8 types of therapy

Mental and emotional health problems can be helped by therapy. Various therapeutic options are readily available.

1. Cognitive-behavioral therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of talk therapy in which the therapist probes the client about the links between their ideas and actions.

Unhealthy thought patterns can be identified with the help of a CBT therapist. The therapist will talk about how the patient's tendencies have led them to engage in harmful patterns of thought and action.

The therapist and patient can work together to improve the patient's outlook. An individual's viewpoint, behaviour, and set of beliefs can all benefit from these modifications.

2. Dialectical behavior therapy

DBT, or dialectical behaviour therapy, is a lot like CBT. However, DBT places greater emphasis on learning to control one's emotions, practising mindfulness, and learning to accept one's negative thoughts and feelings.

With DBT, a therapist can assist a patient in striking a middle ground between resistance and acceptance. By using DBT, a therapist can help their client learn new skills, such as healthy coping mechanisms and mindfulness techniques.

Psychologists at first created DBT to help those suffering from borderline personality disorder (BPD) and suicidal ideation.

3. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy

The most common method used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is called eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy (EMDR).

Trauma-related memories are recalled during EMDR's eye-movement component.

The goal of eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) is to replace negative emotional reactions to traumatic memories with neutral or even positive ones.

Even after a 2016 analysis of studiesTrusted Source failed to determine what exactly it is about EMDR that helps people, the treatment's efficacy is still up for debate. The benefits may not come from the actual eye movement, but rather from the exposure to the shock.

4. Exposure therapy

In exposure therapy, the patient and therapist work together to identify and confront the root causes of the patient's anxiety. The individual will develop coping mechanisms to use when confronted with triggers that normally result in repetitive behaviours or worry.

After developing appropriate strategies, the therapist will expose the patient to their triggers in a safe setting.

5. Interpersonal therapy

The goal of interpersonal therapy is to improve a client's interactions with others. Interpersonal therapy is commonly used by therapists to treat depression, as reported by NAMITrusted Source.

Interpersonal therapy involves the therapist observing and discussing the client's interactions with others in order to identify and address problematic tendencies. The therapist is therefore in a position to assist the patient in developing skills for better social understanding and interaction.

6. Mentalization-based therapy

The mentalizing approach is key to MBT. This treatment aids patients with BPD in being more self-aware and empathetic.

The major goal of this treatment is to improve the patient's sense of self and social functioning.

7. Psychodynamic therapy

In this type of treatment, the patient answers the therapist's queries about his or her thoughts and feelings by talking openly.

Learning to overcome harmful habits and emotions is possible once one realises how these have developed as a result of past experiences.

Depressive disorders, borderline personality disorder, and anxiety have all been shown to respond positively to psychodynamic therapy, according to a 2018 article. However, therapists use this method to treat a wide variety of psychological and character flaws.

When it comes to psychodynamic therapies, psychoanalysis is the most intensive. The American Psychiatric Association recommends scheduling therapy appointments once per week.

8. Animal-assisted therapy

The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that patients with cancer, heart illness, or mental health disorders benefit greatly from visits by therapy dogs.

Animal-assisted treatment, together with music therapy, an enriched environment, and other supportive therapies, is recommended for patients who may be subject to involuntary hospitalisation or isolation in a study published in Frontiers in Psychology (a reputable scientific journal).