By Kana McNiff
Psychotherapy, more commonly known as “therapy”, is a form of treatment that aims to help resolve mental or emotional issues through emotionally charged, confiding interaction between a trained therapist and someone who suffers from psychological difficulties. Therapy helps people work through common problems like depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other psychological disorders. While therapy was once considered a “taboo” topic for many people of previous generations, this generation is one of the most receptive to the idea of therapy and mental health. Because of this, it’s more important now than ever to know what kind of therapy is best suited to your specific needs. While many types of therapy exist, a few main ones are widely practiced today.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT, is a type of psychotherapy in which negative thought patterns and behaviors are challenged with the goal being that the patient will no longer exhibit those negative thought and behavior patterns. This can look different depending on the symptoms being treated. Cognitive-behavioral therapies use counterconditioning. This involves conditioning an individual’s response to an unpleasant stimulus to be more positive, resulting in a change in behavior or thought regarding that stimulus. For example, in cases of specific phobias and anxieties, a type of counterconditioning called systematic desensitization is used. In this exposure therapy-like practice, pleasant and relaxing stimuli are associated with anxiety inducing stimuli to learn relaxation techniques and gradually become desensitized to the anxiety inducing stimuli. Cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches people how to manage emotions and new, more adaptive ways of thought and behavior.
Humanistic therapy adapts a holistic approach that focuses on self-perception and individual conscious thought. The humanistic perspective emphasizes free-will, self awareness, and human potential. Humanistic therapists will often create an environment with unconditional positive regard for clients, and use active listening techniques that push a genuine and empathetic approach to facilitate client growth. This approach takes a lot of work from the client, as the sessions are often an open space for the client to lead while the therapist takes a more observant role. Although the results of this therapy will heavily rely on the amount of unstructured “leading” a client can do, it is accepted as one of the most successful therapy methods. Humanistic therapy often focuses on an individual as a whole, rather than on treating a specific diagnosis.
Psychodynamic therapy is closely associated with the works of famous Austrian neurologist, Sigmund Freud. Freud believed that human behavior is influenced by unconscious thoughts, memories, and urges. Because of this, psychodynamic therapy largely focuses on a client’s deep, unconscious thoughts or past experiences that may be influencing their thoughts and behavior. Psychodynamic therapy is often used to treat people who experienced trauma in childhood or individuals who struggle with depression.
By far, the most effective form of therapy for teens is cognitive-behavioral therapy. If none of the practices listed above are for you, don’t stress! There are many more unconventional therapy styles that may be better suited to your needs. Don’t give up on your best self. In the past five years, suicide has been one of the leading causes for teen death in the US. Know your options. There is absolutely no shame in seeking therapy and help from mental health professionals. You are never alone.
beniciapaw.com 