Psychotherapy

What is psychotherapy?

Originally know as the “talking cure”, psychotherapy is a collaborative process between a therapist and a client to become aware of, understand, and/or experience thoughts, behaviors, and feelings. This process leads to relief from emotional pain and desired changes in behavior.

The effectiveness of psychotherapy is strongly supported by research. Research has also shown that the relationship between the therapist and his/her client is one of the most important factors in achieving a positive outcome. It is very important for you to choose a therapist with whom you feel safe, confident, and trusting. A list of studies documenting the effectiveness of psychotherapy can be found in the Resources section.

My approach is oriented in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, one of many approaches to psychotherapy. To learn about how I work, please refer to my Philosophy & Approach page. Aboutpsychotherapy.com also provides a comprehensive review of the different approaches of psychotherapy.

How does Psychotherapy help?

Psychotherapy is effectively used in different ways. In some cases, psychotherapy is used to treat serious psychiatric disorders such as clinical depression or post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In these cases, psychotherapy may be used in tandem with medications.

Many people go to a psychotherapist to cope with and make sense of uncomfortable feelings and stressful life situations. An example might be to help someone cope with a painful life changing event such as loss of a loved one. Yet others may make use of therapy to attain greater personal understanding so as to live more authentically.

Below are other reasons why one would go to see a psychotherapist:

• sadness, guilt, regret, or depression that hangs over you, no matter what you do
• extreme worry or anxiety that interferes with your daily life
• behavior that has become harmful or dangerous to yourself or to others
• marital conflicts that involve hostility, extreme anger, violence, or distance in the relationship
• difficulties with children or adolescents
• behavior that seems out of control
• difficulty in adjusting to changes in family, life phase, work, health, or other circumstances
• desire to have a better understanding of personal motivations and actions
• need for assistance in planning for retirement, career change, elder family members, or other life transitions
• coping with loss such as death of a loved one, illness, or infertility