Psychotherapy and Treatment Options

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is an interpersonal collaborative psychological treatment process which focuses on life change and the alleviation of emotional distress. Goals include improving psychological and behavioral functioning and addressing issues of self-esteem, identity, and relationships with others. Treatment goals also include the resolution of long term and chronic psychological difficulties which impair an individual’s functioning in his or her life and with family, friends, coworkers, and others.

When psychotherapy is effective, outcomes usually include increased sense of confidence and well being, decreased number of physical illnesses, improved relationships with others, increased work productivity and job satisfaction, and improved skills for coping with life difficulties.

Depending on the nature of the problem, psychotherapy may take as little as one to three months to be effective, or may require a longer investment of time. The type of therapy employed may vary with the specific problem to be addressed and the individual’s, couple’s or family’s goals. Therapy may be psychodynamic with treatment aimed at helping an individual understand and alter chronic life issues, or it may focus on behavioral difficulties wherein the therapist and the patient jointly plan cognitive/behavioral strategies to cause change. Therapy may also be supportive in nature in order to help an individual or family cope with an immediate crisis, or educational in nature to aid individuals in the learning of new ways of living.

Types of Treatment

INDIVIDUAL THERAPY which helps a person explore, understand, and change long-standing problems such as chronic depression or anxiety, or helps a person cope with immediate psychological difficulties such as addictions, divorce, physical illness and pain, death, blended families, work issues, life transitions, and other environmental stresses.

COUPLE, MARRIAGE, AND FAMILY THERAPY which helps spouses or partners and families learn to resolve difficulties and issues which are contributing to the dysfunction of one or more members of the family. These issues include poor marital relationships, school and behavioral problems in children and adolescents, addictions, abuse, and chronic dissatisfaction or conflict.

GROUP THERAPY which helps individuals address a wide range of emotional difficulties, especially those regarding relationships with others.