Types of Psychotherapy

Types of Psychotherapy

There are a variety of psychotherapeutic techniques which may be employed in the treatment of mental disorders, but the following are some of those more commonly used in treatment.

Cognitive Therapy

Cognitive therapy makes the assumption that thoughts precede moods and that false self-beliefs lead to negative emotions. Cognitive therapy aims to help the patient recognize and reassess his patterns of negative thinking and replace them with positive thoughts that more closely reflect reality.

Behavioral Therapy

Behavioral therapy is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on changing and gaining control over unwanted behaviors. It is based upon the principles of classical conditioning developed by Ivan Pavlov and operant conditioning developed by B. F. Skinner.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Because cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy work well together to help depression and anxiety disorders, the two are often combined in an approach called cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Dialectical behavior therapy is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Its main goal is to teach the patient skills to cope with stress, regulate emotions and improve relationships with others. Dialectical behavior therapy is derived from a philosophical process called dialectics. Dialectics is based upon the concept that everything is composed of opposites and that change occurs when one opposing force is stronger than the other.

Psychodynamic Therapy

Psychodynamic therapy is based upon the assumption that depression occurs because of unresolved -- usually unconscious -- conflicts, often originating from childhood. The goal of this type of therapy is for the patient to understand and better cope with these feelings by talking about the experiences which led to them.

Interpersonal Therapy

Interpersonal therapy is a type of therapy which focuses on past and present social roles and interpersonal interactions. During treatment, the therapist generally chooses one or two problem areas in the patient's current life to focus on. Examples of areas covered are disputes with friends, family or co-workers, grief and loss and role transitions, such as retirement or divorce.

Types of Psychotherapy Formats

Individual Therapy

This modality involves one-on-one work between patient and therapist. It allows the patient to have the full attention of the therapist, but is limited in that it does not allow the therapist an opportunity to observe the patient within social or family relationships.

Family Therapy

This approach is most useful when it is necessary to work on dynamics within the family group.

Group Therapy

Group therapy generally involves anywhere from three to fifteen patients. It offers patients the opportunity to give and receive group support in coping with their particular issues as well as to observe how they interact in group settings.

Couple's Therapy

This type of therapy is geared towards married couples and those in significant other situations who desire to improve their functioning as a couple.