Psychotherapy
What Can Psychotherapy Offer?
Therapy can help you:
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Reduce stress in your life
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Learn better, more adaptive coping mechanisms
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Change maladaptive patterns in your life
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Increase your self-awareness and self-esteem
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Give you a new perspective on problems with family, friends, or co-workers
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Help you communicate and interact more productively with people in your life
Psychotherapy Treatment Methods
There are many different types of therapy. Here are some of the most common.
Cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy all focus on how your own thoughts and behaviors contribute to your current situation. You will learn new ways to react to situations and challenge your preconceptions. You might come up with concrete goals. You might also get 'homework' assignments, like keeping a journal, or applying problem-solving techniques in particular situations.
Interpersonal therapy focuses on how your relationships with other people play a role in your current situation. This type of therapy focuses on practical issues. You will learn how to recognize unhealthy behaviors and change them.
Psychodynamic therapy is a more traditional form of therapy. You will explore the roots of your depression. You might focus especially on any traumas from your childhood.
Group therapy gives you a chance to talk about your depression with other people who might have a similar condition. A therapist leads the group, which is what makes it different from a support group.
While there are many types of therapy, the most important part is finding a therapist whom you like and trust. Many clinicians, including our psychiatrists and therapists, use a combination of approaches, and will utilize different therapies for different patients, and different therapeutic approaches for the same patient at different times throughout the course of treatment. Each of our clinicians create a personalized therapy for every patient, so each patient's experience is unique and highly individualized.
While some people only need therapy for short periods of time, some people might need it longer (to lower your risk of relapse, continue to maintain improvements, or to continue with the work of self-exploration and increased self-awareness). Together, you and your clinician will form short and long term plans to elevate your mental health.