Different people and different problems require different therapies. Here are some ideas about finding what is right for you.
How do I select the right psychotherapy for me?
There are many kinds of psychotherapy. For years, psychotherapy was synonymous with psychoanalysis, which is basically Freudian psychotherapy. However, psychoanalysis takes a long time and many patients have treatment several times per week for five years or more. Other therapies have been developed to make therapy shorter and more effective.
One of them is cognitive behavior therapy, which is based on learning theory. Other therapies use elements of psychoanalysis, but in a more efficient manner or in combination with cognitive techniques.
In brief psychoanalytic therapy, also known as Short-Term Dynamic Therapy, therapists are more active than traditional psychoanalysts. They intervene to help patients stop avoiding upsetting thoughts and feelings. Short-term therapies focus on getting patients in touch with these feelings. They do this because many problems grow out of the avoidance of feelings.
Some new therapies, called sensation therapies, focus on physical experiences. Physical experiences have been found to be closely connected to feelings. The more you focus on physical sensations, the more quickly you get in touch with your true feelings rather than your thoughts about your feelings. Thoughts about feelings are often distorted.
Therapies have been developed to treat many specific problems. Grief therapy is used to treat someone struggling with loss. Guilt therapy can be used for people who have unacceptable thoughts or regret their past actions. There are also therapies for social anxiety and for phobias.
Some psychotherapies teach people to treat themselves by having them watch themselves in a mirror or on a video screen. People tend to be unaware of their facial expression, just as they tend to be unaware of many physical sensations. They do better when they become self-aware. Watching their face change can make them aware of feelings. This can be a big shortcut in therapy.
How can I learn what therapies therapists offer and how experienced they are?
One thing you can do is ask what kind of therapy a therapist uses. Does the therapist have a good grasp of multiple therapies or do they only use one type of therapy? Do they use a single therapy model for all patients or do they try to find the therapy that is the best fit for each person?
It’s a good idea to find therapists who have had rich life with varied experiences. They should also be comfortable examining themselves. They should be responsive and flexible and not force you to do something that doesn’t make sense to you or doesn’t work for you. They should be willing to discuss how things work, why they work, and why they would be good for you.
You want a therapist who welcomes your questions and suggestions because the goal of therapy is to help you become better at doing things, feel better, be more confident, and more self-assured. If you discover that your therapist always has the right answers and points out that you do not, how will you reach your goals? Therapy should help YOU find the answers you need.
I hope this answers your question. Any other questions are welcome, and I’ll be answering them every month.
Thank you.
Michael C. Alpert, MD MPH
