What is Psychotherapy?
Many people will look to get help for their personal and emotional issues by seeking traditional psychotherapy. Images that come to mind are patients laying on couches guided by professionals in professional looking attire. They might be talking about their deeper or inner most thoughts and experiences, many of which center around childhood experiences, memories, or recent troubling events in their lives. Some of this might be true but there are some misnomers about what exactly psychotherapy is and what it isn’t. There are also some differences between psychotherapy vs. counseling that are important to note.
Psychotherapy vs. Counseling
If we are comparing psychotherapy vs. counseling it can be more broken down to specificity of the manner of what exactly is being addressed in the therapy sessions and what the goals of the individual person are. Psychotherapy is by definition “the treatment of mental disorder by psychological rather than medical means.” Counseling is “the provision of assistance and guidance in resolving personal, social, or psychological problems and difficulties, especially by a professional.” The former is specifically addressing a mental health disorder by therapeutic means. The latter is the addressing of the whole individual meaning not only the person’s psychological issues, or disorders, but also that person’s social, relational, personal, work, and just about anything else that makes up that person’s life experiences. Basically, when we look closer at psychotherapy vs. counseling, one is a close up and specific treatment and the other is a more inclusive and broad form of treatment. All of that being said, most of the time you’ll see the terms psychotherapy and counseling used interchangeably. When you come into therapy you’ll get your pressing concerns addressed as an individual (you) living your unique life. If you are dealing with a psychological problem, such as depression, you’ll be experiencing some form of psychotherapy.
Psychotherapy Treatment
So what does psychotherapy treatment entail? If you are experiencing something like anxiety your therapist will help you explore your mental processes and emotions around your experience of anxiety. Your counselor will guide you through what anxiety means to you, where you have experienced it, where you feel it in your body, and what you go through when you are feeling it. The treatment of psychological problems varies from therapist to therapist because therapists are different and have different methods. Many therapists are trained in using various forms of psychotherapy treatment. You might have heard of CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy, or EFT also known as emotionally focused therapy. Regardless of the treatment approach you want to work with a therapist who has an approach that works for you and that you can see results from. To learn more about the different approaches and psychotherapy treatment offered at Life Made Conscious, click to see our Services.
Individual Psychotherapy
Another common term you might have seen, or looked into yourself, is individual psychotherapy. Individual psychotherapy is simply the treatment of a mental health issue like depression, anxiety, bi polar disorder, or post traumatic disorder specifically for an individual. There are other reasons that people seek therapy. Some people need help with their relationships or marriage, and other people might look for family therapy to get assistance with family problems. Individual psychotherapy is when you alone come to work with a therapist to help with your specific emotional or mental health issue. If you check out our specialties page you can learn more about the types of individual psychotherapy we offer at Life Made Conscious. You can also learn more about our therapists and who they are by reading more about each individual therapist. John Harrison, Rose Kormanyos, and Hannah Smith.
What to expect when you come into therapy if you are seeking psychotherapy
When you first meet with your therapist your therapist and you will sit down and talk about what will be most helpful for you and your goals with your therapy sessions. Your therapist will assess what psychotherapy interventions could be beneficial for you in what you are dealing with. If you are seeking help for a specific mental health diagnosis, such as anxiety or depression, your therapist will ask you some questions to make sure that you both are on the same page going forward in your counseling process. There is a questionnaire that you will receive prior to your first session that you can fill out to help give your therapist some background of your current situation that can help with the initial assessment and treatment goals.
How quickly will I see a difference or change in my mood or overall outlook?
One of the most common questions that people have when they come into therapy is “how long will it take to see results?” This varies for each person but you should notice initial improvement in your awareness of your feelings, mood, and thinking process. Basically, you’re going to get to know yourself in a new way, one that should be more conducive to you living a more stable and fluid life. Within 2-3 sessions, you should have a much clearer understanding of how to apply the insight and skills that can help you. Over the next 8-12 sessions you should experience changes in your mood, insight, and thinking, as well as feel more stable and grounded in your everyday life. Of course, everyone is different and everyone has different struggles and life issues and the amount of time for you to see progress could be longer or shorter than you anticipate. It is encouraged that you communicate with your therapist if what you are working on in sessions is not helpful for you so that you and your therapist can make sure you are getting the appropriate help you need.
To learn more about what we can provide in terms of psychotherapy at Life Made Conscious, check out our specialties page to see if we could be the right fit for you.
If you are ready to schedule an appointment or would like to schedule a free 15 minute consultation, call us at 513-306-4000 or email info@lifemadeconscious.com and we will contact you promptly.