About Psychotherapy and Counseling
How psychotherapy helps
According to a landmark study by Consumer Reports in November, 1995 - updated in October, 2004 - psychotherapy helps in three major ways:
- Eases presenting problems, such as depression and anxiety
- Helps people to function better
- Enhances personal growth
This growth includes better self-esteem, more confidence, and enjoyment from life. Another part of functioning better includes developing insight into unconscious motivations, thoughts, and beliefs. Some of our thoughts and motives are automatic, and thoughts need to be slowed down for us to understand them. Discussing issues in therapy is a way to understand how we think.
In fact, slowing down thoughts changes brain chemistry similar to psychotropic (psychiatric) medication. Long-term psychotherapy appears to be as effective as medication in treating depression and anxiety. A recent study suggests that for people with early (childhood) trauma, therapy is more effective by itself for depression when compared to therapy with medication or medication alone.
Your first visit
When entering psychotherapy, your therapist should welcome questions, such as:
- Education level
- Experience: What populations with which types of challenges
- Kinds of counseling, psychological, and psychotherapy services provided
After the first couple of sessions, you should be feeling reasonably comfortable about opening up. If you aren't, bring it up in session. If the therapist becomes defensive, continue your search for a new therapist. If he or she is not defensive, the two of you can determine what's going on - she or he might not be the right therapist for you. It could also lead to an exploration of issues you may have with intimacy.
What to look for in a psychotherapist
There are several qualities that people should look for in a psychotherapist.
A good psychotherapist:
- Tailors therapy to suit your individual needs
- Has the ability to form a respectful relationship
- Stays open about your concerns regarding the therapy process
- Points out options but does not tell you what to do
- Keeps the focus on you
- Talks about his or her personal life only as a way to be helpful to you
Studies have shown that a very important factor in getting better, and the foundation for growth and healing, is the relationship that the client has with his or her psychotherapist. Keep in mind that the relationship should be professional - a therapist should limit contact to the sessions, and he or she should never be in a friendship or romantic relationship with you. A therapist should have good boundaries and at the same time be someone who is warm, caring, nonjudgmental, and able to understand you.
A good psychotherapist does not:
- Talk about his/her own current problems
- Become involved with your life or the lives or relatives outside of therapy
- Spend time with you outside of sessions
- Impose his/her values or beliefs on you
Dispelling some common myths about therapy
Myth: To be strong means to be able to solve problems on your own
Reality: This type of thinking leads to stress, which can lead to depression, anxiety, as well as physical problems such as heart disease and lowered immunity, among others. Paradoxically, asking for help is a form of strength.
Myth: Therapists can make people change
Reality: As nice as this would be, people are responsible for making their own changes; a psychotherapist helps people make the changes they desire.
Myth: Psychotherapy can be accomplished in a few sessions
Reality: While some problems are eased by short-term therapy, most people gain more from a longer therapy experience. The Consumer Reports (1995) article noted that the longer people stayed in therapy, the more they improved, and people who stayed for more than six months reported greater gains than those who left earlier.
Must therapy be painful?
Sometimes, people are reluctant to enter therapy because they fear it will be painful. Keep in mind that therapy helps release pain, which is only part of how therapy helps. While therapists treat depression and anxiety, among other conditions, psychotherapy is also for growth and self-discovery.