Psychotherapy is a procedure by which a qualified professional can help modify behaviors, thoughts, emotions and beliefs that are dysfunctional and generate discomfort in the person.
Everything related to mental health has always been steeped in shame and taboo . Until very recently, going to a mental health professional was unpopular among the population. In addition, the few who took the step to do so kept that aspect of their lives absolutely secret, since otherwise they would be baptized with derogatory labels by the rest of society.
Fortunately, the current scenario is far from what happened in the past. Although for most it is still difficult to take the step of seeking professional help at first, psychotherapy has earned a much more decent reputation. Progressively, the population has been able to verify that this is very helpful in addressing problems that affect us all to a greater or lesser extent.
Far from being something restricted to the treatment of serious mental disorders, psychotherapy is a way that allows us to improve our self-knowledge as well as acquire tools to face life in a healthier way. Despite this growing recognition, many people still find themselves uninformed and ambiguous when it comes to finding out what psychotherapy is.
Something characteristic of psychology is that it is a discipline with multiple schools and orientations. Given the complexity of human behavior, it can be understood from various points of view, and not all professionals carry out their work following the same guidelines. Although the essential basis is common to all of them, the terminology can become confusing and even chaotic, generating many doubts in those who are looking for a professional to help them. For all these reasons, in this article we will talk about what psychotherapy is, what types exist and what each of them can contribute .
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What is psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is a treatment through which a qualified professional is capable of modifying beliefs, thoughts and behaviors that generate discomfort in people . One of the pillars for therapy to succeed is the therapeutic alliance, that is, the relationship that is built between therapist and patient. If the quality of the bond is adequate, the person who comes to therapy will feel heard and understood, which is a good first step for the treatment to work.
Every therapy process usually begins with a first evaluation phase, in which the psychologist will try to gather information about the case, so that he can define the reason for the consultation and therefore the problem to be solved. For this purpose, the clinical interview is always used, in which the professional will ask the patient questions about different aspects (family, relationships, health, work…). In addition, you can also complement the data extracted from the interview with a specific test or questionnaire. These instruments allow, through a scoring system, to investigate a little more in specific areas of the person. Once the problem is determined, the intervention itself is given.
It should be noted that, contrary to popular belief, psychotherapy is much more than just talking and listening . Psychotherapists have a wide range of knowledge and clinical skills, which allows them to apply various techniques aimed at achieving the change that each person needs. These will vary depending on the approach adopted by each professional, although many therapists decide to combine techniques from different approaches depending on the case.
The efficacy of psychotherapy is supported by numerous scientific studies, being the treatment of choice for the vast majority of psychopathological disorders. Only in some disorders, such as Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder, psychopharmaceuticals are more effective than psychological therapy. In all the others, psychotherapy is presented as the first treatment alternative. In this sense, it should be noted that the benefits of psychotherapy are usually maintained in the medium and long term, something that does not happen with pharmacological treatment, which also usually leads to unpleasant side effects and great dependence.
It is important to point out that therapy can take different forms, being individual, couple, family, group, etc. This allows it to be a very versatile treatment that adjusts to the needs of each case . Now that we have defined what psychotherapy is, we are going to investigate the types that exist and what characteristics each of them possess.
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What types of psychological therapies are there?
Although no type of psychotherapy is negligible due to its lack of efficacy, depending on the type of problem to be treated, there will be some approaches that are more appropriate than others. Each of them extols specific aspects, so it is convenient to know in advance the existing options in case you want to go to a professional for a specific reason. The main types of psychotherapies are:
1. Cognitive-Behavioral
This type of therapy is among the most popular, due to its effectiveness and usefulness in a huge variety of psychological problems. The name of this type of therapy is due to the fact that it addresses two facets of the problem in question. On the one hand, the one related to the internal world of the person, the emotions, thoughts and feelings of it. On the other hand, the one that concerns the actions, the observable behavior and the interactions of the person with the surrounding environment.
This combination of the behavioral and cognitive components allows working with observable and objective parameters without denying the importance of the person’s subjectivity . From this therapy model it is conceived that both aspects are fundamental and one should not be understood without the other since they coexist in interaction.
Among the most used techniques in the framework of this therapy are training in problem solving, modeling, cognitive restructuring, relaxation techniques or systematic desensitization. Although it is a very effective therapy when dealing with the problem at the present time, it tends to neglect the relevance that the patient’s past trajectory may have in relation to their current situation, and may not resolve certain central issues.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is offered as an alternative based on scientific rigor , structure, the use of proven techniques and the balance between the objective and subjective aspects of psychological distress.
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2. Psychoanalytic
This type of therapy was developed by the famous psychologist Sigmund Freud, who laid the foundations for current psychotherapy . Psychoanalysis offers therapeutic work focused on the inner world of the person, which highlights the role of our dreams, fantasies, thoughts, emotions and feelings.
One of the central points of this therapy has to do with what Freud called the unconscious, that is, the set of contents that remain inaccessible in our mind. In other words, for Freud the unconscious was what was behind what people do, feel, desire or think. For this reason, psychoanalytic therapy assumes that the origin of all psychological disorders is related to these unconscious mental contents.
Contrary to cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychoanalytic therapy delves into the patient’s past, especially in his childhood , in search of possible traumas or unresolved conflicts that may explain the discomfort of the present. The intervention from this perspective seeks to transfer the unconscious content to the conscious, since it understands that it is the only way by which the person can achieve recovery.
Far from the structure of cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychoanalysis relies on techniques such as free association, in which the patient is asked to say out loud the first thing that comes to mind, since that way they will be able to bring to light the already mentioned unconscious contents.
Furthermore, one of the keys to psychoanalytic therapy is the relationship between the therapist and his patient. In this sense, the psychoanalyst presents himself as a neutral figure on which the person can project his feelings about her, a process known as transference. In short, this therapy offers an intense bond with the therapist in a framework with little structure, where the inner world of the person is deepened.
3. Humanist
This type of therapy emerged as a reaction to behaviorism and psychoanalysis in the middle of the last century, at the hands of authors such as Carl Rogers. The humanist current appeared to offer a holistic view of the human being at a time when behaviorism had focused on measuring behavior through quantifiable and objective variables.
Similarly, he praised the value of subjectivity, since for humanists there is no single reality, but there are as many realities as there are people . In addition, this current was also very critical of the negative perspective and focused on the pathological that psychoanalysis had adopted to study the human being. Humanistic therapy works with people from a positive and healthy point of view. Furthermore, unlike psychoanalytic pessimism, it is assumed that the natural tendency of human beings is that of kindness.
In reference to humanistic therapists, they move away from the managerial profile that predominates in other currents. Far from being presented as the key element for psychological change, they are considered mere agents that accompany the individual in a process in which he is the protagonist. Therapy, instead of being seen as a treatment for a pathology, is conceived as a path of self-knowledge and learning.
This therapy focuses on the present moment and does not delve into the past experiences of the individual , since it understands that the key is to provide the client with tools that allow him to evolve and reach his maximum potential today. In short, humanistic therapy is presented as an option away from the medical model, in which the therapist offers to accompany him on a path of growth and self-realization.
4. Systemic
The name given to this therapy gives us a clue as to the direction in which it is heading. For systemic therapists, all individuals are immersed in a context of which we are a part . For this reason, it is unfeasible to do psychotherapy ignoring the environment of the individual in question. Thus, human beings group together to form systems. Throughout life we can be part of multiple systems simultaneously, although without a doubt the most relevant of all is the family.
From this therapy the focus is on the search for solutions instead of investigating possible causes. For humanists, human behavior does not follow relationships of linear causality. On the contrary, in human groups, the actions of one of the members have repercussions on those of the rest, generating an entire circular feedback system.
The systemic therapist does not present himself as the savior of the patient, but as an observer who detects certain dynamics in his system that are problematic and can be modified . This therapy is offered as a different work alternative to individual dynamics. It allows solving the problems of the individual by modifying the inappropriate interactions that occur in the system where he is located.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.
