Understanding psychotherapy and how it works Psychotherapy is different from medical or dental treatments, where patients typically sit passively while professionals work on them and tell them their diagnosis and treatment plans Psychotherapy isn’t about a psychologist telling you what to do It’s an active collaboration between you and the psychologist
Psychotherapy - American Psychological Association (APA) Psychotherapy may be provided to individuals, couples, families, or members of a group There are many types of psychotherapy, but generally they fall into four major categories: psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive therapy or behavior therapy, humanistic therapy, and integrative psychotherapy Adapted from the APA Dictionary of Psychology
What Is Psychotherapy? - American Psychological Association (APA) Psychotherapy involves communication between patients and therapists that is intended to help people: Find relief from emotional distress, as in becoming less anxious, fearful or depressed Seek solutions to problems in their lives, such as dealing with disappointment, grief, family issues, and job or career dissatisfaction
Different approaches to psychotherapy Psychologists generally draw on one or more theories of psychotherapy A theory of psychotherapy acts as a roadmap for psychologists: It guides them through the process of understanding clients and their problems and developing solutions Approaches to psychotherapy fall into five broad categories: Psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapies
Get the facts about psychotherapy - American Psychological Association . . . Psychotherapy is typically an interactive, collaborative process based on dialogue and the patient’s active engagement in joint problem-solving Your psychologist may give you homework assignments so that you can practice new skills between sessions or reading assignments so that you can learn more about a particular topic
Psychotherapy works - American Psychological Association (APA) Psychotherapy is one of those choices This page offers a collection of articles, tips sheets and links to research to better understand psychotherapy, how it works and how you can get started Share our links and video with your friends, family and physicians and help get out the message that psychotherapy works!
How Do I Choose Between Medication and Therapy? Research generally shows that psychotherapy is more effective than medications, and that adding medications does not significantly improve outcomes from psychotherapy alone For alcohol and drug use disorders, cognitive-behavioral therapy and environment-based therapies, as well as 12-step support programs, have been shown to be helpful
Treatments for PTSD - American Psychological Association (APA) The guideline suggests offering patients three psychotherapies and four medications Interventions that received a conditional recommendation all have evidence that indicates that they can lead to good treatment outcomes; however, the evidence may not be as strong, or the balance of treatment benefits and possible harms may be less favorable, or the intervention may be less applicable across
Psychotherapy: Understanding group therapy Many people find it's helpful to participate in both group therapy and individual psychotherapy Participating in both types of psychotherapy can boost your chances of making valuable, lasting changes If you've been involved in individual psychotherapy and your progress has stalled, joining a group may jump-start your personal growth
How psychologists help with anxiety disorders Psychotherapy is a collaborative process, where psychologists and patients work together to identify specific concerns and develop concrete skills and techniques for coping with anxiety Patients can expect to practice their new skills outside of sessions to manage anxiety in situations that might make them uncomfortable