With the rise of mental health issues in today’s world, therapy/counseling has become commonplace in society. Therapy is intended to help with mental disorders such as bipolar or anxiety/depression, mental health disturbances r/t acute situations, and promotion of mental wellness. The most common form of therapy is Cognitive Behavior Therapy, or CBT. This form of therapy focuses on the connection between feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Although CBT is the more common approach, there are alternate approaches used throughout society. The American Psychological Association (APA) recognizes 5 different approaches to therapy. These include:
Behavioral therapy
Cognitive therapy
Psychoanalysis therapy
Humanistic therapy
Integrative or Holistic therapy
Within these 5 categories, there are more specialized approaches. The categories that I’ll focus on are psychoanalysis, behavioral (specifically DBT), humanistic, and holistic therapy.
Psychoanalysis therapy is based on the theory that psychological issues are caused by unconscious conflicts within us. By bringing these conflicts to conscious awareness, it could help resolve the symptoms.
Psychodynamic Therapy is based on the principle of psychoanalysis therapy, and its approach is from the idea that present-day problems are connected to unconscious conflicts from past experiences. The goal is to identify the unknown roots of the current pain in order to overcome it. It is a proven form of talk therapy that can help a person get relief from mental or emotional stress.
This type of therapy can be used in individual, group, or couple/family
therapy settings. It can help manage certain mental health conditions
such as:
Anxiety
Depression
Panic disorder
Prolonged sadness
Post-truamatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Persistent feelings of isolation and loneliness
Behavioral Therapy focuses on replacing negative behaviors with positive ones. A few techniques fall under this therapy's umbrella, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). CBT is the most common therapy, so I will not go into the explanation of this therapy.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a form of behavioral therapy developed to treat borderline personality disorder (BPD). This form of therapy is divided into 4 components:
Skills training
Individual psychotherapy
Telephone consultation
Team therapist consultation
In combination, these components help teach the patient behavioral skills designed to target symptoms of BPD, such as chaotic relationships, fear of abandonment, unstable sense of self, and impulsivity with self-harm.
DBT has also been effective in helping other psychiatric disorders such as eating disorders, PTSD, and mood disorders.
Humanistic Therapy is a type of therapy that is focused on the individual. One of the core beliefs of this therapy is that humans are inherently good and will make good choices if given the chance. There are 3 primary types of humanistic therapy:
Client-centered therapy
Based on the idea that criticism from others results in emotional distress
This type of therapy is often used to treat substance abuse or addiction
Existential therapy
Focuses on the human condition as a whole, not just patient’s experience
Help the client find philosophical meaning in their lives and the world around them
Gestalt therapy
Focuses on the client's life at that current moment
Involves techniques like role-playing and reenactment to explore events in the past that may have influence over present emotions.
Holistic therapy is a blend of elements from different therapy approaches.
Therapists tend to use this for tailoring a specific treatment plan for the needs of their clients.
There are several alternative therapies that can be used to help treat mental health issues. Although it may be overwhelming to think about which style might be best suited for you, it is nice to know that there are many approaches to work with. Your therapist will work with you to help find the best type of therapy for the mental health concerns you may have.
Works Cited
Daino, Jill E., and Elizabeth Keohan. “Different Types of Therapy: Which is Best For
You?” Talkspace, 27 September 2016,
https://www.talkspace.com/blog/different-types-therapy-psychotherapy-best/.
Accessed 21 November 2022.
“Different approaches to psychotherapy.” American Psychological Association,
https://www.apa.org/topics/psychotherapy/approaches. Accessed 21
November 2022.
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