What is psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is the treatment of mental or emotional disorders and related problems using psychological means. Sometimes, these conditions are also treated medically (with drugs or physical therapies) or surgically (by physically altering the brain or nerve system.) Psychotherapy, though, uses only techniques that work on the mind as a means of relieving disordered symptoms.
As defined by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS), “Psychotherapy is the use of psychosocial methods within a professional relationship, to assist the person(s) to achieve a better psychosocial adaptation, to acquire greater human realization of psychosocial potential and adaptation, to modify internal and external conditions which affect individuals, groups, or communities in respect to behavior, emotions, and thinking, in respect to their intrapersonal and interpersonal processes.
Psychotherapy typically involves a series of discussions between a trained professional meeting with a client to discover points of dissatisfaction or discomfort in the client’s life. The sessions usually revolve around a dialogue between the parties, but can sometime include projective activities such as art or play, particularly with children. The goal is to identify patterns occurring in the client’s behavior that serve to perpetuate the feelings of dissatisfaction or discomfort. The therapist and client work together to discover the events in the client’s lifetime of experience that have fostered these patterns, develop an understanding, and find solutions best suited for the client. Psychotherapy can be an effective form of treatment for anxiety, depression, disturbances in relationships, and a host of other mental health problems. Managing symptoms with psychotropic medications is an available option, however, in most cases it is recommended to combine medication with psychothera
Psychotherapy, or “talk therapy,” is a really effective and commonly prescribed method of treatment for mild to moderate cases of mental and emotional distress. Research shows that most people who participate in the psychotherapy process experience a significant improvement in their feelings and ability to cope with life’s difficult times. Most clients who come to see me, report feeling ‘stuck’, ‘overwhelmed’, ‘angry’, ‘frustrated’ or ‘frightened’ as the result of unwanted emotions or experiences. Often after suffering persistent feelings of sadness, overpowering anxiety or loneliness, workplace difficulties, the loss of a job, sexual problems, a divorce, or the death of a loved one, people seek my help. The conversations that we will have, lead to a process of personal discovery and exploration which helps to eliminate or control troubling and painful symptoms so that you can return to normal functioning. Our work together can be used to help you overcome a specific problem or to stim
