ceremonies, rituals, dances, fortune telling, etc. helped people whose illnesses were not so much physical as emotional. In the Middle Ages, the prevailing belief was that mental illness was caused by evil demons and diabolical forces that took possession of a person. The birth of psychological science is marked by the emergence of researchers' interest in the patterns of functioning of the psyche, and subsequently by the emergence of ideas about emotions as the cause of mental disorders. At first, scientists were interested in:

• how an ordinary person experiences the world around him;
• how a person plans his actions;
• how it really works.

Subsequently, psychology came to the conclusion about the existence of individual differences (they are the subject of differential psychology and psychodiagnostics). Further, with the advent of the doctrine of emotions as the cause of mental disorders, the focus of attention shifted towards the uniqueness and unpredictability of a person, which are not subject to typification. Then the scope of research shifted from individual differences to differences in the way people conduct discussion and dialogue. The next step is to include in the context of analysis the social environment in which a person lives, as well as the society of which he is a member (the subject of social psychology).

Individual therapy arose simultaneously with ideas about the dyadic relationship between doctor and patient (“therapeutic alliance”). Counseling psychology emerged in the mid-20th century. In the first stages of its development, it was natural to be interested in the reality that the patient faces and which gives rise to problems and troubles that force him to see a doctor. This is where organizational psychology, family psychotherapy, etc. originated. Focusing on the “consultant-client” dyad posed the task of developing norms and rules for their interaction.

Interdisciplinary connections of psychotherapy

Areas of psychotherapy (including advisory) are based on the following branches of psychological science:

• general, age, children;
• social, clinical and differential;
• personality psychology;
• psychodiagnostics (in particular, testology);
• counseling psychology.

According to traditional ideas about the psychological influence on a child in the context of successful ontogenesis, we can say that psychotherapy is a set of means and methods themselves designed to create optimal opportunities and conditions for the full and timely development of a growing individual. In this context, the activities of a specialist are represented by: psychocorrection, psychoprophylaxis, psychohygiene (preservation and strengthening of neuropsychic health), psychorehabilitation.

Counseling psychology as a theoretical and methodological background and direction of psychotherapy

Theoretical and methodological psychotherapy is advisory psychology, that is, a branch of systemic scientific and applied knowledge. As for providing assistance in the form of a conversation, it is usually provided:

• persons of different ages, including children;
• parents and teachers on issues of development, training and education.

Psychological counseling is most often understood as mental assistance to healthy people, which is provided with the goal of helping them cope with various internal and interpersonal difficulties that arise in the process of organized interaction. As a type of medical practice, this is a system of communicative interaction between a doctor and people who turn to a specialist (at the request of the administration of the institution, parents, teachers), and the process may be limited to advisory assistance. Such counseling does not have a common understanding of its essence. It is divided into two groups. This:

• counseling as influence (directive psychotherapy);
• counseling as interaction (non-directive psychotherapy).

Psychological counseling and psychotherapy include: the activity of the client, the activity of the consultant and the result of this process - psychological new formations activated (formed) in the personality of the person seeking help. In this case, five main groups of questions are considered:

• about the essence of the process that arises between the client (the person who finds himself in a difficult situation and needs specialized help) and the therapist (the person who provides this help);
• about the personal traits, attitudes, knowledge, and skills of the doctor;
• about reserves, which are the client’s internal forces, provided that they can be activated;
• about the peculiarities of the situation that has developed in the client’s life and led him to the psychotherapist;
• about the methods and techniques that the consultant will use to provide assistance to the client.

Basic models of psychotherapy

In modern psychotherapy, there are two approaches to the essence of the therapeutic process - medical-biological and psychological. There are also two basic models of psychotherapeutic influence - medical and psychological.

The medical-biological model is an emphasis on the somatic characteristics of the client. It is assumed that only a specially trained psychiatrist or psychotherapist has the right to use it. This condition must be followed strictly. Here is what psychological psychotherapy includes:

• customer centered;
• “coexistence” (when the main thing is not the general activity interaction between the therapist and the client in the advisory process, but the exchange of thoughts and emotions);
• “internal comprehension” (when the client moves in his personal space along a trajectory that he himself determines);
• “unconditional acceptance” (the doctor and the patient enter into a special relationship of intimacy based on empathy, love, respect).

Particular importance is attached to the methodology of practical work. Methods of psychotherapy (in particular those used according to the methodology of psychoanalysis), knowledge (theory) become the main guidelines of the advisory process. Most often, the doctor can tell everything about the patient: about the characteristics of his relationships in childhood, the processes of overcoming and protecting, his trauma, etc., but he cannot convey his “life spirit.”

Theory-oriented behavioral psychotherapy becomes the best means of achieving goals within the behavioral model. On the other hand, this knowledge about the client does not guarantee that internal changes will occur in him, does not promise to “awaken” his internal processes. This is only possible in the case of something important, something that is not subject to conceptualization, which is almost impossible to learn, but without which deep behavioral psychotherapy cannot occur.

Psychological models

Within the psychological model, in turn, the following are distinguished:

1. Social-psychological model. This is an approach that is based on social influence, in which it is possible to develop social forms of behavior.
2. Person-centered model (client-centered), which provides for special interpersonal interaction between the therapist and the client. The doctor uses psychological theories and special communication techniques to solve the client’s personal problems.

Areas of psychotherapy

In advisory practice it is understood that illnesses, conflicts, stress, problems are a fact of life for every person, and this must be accepted and recognized. Positive psychotherapy is the direction of maintaining and restoring the mental health of citizens. Its main purpose is to take care of the social, physical, and spiritual health of an individual, family and social group. In this regard, you need to understand that people are endowed with abilities thanks to which they can find ways out of the most difficult problems and situations. Positive psychotherapy emphasizes a holistic view of the individual's life and an optimistic perception of its nature. Human existence is a unity of body, mind, spirit and emotions. A doctor who works in this field will not seek to “make a diagnosis”, but will try to understand the patient in his life problems, due to which he developed diseases or disorders.

Cognitive psychotherapy is a direction that involves improving a person’s understanding of the world around him and himself. The fact is that depression, for example, sometimes makes you perceive reality biasedly. According to practitioners, cognitive psychotherapy allows the client to remove negative thoughts from himself and always think positively. Therefore, melancholy disappears. During classes, the doctor identifies negative thoughts and helps to assess the real state of affairs. He will be the leader of the training on mastering new ways of understanding the world, and will also help consolidate the ability to evaluate this or that event in a new way.

Group psychotherapy involves conducting classes in a group where each member has a certain deviation. For example, this direction is used to eliminate harmful addictions (tobacco use, alcohol use). At the same time, efficiency increases, since, being together, patients increase the influence on each other of the desire for treatment. Thus, group psychotherapy assumes that the group not only becomes an object of influence on the part of the therapist, but also itself influences each of its members.

Family psychotherapy uses a set of techniques that are focused not only on problematic family situations, but also have the goal of analyzing the client’s past, reconstructing certain events and the structure of relationships, etc. The current direction in development is the development of methodological foundations, relying on which will help to avoid accidents, fragmentation and intuitiveness.

Clinical psychotherapy is a discipline whose goal is to eliminate various disorders and disorders, somatic diseases. This direction studies the mental and moral aspects of health: individual differences, the influence of environmental factors on the patient’s condition and the course of treatment, mental characteristics of experiences. The theoretical foundations of this psychotherapy technique: biopsychosocial concept of pathology; research methods in medical psychology; the concept of the “illness - health” continuum.

Features of bioenergy

In the last century, bodily psychotherapy was replenished with a new method of influence, which was called bioenergetics. One of the famous Dr. Reich's students, Alexander Lowen, developed this approach. By using a slightly different conceptual apparatus, for example, “bioenergy” instead of the concept of “organ,” the doctor to a certain extent neutralized the resistance of other therapeutic directions. His system became more widespread in the United States than Reich's similar teaching. At the same time, he included in his concept the theory of breathing developed by the teacher, and part of his techniques aimed at achieving emotional uninhibition through the use of blows, screaming, and tears.

Body-oriented psychotherapy, developed by Lowen, places the concept of bioenergy at the center. It unites the body and psyche in a functional way. The second important definition on which body-oriented psychotherapy is based is “muscle armor.” It interferes with the spontaneous flow of energy throughout the human body, so there is a set of exercises to help get rid of it.

Basic methods of psychotherapy

An ordinary patient who has never encountered the work of psychotherapists has a very vague understanding of what happens in a session. There are many methods of psychotherapy. Let's learn about the main ones.

1. Art therapy. Today this is a very popular method. Art therapy is suitable for establishing a psychological connection between the patient and the therapist. This method is very effective for almost any deviation. It is especially often used when working with children. With the help of art therapy, the patient reveals all his hidden problems to the therapist. The technique uses various techniques, such as dynamic synthetic drawing, metaphorical drawing, symbolic destruction of obsessions, and many others.
2. Autotraining. The beginning of the use of this method can be dated back to the 30s of the last century, but the basics were borrowed from ancient eastern developments. It is used in the treatment of adults only.
3. Suggestion. This method can be called the basis of treatment. Almost not a single case in psychotherapeutic practice is complete without suggestion. When using suggestion, the consultant must take into account the various individual characteristics of the patient. For children there is a special method called fixation.
4. Self-hypnosis. This method is related to many religious rituals and meditative techniques. Before the patient begins to practice self-hypnosis, the therapist works with him, using the suggestion technique.
5. Hypnosis. This method of psychotherapy is the most controversial, but it is very effective. Used since the mid-20th century. In psychotherapy, there is a difference between hypnotherapy and hypnosis. There are also classical and Ericksonian methods. Hypnotherapy has a fairly wide list of contraindications.
6. Play psychotherapy. Play therapy is more often used to treat children. The following games are used: sociocultural, biological, interpersonal.
7. Rational psychotherapy. This is a technique in which the consultant convinces the client of something, using logical explanations and citing facts. Rational psychotherapy is sometimes used instead of suggestive methods. The effectiveness of this technique depends directly on the charisma of the doctor. Rational psychotherapy is more often used in the treatment of adult patients.
8. Talk therapy. During the session, the patient speaks out loud about those problems that cause him the strongest feelings. In the process of delivering a speech, there is a rethinking of what is happening.
9. Desensitization. This method of psychotherapy is based on the fact that learned manipulations are replaced by others. To begin with, the client masters the relaxation technique. He then brings to mind an image that frightens him. After this, also in thoughts, a picture of calm appears. This takes about 30 minutes. Patients over 10 years of age can be treated with desensitization.

Psychotherapy is an effective method of curing many diseases, including somatic ones. It also relieves personal and social problems. However, a person who turns to a specialist for help must understand that he will not receive a miraculous healing. Psychotherapy is not a magic pill. In order to achieve the desired result, you need to work on yourself.

Psychotherapy is psychological methods of treating mental disorders. There are many different treatment methods in psychotherapy, such as psychoanalysis, group or family therapy, and behavioral therapy. The ultimate goal of the doctor is to assist in the development of personality, and not just in eliminating the symptoms of the disease. The basis of any psychological assistance is a conversation between the doctor and the patient. In addition, psychotropic medications, various devices and other aids may be used to treat the patient.

Currently, psychotherapy is a recognized treatment method that is not only effective, but also widespread. 10-15% of all residents of Eastern Europe need the help of a psychotherapist at least once in their lives, and about 2-3% suffer from severe mental illness. To them it is necessary to add people with painful attractions.

Classification of psychotherapy methods

Psychotherapy is a mental influence on a patient for therapeutic purposes. Today, psychotherapy sometimes complements somatic treatment, and for neuroses it is the only means of treatment. In the 20th century, various forms of psychological assistance were created. There are many psychotherapeutic methods that can be classified in different ways.

Methods by method of treatment

According to the method of treatment, psychotherapeutic methods are divided into “detecting (revealing) and not detecting (ignoring) the cause of the disease.” The first group includes deep therapy, with the help of which they try to discover the underlying causes of the disease and at the same time treat the disease itself. The second is behavioral therapy, using which only the symptoms of the disease are treated, deliberately not paying attention to the cause of the disease. Other treatments involve learning, such as autogenic training or gestalt therapy, where problems are modeled, for example, through play.

Methods according to patient age

The methods used in psychotherapy largely depend on the age of the patient, so there is psychotherapy for children, adolescents and adults. They also include psychological assistance, individual and group therapy.

Methods that do not analyze the cause of the disease

Using these methods, they try to change a person’s ideas and thus help him. These forms of psychotherapy include heterosuggestion (i.e., suggestion “from the outside”), autogestion (self-hypnosis) or hypnosis. These methods are called non-analyzing because they do not attempt to discover the cause of the disease. Such methods can be especially effective in the treatment of psychosomatic diseases.

Psychotherapy training

When using these methods, relaxation should help the patient recover. The most famous method is autogenic training, during which a person completely relaxes. Other methods include exercise, massage and breathing exercises. These methods are recommended for people who experience heavy work loads or suffer from increased fatigue.

In life, many of us find ourselves in situations from which we cannot get out without psychological consequences. And as a rule, the person himself is not able to understand the current situation, since thoughts and emotions are driven into a corner. The psychotherapy center http://ego-lution.ru will help you overcome feelings of anxiety, worry, and get rid of increased irritability or drowsiness.

Methods that analyze the cause of the disease

When using these methods, they try to discover the cause of the disease. The best known of these methods is psychoanalysis. The goal of psychoanalysis is to help the patient find the subconscious roots of his problems, generated by suppressed conflicts, so that the patient, freed from the emotions associated with them, can recreate his personality.

Gestalt therapy

According to the founder of Gestalt therapy, Perls, mental disorders in people are caused by the fact that their personality does not form a single whole. Gestalt therapy seeks to encourage a person to experience their own fantasies, become aware of their emotions, etc. The purpose of this method is the formation of a holistic, harmonious personality - an individual who is aware of what he wants to do and is able to accept any situation. This method is aimed at individual independence and freedom. When using Gestalt therapy, a patient with a mental illness draws, draws, sculpts or models. Everything he does will be interpreted later by a psychotherapist.

Behavioral therapy

When using any of the behavioral therapy methods, the first thing that is important is training. Behavioral therapy can be used in almost all cases of abnormal behavior and neuroses. It is used as individual, partner, family and group therapy. It is used to treat various phobias, alcoholism, and also to treat patients with neurotic disorders.

Which method of psychotherapy should I choose?

The choice of psychotherapy technique depends on the nature of the mental illness. Educational methods and behavioral therapy often provide quick results, but their use most often does not help uncover the cause and eliminate mental illness. Gestalt therapy is more suitable for these purposes, which helps to identify the causes of the disease, but treatment can last more than one year.

Only specialists can provide qualified psychotherapeutic assistance, so you need to consult a psychiatrist or psychotherapist. Your family doctor or local doctor will recommend where to seek help.

The effectiveness of psychotherapy

Using psychotherapy, even severe mental illnesses can be cured. However, there are no guarantees, unlike drug treatments for many physical diseases. The fact is that the human psyche is very complex and many of its areas are still poorly understood. Psychotherapeutic methods are effective, but complete recovery does not always occur; usually only an external improvement in the patient’s condition can be achieved.

Unfortunately, even today there is a prejudiced attitude towards psychotherapy. People who have undergone psychotherapy usually don’t tell anyone about it. Many do not seek the help of a psychotherapist for fear of being branded as not quite normal. However, there are problems that a person cannot cope with on his own. Insomnia, cheating on a husband or wife, problems of a young family, nervous breakdowns, hysteria, phobias, fear of death, emotional stress - in this case, you need the help of a psychologist who will help relieve stress, overcome fear and return to normal life.

If various mental disorders appear (especially if these disorders are constantly repeated), a person should consult a doctor. If a doctor, after examining a patient, prescribes psychotherapy, then treatment should not be delayed and it is necessary to consult a psychotherapist.

Some methods of psychotherapy are used to prevent mental disorders, one of them is self-hypnosis. Special family courses are organized where parents and their children master auto-training techniques and learn to maintain calm and inner harmony.

Parents should monitor their children for developmental disorders or abnormalities. With timely treatment, severe mental disorders can often be avoided.