Examples of talk therapy

Throughout an individual’s life, various situations and environments can lead to people being exposed to different negative thoughts and feelings. These situations can often leave lasting and extremely damaging mental health problems for the individual. Mental health disorders, such as:

• Depression
• Chronic stress
• Post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD
• Anxiety
• OCD
• Phobias
• Panic attacks
• Some eating disorder such as bulimia

These mental disorders can have severe symptoms; over time they can become almost untreatable if left to fester without any professional medical intervention.

Talk therapy, medically known as psychotherapy, is viewed as a collaborative piece of mental health treatment. Talking therapies can help various individuals work out how to deal with multiple negative feelings and thoughts and adjust their mindset to make positive changes. While medication can be beneficial for specific individuals, working with a therapist, psychiatrist or counsellor to complete talk therapy sessions will assist the day-to-day thought, challenges and mood regulations.

There are various effective talk therapies; however, in the same way as medication, not all forms work for all individuals, talk therapies are the same. Different therapy treatments will suit different individuals.

Talking is good for you 

Talking and expressing your thoughts and emotions can help you deal with situations when experiencing a severe negative mindset. If you continuously try to deal with adverse problems alone, the negative thoughts will only multiply in your mind. Talking to a trusted loved one or a therapist can help you work out what is causing you stress and explore the options you have to fix the issue.

Not only will talking help you and your mental health, but it will also bring you closer to your loved ones. You will naturally strengthen your relationship and allow that barrier to be open. If your loved one is ever in the same situation as you, they will feel safe to express their feelings.

What is talk therapy? 

Therapy is defined as “treatment intended to heal or relieve a disorder”, there are various talking therapies available which will all involve working with a trained therapist. Depending on the circumstance of the patient, these talk therapies can take place either:

• Over the phone
• With your family in the room
• In a group
• With your partner
• Face to face with the professional

No matter which way the talk therapy is conducted, the therapist will help you find answers to the emotional and mental problems you are encountering.

What types of talk therapies are there?

There is a wide array of talking therapies available for individuals who suffer from mild to severe mental health issues. Whilst not every type of therapy treatment will be suitable for every mental health disorder you have; a trained therapist will be able to assess and direct you to the talk therapy that will best suit your needs.

There are several different approaches to talk therapy that will include:

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is a type of talk therapy that focuses on the patient’s behaviour and how they have acquired their abnormal, negative behaviour patterns. The ultimate goal of cognitive behaviour therapy is to uncover your thought process in life. It has been documented in the US national library of national medicine institutes that many professionals believe that dysfunctional thinking leads to dysfunctional emotions or behaviour. With this thinking at hand, a patient’s behaviour and mindset can be modified with positive behaviour patterns.

A CBT therapist will attempt to dive deep into the patient’s mind to see precisely what situation or group of situations are causing a constant negative emotion, fear or anxiety. The therapist will then help the patient recognise and deal with the root cause problem. These therapy sessions mainly focus on finding practical coping techniques and solutions for a problematic situation in life.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical behaviour therapy blends with some cognitive behaviour therapy techniques; however, this specific talking therapy has been precisely adjusted for individuals who feel incredibly intense emotions.

The goal of dialectical behaviour therapy is to help the individual understand and accept the intense feelings they feel, whilst learning how to manage these emotions daily.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy

Psychodynamic therapy involves the therapist encouraging the patient to talk more about their past situations or experiences. These past traumas will have a strong influence on how the individual makes choices, and the routes in life they are possibly going to take. Psychodynamic psychotherapy can be especially beneficial for individuals who suffer from reoccurring or long-term mental disorders that cause constant difficulties in their life. There is a variety of psychodynamic psychotherapy; however, the main goal in mind for these specific talk therapies is to help you understand more about yourself, to improve the relationships you currently have and to get a fuller experience out of life.

Humanistic therapy 

Humanistic therapy is another form of talking therapy, also known as humanism. A positive approach to psychotherapy focuses mainly on the patient’s nature rather than categorising groups of people with similar characteristics as having the same mental disorder. The patient is viewed as a unique individual.

Humanistic therapy is used to emphasise the importance of being your true self and being at peace with this. Once you have accepted who you are, you can begin to live life to the fullest. Humanistic therapy is known to treat effectively:

• Depression
• Panic disorders
• Personality disorders
• Anxiety
• Relationship issues
• Addiction
• Schizophrenia

Everyone views the world differently; evidently, this will impact how you make decisions and the routes you follow in life. Humanism involves the core belief that all human beings are good at heart and are more than capable of making the right decision for themselves and the people they care about. If an individual does not view themselves in high regard, it is harder to allow yourself to reach your full potential.

Integrative or Holistic Therapies

Integrative therapy is exactly how it sounds, a specific talking therapy that is a form of treatment that integrates various techniques from a range of other treatments. In this case, multiple psychotherapy forms and tools are combined to offer the patient a bespoke talking therapy program. The therapist will ensure that your mental disorders and personal needs are at the forefront of the plan.

Integrative therapy aims to encourage you to explore what is causing you to experience adverse problems in your life. The professional will help you begin to approach life with more of an open mind and production way.

Interpersonal therapy (IPT)

Health professionals will use interpersonal therapy to focus on mental health disorders such as depression. This talking therapy will encourage to outline issues within the patient’s relationships with family, partners and friends.

The ultimate aim of interpersonal therapy is to address the patient’s constant cycle feeling depressed from a string of bad relationships. The patient will often become depressed even when in a positive, uplifting relationship which unfortunately will have an adverse effect on future or current positive relationships.

Group talking therapy

Group therapy, otherwise known as support groups, involves many people coming together to tackle a common issue with a group facilitator. Every group therapy is different, deepening on the subject. Some sessions may focus on learning and education, whilst other group sessions will be viewed as a safe place to share coping skills and receive support.

Group therapy has been viewed as extremely beneficial because it is a free form of treatment, it is community-driven, so everyone there wants to be there. An additional benefit is that the group session will provide a base for a healthy support system where relationships and trust can flourish.

Recover with talk therapy

There are so many benefits in talk therapy; however, these treatments require several sessions for long-lasting recovery. A lot of dedication and hard work are needed to beat your mental health disorder. Here at Shoreline Sober Living, we can find a therapist that will create a bespoke plan for your needs to ensure that we can help you live a fulfilling life with a positive mindset.