Psychotherapy and How It Works

How does individual or group psychotherapy assist in recovering from mental, emotional, or physical disorders, addictions, disabling pain and other ailments that require long-term care?

This seemingly naïve question can be answered with some degree of precision and certainty, making the process of recovery rewarding and life changing.

It is first necessary to identify the problem that need attention. Once identified, the crucial aspects of change will involve managing feelings and developing rational plans and strategies. Therapeutic change is a complex process, and it occurs through an intricate interplay of various guided experiences, referred to as curative factors.

There is an enormous advantage in approaching complex problems through the simple identification of specific situations. Problem or conflict resolution through psychotherapy is achieved by taking one specific area of life through a process of discovery, change, and integration, culminating in a more adaptive way of living. Other situations can now be explored using the newly acquired skills.

Major categories to assess

Installation of Hope: The installation and maintenance of hope is crucial in all aspects of psychotherapy. Not only is hope required to keep the individual in therapy so that the other curative factors may take effect, but faith, which is the maintenance of hope, can itself be therapeutically effective.

Universality: Many individuals enter therapy with the disquieting thought that they are unique in their wretchedness, that they alone have frightening or unacceptable problems, thoughts, impulses and fantasies; that if people knew the real person, they would immediately be rejected or abandoned. This distorted sense of uniqueness, combined with feeling socially unacceptable, is heightened by self-imposed social isolation. This leads to difficulty in relationships, low self-esteem, and the lack of assertiveness. After hearing that others have concerns similar to their own or that others share feelings of incompetence and unacceptability, a deep sense of relief may be experienced.

Imparting Information: We live in a world of information. Individuals are interested in the most up to date information about themselves. This allows them to make reasonable decisions and enables them to assume personal power. It is important for the therapist give valid and up to date information about therapy, as well as give guidance about the problems that have been identified. This begins the development of trust and giving a feeling of safety and security.

Altruism: Altruism plays an important part in the healing process. It is a part of all 12-step groups. It is based on the principle that individuals receive through the act of giving. Many have long considered themselves burdensome, and it is a self-esteem boosting experience to find that they can be important to others. A more subtle benefit is inherent in the altruistic act. It helps those who are self-absorbed or socially isolated to find meaning and purpose in life.

Resolving Family Conflict and Grief: Almost without exception, individuals enter therapy with a history of some unsatisfactory experiences in their primary family. It is important that early family conflicts be identified and corrected, as some seem so common that they are not clearly recognized as unhealthy. Growth-inhibiting relationships must be explored and unfinished business from the past worked through and grieved. Therapeutic opportunities must be provided and conflicts and feelings uprooted and changed.

Social Learning: Social learning, the development of basic social skills, provides a meaningful way to assist individuals in developing a healthy strategy to solving prospective problems. This approach provides ways of learning and growing, rather than emphasizing past failures. Many individuals are painfully aware of their faults and shortcomings, and they would benefit from learning healthy, mature, sophisticated social skills as a way of resolving inner conflict. Sometimes behavior acquired as survival techniques detract from, rather than enhance, acceptability in social groups. It is advantageous to develop socially acceptable behavior, as it improves confidence and self worth.

Interpersonal Learning: A positive outcome of the therapeutic experience requires that the individual learn new things about himself. This learning process is a broad and complex process, which includes such aspects as insight, working through situations, and correcting or minimizing negative emotional experiences. Human beings require intense, positive, reciprocal, and interpersonal bonds. Without this positive attachment, people experience marked anxiety, depression, or anger. Poor or negative bonding can also lead to the feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, worthlessness, and deep despair.

Existential Factors of Life: Often unrecognized, existential factors play an important role in psychotherapy. Clients and therapists automatically search to understand life's trials. We do know that understanding occurs within us. We must attend to the inner experience, which is the author of our outer life. Often times we find things in life that we just must accept. Understanding this concept puts an emphasis on free choice, responsibility, the true meaning of our individual life. It is a harsh lesson to understand that there are certain things we just cannot change or obtain from others. We must learn to recognize that life might be unfair and unjust; that ultimately there is no escape from life's pain; that no matter how close we get to other people, we still face life alone; and that by facing these issues we can live more honestly with less trivialities. Finally, we must learn that it is necessary to take ultimate responsibility for the way we live life, no matter how much guidance and support we gets from others.

Spiritual Factors: At the center of each individual is an all-knowing spark, the part of the self that is constantly connected to everything. Even though there may be little understanding of this concept, we must recognize that ultimately we may not be totally in control. We are all in search of our special mission and purpose in life. When this path is discovered and practiced, life itself changes forever. A spiritual way of life is often difficult to achieve, as spiritual principles are seemingly unclear and uncertain. This may or may not take the form of following a certain religion. This journey should be undertaken with forethought and discipline, accepting that confusion and doubt are inherent in the process. One's fascination and sense of awe will be aroused when the principles are practiced and explored; leaving one with a feeling experience that closely resembles a deep sense of relief.

The Past Does Effect Our Present and Future Behavior: We have within us a divine sense of purpose, an idealized self with goals and aspirations that can be used to influence our future. Through psychotherapy, prayer and meditation, individuals can retrace their steps, make the changes necessary, and assure themselves a future dramatically different from

Relapse

Relapse prevention is a set of strategies aimed at meeting the challenges substance users and individuals who are mentally ill face in sobriety and healthy living. Without a predetermined and well-organized approach, it may not be possible to successfully resist relapse. All approaches to relapse prevention require one be active and alert in recovery and recognize the following as key to avoiding relapse.

1. Recognizing that relapse may likely occur is the first step in preventing it
2. Learning to anticipate, avoid, and cope with high-risk situations is key
3. Becoming aware of changes in thoughts, attitudes, emotions and behaviors

A commitment to total abstinence from drugs and alcohol and remaining aware of distorted thinking patterns or the return of symptoms that indicate the illness is out of control is the only way to assure recovery.

Relapse prevention is designed to teach the individual how to cope with life in a non-stressful manner and how to focus on reintegrating into society successfully. People are encouraged to be supportive of each other in a group counseling setting.

Too often, individuals in recovery let denial become a way of thinking and put problems on the shelf, hoping they will either disappear or solve themselves. Those who have tried this approach eventually recognize that resolving tough obstacles involves risk and change. In many instances recovery begins only when the troubled individual reaches out and asks for help.

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