Psychotherapy does not have clear boundaries, but there are many signs that help in the aggregate to understand whether psychotherapy is taking place in this case, or rather something else, only similar to it. This is:
- focusing on the inner world of the client or on external goals,
The psychologist focuses more on the inner world of the client — rather psychotherapy. More interested in the external goals of a person (in the field of career or personal life) — no longer psychotherapy, but rather counseling, coaching, training and developmental trainings. See →
- in the center of the problem or goal (tasks),
The psychologist first of all looks for an internal problem that interferes with the client — this is rather psychotherapy. Together with the client, he determines his positive goal — this is usually beyond the boundaries of psychotherapy. See →
- explains or encourages action,
If a psychologist pays more attention to explaining and understanding the causes of clients’ problems, he gravitates more towards psychotherapy, and there will be people next to him who are more important to understand than to act. If a psychologist in working with a client or participants pays more attention to what the participants will do, sets more tasks for them, pushes them to action — such work is more likely not psychotherapeutic, but educational or developing. See →
- overcome or change attitude,
Cheerful people who feel healthy are more likely to overcome, and developmental psychologists are closer to them. If, over and over again, overcoming turns out to be unsuccessful, or a person is basically not in a resource, psychotherapy is more often smarter, where instead of overcoming, you can change your attitude to what is happening. See →
- heal or teach
The one who heals more is more likely a psychotherapist. Who teaches more — rather outside of psychotherapy (for example, a coach, consultant or psychologist-trainer) See →
- the top is below us or in front,
The psychotherapist is usually against aspiration somewhere forward, to difficult peaks. Confidence in the need for learning and development — usually outside of psychotherapy. See →
- style: soft, caring — or hard, demanding,
The softer the style and the more caring attitude, the more likely it is psychotherapy. If the style is tougher and the attitude is more demanding, this is more likely not psychotherapy, but healthy psychology.
The psychotherapist works more often in a feminine style: soft, warm and caring. This does not mean that the psychotherapist does not press, but he does not press himself, but organizes pressure through a group or other circumstances.
- dictionary
Subjective labels of psychotherapeutic work — words and concepts are used: «heartache», «feeling of insolvency», «upset», «resentment», «problem», «help is needed», «adaptation is needed», «get rid», «acceptance».
Subjective labels of educational and developmental work (working with people as if they were healthy): the phrases “set a goal”, “solve a problem”, “find the best way”, “control the result”, “develop”, “overcome”, “set a skill” are used ”, “to develop skill”, “desire, interest”. See →
- outlook, vision, attitude
If a psychologist in one way or another proceeds from a person’s weakness, difficulty or impossibility to successfully achieve a goal in the presence of internal problems interfering with a person, difficulties for a person to solve his problems on his own, this is rather a psychotherapeutic setting. If a specialist is confident in the ability of a person to achieve goals, not dealing with their internal problems, but moving forward, this approach is outside of psychotherapy. See →
Signs not working
Other signs are often added to this list, which, upon closer examination, turn out to be incorrect. Namely,
- conviction in the weakness of human strength and the small possibilities of a person (with a psychotherapist) …
Not exactly. This may be true for many psychotherapists, but it is not true for the psychotherapeutic approach in general. A psychotherapist can also believe in the capabilities of a person, but he will see his task in another.
- focus on individuality or typical work
It is argued that if the psychologist is more aware of what and how a particular person has, it is more often psychotherapy. This is not so, an exclusively individual approach is also characteristic of coaching in the format of developmental psychology.
- working in collaboration with the client or a directive approach
It is often said that psychotherapy is characterized by cooperation with the client, and the directive approach is outside of psychotherapy. This is not at all true: directive psychotherapy is widespread and effective.