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Have you cleaned the fridge again, or maybe the hotel bar? Stress prevents you from having a good night’s sleep, or maybe nothing makes you happy? Find out why the psychotherapist’s couch may be the answer to your problems.
Depression, shyness, anxiety states
The belief that visiting a psychotherapist is a weakness is slowly becoming a thing of the past. Saying “I need help” is primarily about taking care of yourself. It is worth deciding to visit a specialist in the face of life crisis, when the support of family and friends is insufficient. Behind the word therapy there is not only an empathetic conversation, but also reaching unconscious emotions that cause mental discomfort and psychosomatic states such as headaches, stomachaches or a faster heartbeat. Good psychotherapy will cure us of depression, drug conditions, shyness and difficulties in relations with others, and above all, it will allow us to consciously manage our own fate. It is worth remembering that the task of a psychotherapist is not to provide patients with specific solutions, but to help them understand what is happening in our lives. We can talk about several types of psychotherapy that are characterized by a different source of inspiration, the way of patient management and theoretical assumptions. The main trends of psychotherapy are: psychoanalytical, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, Gestalt psychotherapy and systemic psychotherapy. We can also divide psychotherapy in terms of the number of people participating in it. So we have: individual therapy based on direct contact of the therapist with the client and group therapy, i.e. a series of meetings between the therapist and a group of people who share a similar problem.
Psychoanalytical therapy
It comes from a psychoanalysis created by the Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud. Its basic idea is to help you discover and understand unconscious thoughts, feelings and conflicts. For this purpose, the patient often reaches back to childhood, as well as early relationships of the patient with people important to him, especially parents and siblings. Instead of ready-made answers and solutions, psychoanalytical therapy allows us to understand the essence of the problems that block our development. Most often it is based on individual meetings and consists of a conversation – the patient can lie on a couch and talk about thoughts, feelings and associations that are important to him. This type of therapy requires patience and commitment, and is aimed at people who are curious about themselves and motivated to work on themselves for a long time. It usually lasts five to seven years.
Psychodynamic therapy
Psychodynamic therapy also derives from Freudian psychoanalysis. As in the case of psychoanalytical therapy, its main assumption is that our fears, mood disorders and personality disorders develop as a result of unconscious psychological conflicts, often experienced in early childhood. The essence of psychodynamic therapy is to detect and process them. The basis of therapy is a conversation between the patient and the psychotherapist. Importantly, the psychodynamic therapist not only pays attention to words, but also observes the patient’s facial expressions and the manner of his behavior. It is important both what the patient says and what he does not want to talk. This type of therapy is used in the case of a very large number of mental disorders. It works well in patients with mood, eating and personality disorders, as well as in the case of anxiety or PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
Cognitive behavioral therapy
A very popular type of therapy is psychotherapy, which focuses on the diagnosis and change of behaviors that hinder daily functioning. It comes from behaviorism, i.e. the belief that behavioral disturbances are the result of learned responses to various stimuli. During the session, the therapist teaches the patient specific procedures, and the patient becomes a therapist for himself after some time. Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy is clearly structured and designed for people who like homework, regular summaries, and very precise goals. Some of us find it easier to find ourselves in this type of therapy than to work on being aware of the unconscious. Most often it is short-term psychotherapy, very effective in the treatment of depression and anxiety. It also works well in the case of eating disorders, post-traumatic stress and personality disorders.
Gestalt Therapy
Next on the list is Gestalt therapy, created by a German psychologist and psychotherapist – Fritz Persl. Gestalt therapists emphasize that the most important thing is to become aware of how we want to live our lives. The way to achieve self-knowledge is to focus on the “here and now” – that is, your current thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. On the one hand, such an attitude allows us to break away from common beliefs, inhibitions and expectations, and on the other hand, allows us to focus on the essence of the problem, without the need to analyze its cause. The success of therapy depends on the relationship between the patient and the therapist, which should be based on trust and closeness. Meetings are conducted individually or take the form of group psychotherapy. The method of psychodrama is often used in the course of classes. Depending on the nature of the problems, therapy may be short-term or may last for several years. It works well in the event of various crises in interpersonal relationships. It can also help people who want to develop their own potential.
Systemic therapy
It is based on the assumption that our problems are not abstracted, but interdependent with the environment in which we live. Therefore, in order to heal one person, the whole system must first be repaired, and the most important thing is to improve communication between its members, introduce rules and draw the right structure. Importantly, the person conducting the therapy should remain neutral. Its task is not to evaluate, but to observe the relations and couplings existing in the system, and then to draw the attention of the members of a given system to them. The duration of therapy varies greatly and depends on the problem. It can last from several weeks to several years. Therapy works best in solving marital and upbringing problems. It happens that all family members living under one roof are invited to one of the meetings. Sometimes elements of systemic therapy are also used in individual therapy to help the patient understand the dependency system in which he lives.
Humanistic therapy
Historically, humanistic psychotherapy was a completely new proposal, which was created in opposition to the currents used previously. Apart from psychoanalysis and behaviorism, it has been called “the third force in psychotherapy”. The American psychologist and psychotherapist Carl Rogers is considered its main representative. In humanistic therapy, each patient is treated subjectively and empathically. Our problems are believed to stem from the application of inadequate norms and values that conflict with real needs.
In this case, the therapist acts as a guide and counselor. This approach is applicable both in individual and group therapy. Humanistic therapy can be short-term and long-term, and it all depends on the type and scale of the problem we are struggling with. Effectively heals neurosis, anxiety, depression and eating disorders. It also helps to deal with difficult childhood experiences or overcome life difficulties.