Have you ever asked yourself “What is psychotherapy, anyway?” Sure, you have some idea. If you’re like many people, you have a picture in your head of a person lying on a couch, chatting, while the therapist takes notes. Psychotherapy often entails talking about your problems. Yet, there are many different types of psychotherapy these days. These methods expand upon talk therapy. They allow the psychotherapist to tailor treatment to each individual client, couple or group.
Learn more about the psychotherapy program for women in Asheville, NC.
What Is Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy, which is often referred to as “talk therapy,” is a treatment program meant to help people improve their mental health. The client will often sit down with a counselor for a one-on-one session. Group, couples and family therapy programs in NC also exist.
People sometimes see a therapist for a couple of sessions. However, others see a therapist for many months or years, depending on the types of issues they are facing.
Who Administers Psychotherapy?
The term “psychotherapist” has often been used as a blanket term for those who work as mental health counselors. In fact, people needing psychotherapy may want to educate themselves about the different types of therapy in addition to types of psychotherapy. Depending on the treatment required, some methods will be more effective than others.
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor that has training in psychotherapy. This mental health professional can prescribe medications because they are a licensed medical doctor. Psychologists, social workers, mental health counselors, and psychiatric nurse practitioners also perform psychotherapy.
Types of Therapy
These days, psychotherapy doesn’t only include talking. Modern mental health therapies include:
- Animal-assisted therapy in NC
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
- Reality therapy programs in NC
- Gestalt therapy in Asheville
These therapies can be used in individual, group, family and couple situations. However, some therapy techniques, like EMDR, are more specifically geared toward helping people to heal from emotional trauma.
What Conditions Can Therapy Treat?
The question that’s most often asked (after “What is psychotherapy?”) is “What conditions can psychotherapy treat?” The good news is that therapy can treat a wide variety of conditions. The following situations are some of the different reasons for seeking out psychotherapy.
People seek out the help of a therapist when they’re facing mental health disorders. They might need a therapist’s help when they have an eating disorder. This may be bulimia or anorexia, which have specialized bulimia and anorexia treatment programs in Asheville, NC. They could also face anxiety disorders, like phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or panic disorders.
Additionally, people who have personality disorders like borderline personality disorder will often talk with a therapist to develop coping skills. These are tools to manage the disorder after treatment ends.
Many people may contact a mental health counselor for other reasons. They may need help dealing with large life changes. A psychotherapy client may have lost a parent or spouse. This person will seek out a grief counselor. With the counselor’s help, the client will work through the emotions that bubble up when a person grieves. Others may get help with a traumatic event, like a natural disaster, or an unexpected job loss. Those with PTSD symptoms find relief through trauma-focused therapy.
Still, others consult a therapist when they feel overwhelmed by their emotions. Feelings of anger or sadness may overwhelm them and they don’t know how to manage them. Finally, some people who come to a treatment center in North Carolina require help with more personal issues. They may have experienced sexual assault, infertility or family and marriage challenges. This kind of trauma is a specialty for many women’s treatment centers.
Is Psychotherapy Right for You?
Clients, who seek out psychotherapy often go into it wondering, “What is psychotherapy, exactly?” They may not have had much of an opportunity to explore what kind of therapy might be right for them.
When people first come to see us, they often want to know if our approach is right for their mental health issues. If you find yourself among them, you might also benefit from visiting with someone at a women’s treatment center in North Carolina. Contact The Willows at 855.773.0614 to learn more about what we can do for you.
