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A psychotherapist is a person who specializes in issues related to human mental health. When we go to a psychotherapist, we usually expect help in solving a specific problem. To fulfill this task, the psychotherapist should be experienced, knowledgeable and skilled. What else should you pay attention to in order to make cooperation with a psychotherapist fruitful?
What does a psychotherapist do?
A psychotherapist is a person who specializes in psychological help and uses psychotherapeutic methods. A psychologist or a psychiatrist deals with something else, although people who practice these professions may additionally receive training in psychotherapy. Appropriate professional preparation enables obtaining the right to work with patients as part of psychotherapy.
In professional practice, the psychotherapist deals with therapy in the field of various life difficulties and diseases, including:
- mood disorders – depression, bipolar disorder;
- psychotic disorders – schizophrenia, delusions, delirium;
- eating disorders – bulimia, anorexia, compulsive eating;
- neurodevelopmental problems – ADHD, intellectual disability, autism spectrum;
- learning problems;
- addictions – from alcoholism to workaholism;
- psychosomatic complaints – chronic diarrhea, muscle pain, insomnia, chronic fatigue;
- family and partnership problems;
- educational problems;
- emotional unsteadiness.
Check: Psychological consultations – when is it worth taking advantage of them?
How does a psychotherapist help?
The effectiveness of psychotherapy depends on many factors. We can influence some of them even before the meetings start. It is even useful to have basic knowledge about psychotherapy and an appropriate attitude towards visits. One of the most important issues is the patient’s expectations. A psychotherapist is not a person who will solve problems for him and give him a recipe for life. Psychotherapy should be treated as a tool of help, not a way out in itself.
See also: What drugs are used to treat depression?
The main assumption of psychotherapy is that the participant will be listened to, and the leader will ask him questions, analyze the information obtained and look for the causes of specific situations, feelings or behaviors. The therapist will use various techniques derived from selected theoretical trends in psychotherapy.
Ultimately, psychotherapy is a demanding process in which the patient works on himself and acquires new coping skills. On the way to the goal, he is accompanied by a psychotherapist, sharing knowledge and facilitating the identification and change of thought patterns or behaviors.
Choosing a psychotherapist – what to consider?
The first thing you should pay attention to when choosing a psychotherapist is his or her education. A person entitled to psychotherapy should obtain psychotherapeutic certificate, which requires the completion of specialized vocational training. People who have obtained a certificate from one of the renowned psychotherapeutic organizations, i.e. those recognized by the Polish Federation of Psychotherapy and the Polish Psychotherapy Council, can be considered proven psychotherapists. People undergoing training necessary to obtain a certificate also have good qualifications.
There is also a useful hint the experience of the psychotherapist in working on specific problems. If we need to talk about relationship problems, it is worth looking for a therapist who specializes in couple therapy. However, if we struggle with panic attacks, depression or other disorders, we can pay attention to the psychotherapeutic methodology used by a given therapist.
- Read more about types of psychotherapy and indications
While qualifications for psychotherapy are essential, it is not important for me to establish a stable, trust-based approach relationship with a psychotherapist. This is the basis for effective cooperation, as well as a sense of security during meetings. If we choose a specialist and go to the first psychotherapeutic consultation, it is worth considering what feelings the visit evoked in us.
Initial psychological consultation may be performed by a psychologist without psychotherapeutic qualifications. If, on the basis of the interview and diagnosis, an indication for psychotherapy is found, you must go to a specialist with appropriate qualifications.
Meetings with a psychotherapist can be emotionally burdensome, so it is important for the patient to feel at ease and comfortable. It takes time to develop such a relationship, so it is better not to get discouraged too quickly and go to at least a few meetings. It may happen that this initial cooperation is not successful – in such a situation, the achievement of good effects of psychotherapy becomes questionable and it will be better for the patient to use the help of another specialist.
If the therapist’s working methods, his way of conducting the session and the degree of empathy suit us, we can decide on the next step, i.e. a psychotherapeutic contract.
What is a psychotherapeutic contract?
A psychotherapeutic contract is one of the initial stages of therapy. When the psychotherapist conducts an interview with the patient, gets to know his problem and initial expectations related to the meetings, he / she wants to plan and structure the course of subsequent meetings. The contract between the patient and the therapist also serves to establish the goals of psychotherapyas well as establishing the basic principles of cooperation. Discussion of the contract should take place at the stage when we consider the choice of a given psychotherapist to be successful and we want to participate in subsequent meetings.
The course of psychotherapy varies depending on the patient’s problems. The road to the goal can be bumpy, and it takes time to change your thought mechanisms, your perception of yourself and your environment. That is why choosing a good psychotherapist is extremely important, because it is he who will help to see the sources of problems and offer help while looking for solutions.
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