Understanding Psychotherapy and Its Approaches

May 21, 2025

Chapter 5: Therapeutic Approaches

Nature and Process of Psychotherapy

  • Psychotherapy: Voluntary relationship between client and therapist for solving psychological problems.
  • Goals: Change maladaptive behaviors, reduce personal distress, and improve environment adaptation.
  • Characteristics: Systematic application of therapy principles, limited to trained professionals.
  • Relationship: Confidential, interpersonal, and dynamic; aims to build trust and facilitate change.
  • Goals Include:
    • Reinforcing resolve for betterment.
    • Lessening emotional pressure.
    • Positive growth potential.
    • Modifying habits and thinking patterns.
    • Increasing self-awareness and improving interpersonal relations.

Therapeutic Relationship

  • Therapeutic Alliance: Contractual, trusting, and confiding relationship between client and therapist.
  • Properties:
    • High trust level for client to open up.
    • Unconditional positive regard from therapist.
    • Empathy over sympathy to understand client’s perspective.
    • Confidential and professional nature.

Types of Therapies

  • Psychodynamic Therapy: Focus on intrapsychic conflicts.
  • Behavior Therapy: Addresses faulty behaviors and thought patterns.
  • Cognitive Therapy: Focus on irrational beliefs causing distress.
  • Existential Therapies: Explore meaning of life and personal growth.

Behaviour Therapy

  • Focus: Maladaptive behavior patterns.
  • Techniques:
    • Negative reinforcement and aversive conditioning.
    • Positive reinforcement and token economy.
    • Systematic desensitization for phobias.
  • Method: Behavioral analysis and formulation of treatment packages.

Cognitive Therapy

  • Rational Emotive Therapy (RET): By Albert Ellis.
    • ABC Analysis (Antecedent-Belief-Consequence).
    • Refutation of irrational beliefs.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

  • Approach: Integrates cognitive and behavior therapies.
  • Focus: Biological, psychological, and social aspects of psychopathology.
  • Effectiveness: Short and efficacious for various disorders.

Humanistic-existential Therapy

  • Focus: Loneliness, alienation, and self-actualization.
  • Approach: Encourage personal growth and emotional expression.

Existential Therapy

  • Logotherapy: By Victor Frankl. Focuses on finding meaning in life.
  • Client-Centered Therapy: By Carl Rogers emphasizes empathy and unconditional positive regard.

Gestalt Therapy

  • Goal: Increase self-awareness and self-acceptance.
  • Method: Recognize and act out blocked emotions and conflicts.

Factors Contributing to Healing

  • Techniques: Effective application by therapists.
  • Catharsis: Emotional unburdening.
  • Non-specific Factors: Client motivation and therapist's mental health.

Ethics in Psychotherapy

  • Standards: Informed consent, confidentiality, alleviating distress, integrity, respect, and professional competence.

Alternative Therapies

  • Examples: Yoga, meditation, acupuncture.
  • Benefits: Improved well-being, mood, attention, and stress tolerance.

Rehabilitation of the Mentally Ill

  • Aim: Improve quality of life and self-sufficiency.
  • Therapies: Occupational, social skills, and vocational training.

Key Terms

  • Examples: Alternative therapy, behavior therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, empathy, etc.

Review and Project Ideas

  • Review Questions: Cover psychotherapy scope, types, techniques, healing factors, etc.
  • Project Ideas: Explore token systems and unconditional positive regard effects.

Weblinks and Pedagogical Hints

  • Web Resources: Links for further reading.
  • Hints: Connections to personality theories, role-play for understanding applications.