Individual psychotherapy

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The overall aim of psychotherapy is to help you to understand why you feel the way you do, and what lies behind your responses to other people and to things that happen to you. Talking about your experiences can help you to release painful feelings and find better ways of managing situations you have been finding difficult. This should enable you to reach a greater understanding of events that have shaped your life, and of self-destructive patterns of behavior. It may, therefore, enable you to overcome specific problems, such as compulsive eating and lack of confidence, or simply allow you to become happier.

Psychotherapists have many different styles of working, and the number of sessions required can vary from one to five times a week. Each session may last for 50 minutes or an hour. You may agree to a fixed term of treatment, or the therapy may be open-ended and could continue for several years.

Some therapists will want you to talk mainly about your early childhood, and others will be more interested in what can be learnt from the relationship you make with them (known as 'the transference'). The psychotherapist may want to know how you feel about yourself, as a woman, a Black person or someone with a physical disability, to give some examples. Others will be more interested in your dreams and fantasies. Some will encourage you to get rid of bad feelings by crying or getting angry, as well as talking.

There is a great deal of overlap between psychotherapy and counseling, and there are many different types of psychotherapy. If you want more detailed information, you can read this or you could consult the organizations listed under Useful organizations.

Relationship counseling and family therapy

Relationship counseling is for couples who want to sort out problems in their relationship. They attend sessions together and the counselor helps them to express their difficulties, listen to each other, develop an understanding of each other, and find ways of making their relationship work better. They may decide to end the relationship but, with luck, having gained more understanding of why it was not working and what lessons they can learn for the future. Family therapy works in just the same way, with the entire family attending.

Group therapy

Group therapy enables people to deal with interpersonal problems and develop self-awareness. There are generally 8 to 12 people in the group, who meet together regularly, with a therapist, and talk about their concerns.

The idea of group therapy can be intimidating, but most people find it reassuring that others may be in a similar position to themselves. In a group environment, opportunities may arise to behave differently, to be more assertive or more vulnerable. It is also helpful for people to hear other points of view about their concerns, the way they appear, how their behavior comes across and in what way it affects other people.

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT)

Behavior therapy, also known as exposure therapy or desensitization, is often practiced by psychologists. It is used to help people overcome fears or phobias, such as feeling too scared to go into a shop, or obsessive behavior, such as washing many times a day. An opportunity is usually given to discuss the problem, and then to face your fear, gradually, so that you learn to cope. Cognitive therapy helps to identify connections between your thoughts, feelings and behavior. It is a practical treatment that focuses on specific problem-solving techniques, and enables you to develop new coping mechanisms.

Behavior and cognitive therapies are often combined, and practitioners of either may refer to their approach as cognitive behavior therapy. (See Mind’s booklet, Making sense of cognitive behavior therapy). New forms of CBT have been developed and NIMH has recommended particular types for particular problems, such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, schizophrenia and personality disorders. They include Mindfulness, interpersonal therapy and dialectical behavior therapy.

CBT may be offered by clinical psychologists or psychiatrists.

The therapeutic community

This is a place where you can either live full time or attend regularly during the day. Usually, there is a mixture of individual and group therapy, and informal support from other members of the community.

continue: Who are talking treatments for?

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Reviewed: 04/2006