PSYCHOTHERAPY 101: UNDERSTANDING PSYCHOTHERAPY AND HOW IT CAN HELP
What is Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy (aka counseling or talk therapy)is the process of helping people struggling with day to day, situational and psychological problems. In psychotherapy, a trained helper (i.e. psychologist, counselor, social worker, psychiatrist, marriage and family therapist) helps an individual, group, couple or family to:
understand the causes of their problems and behaviors
learn new ways of coping and responding
manage current problems
make changes in their relationships
prevent current problems from getting worse
Psychotherapy can help with such issues as life transitions, depression, grief, anxiety, responses to trauma, marriage problems, body image and parenting issues. Through the process of psychotherapy, professional helpers help to empower people to make changes in their environment, and to understand how external forces, such as culture, discrimination, and oppression, impact their functioning.
What it isn’t? Psychotherapy is not a cure for “crazy” or a quick fix. Like most things in life, psychotherapy takes work, time, and commitment in order to have a lasting pay off.
Psychotherapy is also not a “be all end all.” The benefits of psychotherapy can be enhanced by other formal (i.e. spiritual counseling, exercise, medication) and informal (meditation, prayer, family support, friendships, mentors) kinds of help.
When is a good time to consider psychotherapy?- Dealing with problems, day to day stresses, set backs, and disappointments are a part of life. However, when these normal difficulties become more than we can bear alone, impact are ability to function, affect our relationships or contribute to thoughts of harming ourselves or others it is a time to consider psychotherapy as tool in your healing.
Psychotherapy involves the development of a helping relationship that is established with the primary goal of exploring your concerns, promoting understanding, helping you to chart a new course, and working toward positive change. We encourage to learn more about the benefits of psychotherapy.
*Please note that thoughts of harming yourself or others in an emergency and require immediate assistance. In such cases please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
