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The term psychological therapy or psychotherapy refers to the set of psychological techniques used by a mental health professional to address the reason for the consultation and improve the patient's quality of life. These techniques are not selected randomly, but are largely determined by the theoretical model on which the psychologist primarily relies.
Often, the choice of which type of therapy to use in a clinic will depend on efficacy studies and the training or preferences of the practitioner.
Knowing the different types of therapy available is important to understand your psychologist's approach and which techniques they are most likely to use in your consultation.
And if you've never had a psychological consultation, it will help you identify which model you feel most comfortable with based on your problems and personal characteristics.
Psychoanalytic therapies
They are based on Freud's theoriesThey focus on uncovering unconscious thoughts and feelings that influence current behavior and may contribute to internal conflict.
Currently, psychoanalytic therapies include a set of techniques that work with one or more problematic areas and are based on interpretation and confrontation.
Sessions are conducted face-to-face and therapy can last from months to years.
Humanistic therapies
Among them we find Gestalt therapy, psychodrama, and Rogers' person-centered therapy. These types of therapies focus on the here and now, focusing on personal growth, the individual's capacity for self-actualization, and the meaning they give to their life experiences.
Systemic therapy
It is mainly used in the context of family and couple therapy.It is based on the idea that individual problems are often linked to the dynamics and behavior patterns of the family system.
He conceives the family as a system and the symptom as the expression of a dysfunctional functioning of the system..
The goal is to modify dysfunctional parameters by providing strategies that help improve communication, resolve conflicts, and understand the dynamics and behaviors within the system.
Behavioral therapy
It is a brief, directive, active therapy focused on the present problem, which involves a collaborative relationship between the psychologist and his/her patient.
It is based on the laws of learning and starts from the premise that most behavior is learned.
Its goal is to modify maladaptive behavior and replace it with a more adaptive one. To achieve this, it uses the following behavior modification techniques: exposure techniques, operant techniques (contingency management) and verbal control techniques.
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Cognitive therapies
It focuses on identifying and modifying distorted or irrational thought patterns that negatively affect a person's emotions and behavior.
One of its main objectives is to help recognize and modify negative automatic thoughts that contribute to emotional distress. It includes cognitive restructuring techniques, coping skills training, and problem-solving techniques.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
It combines elements of behavioral therapy and cognitive therapy.
It focuses on recognizing the relationships between thoughts-emotion-behavior and their consequences, using both cognitive restructuring techniques and behavior modification techniques.
It is a structured and goal-oriented therapy which has proven effective for a wide range of problems.
Contextual or third-generation therapies
They emphasize the importance of context and the role of behavior, thoughts, and feelings in the patient's life.
Unlike CBT, it doesn't seek to change the content of thoughts or feelings, but rather how the person relates to them. It focuses on accepting internal experiences, promoting personal values, and psychological flexibility.
It includes Hayes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness, Linehan Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Jacobson Behavioral Activation Therapy, among others.
The importance of a personalized therapeutic approach
There is currently some consensus that there is no single type of therapy suitable for all people, problems, and situations.
As a result of various investigations carried out in the 1980s on the mechanisms of change and the common factors of different therapies, the integrative movement and eclecticism developed.
Eclecticism involves combining techniques and principles from different psychological models to create a personalized treatment tailored to each patient's specific needs. Each of the psychological therapies described above offers different tools and techniques that can be adapted to each patient's individual needs.
Do not hesitate to consult with a mental health professional to know which is the best option for each specific case.
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