Therapy, as a treatment method, endeavours to assist in resolving mental or emotional concerns, offering various types like cognitive-behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, and psychodynamic therapy.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy
A therapist uses[ cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to explore the relationship between a person’s behaviour and thoughts, feelings, or both.
A CBT therapist will work with an individual to uncover unhealthful thought patterns. The therapist will discuss with the person how these patterns might or do cause self-destructive behaviors and beliefs.
Together, the therapist and their client can work on developing constructive ways of thinking. These changes can offer a healthier, more positive outlook and help a person change their behaviours’s and beliefs.
Dialectical behaviour therapy
Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is similar to CBT. However, DBT focuses more on regulating emotions, being mindful, and accepting uncomfortable thoughts and feelings.
A therapist uses DBT to help a person find a balance between change and acceptance. Using DBT, a therapist can teach a person new skills, such as new ways to cope with a situation and mindfulness practices.
Psychotherapists first developed DBT to treat people with [borderline personality disorder (BPD) who were experiencing thoughts of suicide.
Therapists now use DBT to treat several different conditions, with [significant and long-lasting effects. These conditions include:
- eating disorders
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- substance use disorders
- mood disorders
Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy
reprocessing therapy
[Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) is a technique that therapists primarily use to treat people with PTSD.
EMDR involves a person recalling a traumatic event while performing specific eye movements.
EMDR aims to replace adverse reactions to painful memories with less charged or positive responses.
The benefits of EMDR remain controversial, and [a 2016 review of studies Trusted Source was unable to identify what part of the treatment is beneficial. One conclusion was that the benefits derive from a person’s exposure to the trauma rather than the eye movement.
Exposure therapy
Exposure therapy is a form of CBT. An article in Behaviour Research and TherapyTrusted Source notes that therapists have successfully used exposure therapy to treat people with fear and anxiety disorders.
Therapists may use exposure therapy to help treat:
- obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- PTSD
- phobias
A person undergoing exposure therapy will work with their therapist to figure out what triggers their anxiety. The person will learn methods to avoid ritualistic behaviors or anxiety after exposure to these triggers.
The therapist will then expose the person to their triggers in a controlled environment to put these methods into practice.
Interpersonal therapy
Interpersonal therapy aims to help a person work on their relationships with others. According to NAMITrusted Source, therapists often use interpersonal therapy to treat depression.
During interpersonal therapy, the therapist evaluates a person’s social interactions and helps them to notice negative patterns. The therapist can then help the person learn ways to understand and interact positively with others.
Animal-assisted therapy
Animal-assisted therapy involves a person spending time with a trained therapy pet. A therapy pet can help reduce a person’s anxiety, as well as help those with PTSD.
Some hospitals, nursing homes, and other medical facilities use therapy pets to provide support or comfort.
Emotion-focused therapy
Emotion-focused therapy (EFT) focuses on building awareness of emotions and regulating and resolving them. EFT encourages people to work on their emotions rather than suppressing them.
Family therapy
Family therapy involves working with a family unit to help an individual within the family resolve specific issues. Family therapists help a family understand and work through patterns of negative behavior that may cause underlying problems.
Group therapy
Group therapy allows people experiencing similar issues to join together as a group to resolve them. In group therapy, a therapist leads the discussion, and individuals can comment or contribute personal thoughts and experiences.
Group therapy helps a person see that they are not alone, and it offers people an opportunity to support each other.
However, a disadvantage of group therapy is that a person does not get the same amount of one-on-one attention as they would in a one-to-one therapy situation.
Group therapy is also less confidential, meaning some people may be reluctant to share their experiences.
Play therapy
Specialists use play therapy to help children talk about their thoughts and feelings. Play therapists provide a child with a space where they feel safe and cared for.
Children in play therapy may show their feelings or experiences through how they play. This type of therapy allows a child to deal with behavioral problems, stress, or trauma in a safe environment.
Find more about different types of therapy and relevant research on it in the following link