This e-book on psychotherapy describes various types of psychotherapeutic treatments that are used in clinical psychology and counseling practice with patients presenting different psychological or personality disorders. Non-psychotherapy treatments are described as well, which include relaxation and stress reduction techniques. The e-book also includes a brief discussion on how psychologists may develop their practice based on chosen theoretical framework. Professional issues related to offering psychotherapy are discussed as well.
Anyone wanting to learn about psychotherapy and other forms of psychological treatments can benefit from this e-book. This e-book is ideal as a brief introduction to psychotherapy for upper-level college undergraduates and graduate students of clinical psychology and counseling.
Psychotherapy or talk therapy has long been practiced as a treatment method of choice in the fields of clinical and counseling psychology. In the last few decades, there has been an outburst of theoretical models and development of various forms of psychotherapy based on these models. All of these psychotherapeutic treatments aim to help minimize or eliminate the symptoms of specific mental illnesses or personality disorders in one way or another.
In a mental health treatment context, psychotherapy is defined as any form of talk therapy treatment that helps people understand their behavioral or cognitive problems as symptoms of mental illnesses or personality disorders.
It enables them to develop the skills and training to cope with their condition. Equally important is the unlearning aspect of maladjusted patterns of behaviors or faulty thought processes which sustain these symptoms.
There are many different kinds of talk therapies available today. Most of these include content identification (or identification of the root causes of the psychological problems or illnesses) from patient s case history. This content is then processed within the therapeutic sessions with the help of a mental health professional. Psychologists or psychotherapists do so in either a direct or a passive facilitative manner, depending on the type of theoretical framework which they follow in conducting the most useful form of psychotherapy with their individual patients.
There are various forms of psychotherapy treatments which are described in this e-book along with the theoretical frameworks on which they are based. These include: psychoanalytic, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, gestalt, existential, person-centered, dialectical, interpersonal/ social rhythms, acceptance and commitment models of psychotherapy, which are described at length. Besides these forms of psychotherapy, couples, family and group therapies are also described.
Knowledge of these treatments can enable one to gain an insight into the kinds of treatments that are useful and may help someone suffering from any of the following psychological conditions: depression disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, mood disorders, emotional issues, disorders, personality disorders, bi-polar disorders, generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, phobias, psychosis, eating addictive behaviors, adjustment and relationship problems, trauma and grief.
For example, a family member, relative, neighbor, friend or a colleague who is aware of psychotherapeutic treatments can suggest a person in need of psychological treatment to go and seek help from a psychologist. These psychotherapy treatments have been found to be very effective, and can immensely help patients with the symptoms of a mental illness, as well as behavioral and personality disorders.