What's psychological treatment?
Psychological treatment is sometimes called ‘psychotherapy’ or ‘talking therapy’.
It involves talking about your thoughts with a professional to:
- better understand your own thinking and behaviour
- understand and resolve your problems
- recognise symptoms of mental illness in yourself
- reduce your symptoms
- change your behaviour
- improve your quality of life.
Evidence shows that psychological treatments work well for emotional, mental and behavioural issues.
Psychological treatments are useful for people of all ages, including children.
They can help people from different cultural, social and language backgrounds.
You can have psychological treatment in an individual session, as part of a group, or online.
Why get psychological treatment?
Psychological treatments are proven to help with mental illnesses such as:
- depression
- anxiety
- addiction
- eating disorders
- post-traumatic stress disorder
- obsessive-compulsive disorder
- personality disorders.
They are also used successfully to help people deal with:
- stress
- emotional problems
- grief and trauma
- relationship problems.
It may take a number of weeks for you to see results from most psychological treatments. Some types of treatment can take a year or more for you to get the full benefit.
They are not a quick fix, but the positive effects are often long-lasting.
Who can provide psychological treatments?
Psychiatrists can provide psychological treatments to people with mental illness.
Find a psychiatrist near you who can provide psychological treatments
Psychologists, some GPs, social workers, mental health nurses, counsellors and other therapists also offer psychological treatments.
First steps to get help
Not all people who offer psychological treatments have professional training or experience in that therapy. Ask your therapist about their qualifications before your first appointment.
Mental health professionals: who’s who?
Types of psychological treatment
There are different types of psychological treatments designed to help with different issues.
Some of the most common treatments are listed below [in alphabetical order]:
Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, is a type of mental health treatment. It’s often used either alone or with medications to treat mental disorders. During a psychotherapy session, you talk to a doctor or
a licensed mental health care professional to identify and change troubling thoughts. Psychotherapy helps people with a mental disorder to: Therapy can be given in a variety of formats, including: Psychotherapy can treat a wide range of of mental disorders, including: Psychotherapy can help you: Sometimes psychotherapy can be an effective first treatment for mental disorders. But for many people, a combination of talk therapy and medication may work best. Therapy can be given in a variety of formats, including: There are several approaches that mental health
professionals can take to provide therapy. After talking with you about your disorder, your therapist will decide which approach to use. Different approaches to therapy include: Psychodynamic therapy Psychodynamic therapy is based on the assumption that you are having emotional problems because of unresolved, generally unconscious conflicts, often stemming
from childhood. The goal of this type of therapy is for you to understand and better manage these feelings by talking about the experiences. Psychodynamic therapy is done over a period of at least several months, although it can last longer, even years. Interpersonal therapy Interpersonal therapy focuses on the behaviors and interactions you have with family and friends. The goal of this therapy is to improve your communication skills and increase self-esteem during
a short period of time. It usually lasts 3 to 4 months and works well for depression caused by mourning, relationship conflicts, major life events, and social isolation. Psychodynamic and interpersonal therapies help you resolve mental illness caused by: Cognitive-behavioral therapy Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps people with mental illness identify and change inaccurate perceptions that they may have of themselves and the world around them. The therapist helps you establish new ways of thinking by directing attention to both the "wrong" and "right" assumptions you make about yourself and others.What Is Psychotherapy?
Benefits of Psychotherapy
Types of Therapy
Approaches to Therapy
Psychotherapy
Formats
Types of Psychotherapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is recommended for people: Dialectical behavior therapy Dialectical behavior therapy [DBT] is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy used for high-risk, tough-to-treat patients. The term "dialectical" comes from the idea that bringing together two opposites in therapy -- acceptance and change -- brings
better results than either one alone. DBT helps you change unhealthy behaviors such as lying and self-injury through keeping daily diaries, individual and group therapy, and phone coaching. DBT was initially designed to treat people with suicidal behavior and borderline
personality disorder. But it has been adapted for other mental health problems that threaten a person's safety, relationships, work, and emotional well-being.
Comprehensive DBT focuses on four ways to enhance life skills:
- Distress tolerance. Feeling intense emotions like anger without reacting impulsively or using self-injury or substance use to dampen distress.
- Emotion regulation. Recognizing, labeling, and adjusting emotions.
- Mindfulness. Becoming more aware of yourself and others and attentive to the present moment.
- Interpersonal effectiveness. Navigating conflict and interacting assertively.
Supportive therapy
Your therapist coaches you on how to learn to manage your anxiety and unhelpful thoughts on your own. This approach helps bolster your self-esteem.
Alternative and complementary forms of therapy also may help. You can use them in combination with regular psychotherapy.
- Animal-assisted therapy. Dogs, horses, and other animals may help ease anxiety, depression, and bring comfort.
- Art and music therapy. This can allow you to express and process your grief and other feelings.
Tips for Effective Psychotherapy
Effective therapy depends on your active participation. It requires time, effort, and regularity.
Keep these tips in mind as you start your therapy:
- Attend all of your scheduled appointments.
- Work with your therapist to set goals at the start. Review them from time to time.
- Identify sources of stress. Try keeping a journal and note stressful as well as positive events.
- Reset priorities. Emphasize positive, effective behavior.
- Make time for recreational and pleasurable activities.
- Communicate. Explain and assert your needs to someone you trust. Write in a journal to express your feelings.
- Focus on positive outcomes and finding methods for reducing and managing stress.
- Be open and honest. Success depends on your willingness to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences and to consider new insights, ideas, and ways of doing things. If you're reluctant to talk about certain issues because of painful emotions, embarrassment, or fears about your therapist's reaction, let your therapist know.
- Stick to your treatment plan. If you feel down or lack motivation, it may be tempting to skip psychotherapy sessions. Doing so can disrupt your progress. Try to attend all sessions and to give some thought to what you want to discuss.
- Don't expect instant results. Working on emotional issues can be painful and may require hard work. You may need several sessions before you begin to see improvement.
- Do your homework between sessions. If your therapist asks you to document your thoughts in a journal or do other activities outside of your therapy sessions, follow through. These homework assignments can help you apply what you've learned in the therapy sessions to your life.
It’s important that you like and feel comfortable with your therapist. Thousands of licensed psychologists and other licensed professionals work in the U.S. Consider interviewing them by phone, video, or in person
until you find a good match. You can find them by asking your family and friends for referrals, searching on the internet, checking with your health insurer, or contacting your local university. Before you pick a therapist, you may want to ask: Most therapy sessions last 45-50 minutes. It’s a guided conversation. Your therapist may ask many questions, especially when you’re starting out. They may want to know about your history and experiences, and about your feelings and worries. It’s best that you both agree on the goals for your treatment. Your therapist may want to schedule more sessions. Some therapists can
prescribe medication if necessary.How to Choose a Therapist
What to Expect During Psychotherapy