What Do Psychotherapists Actually Do?

Asking questions is a basic tool that virtually all therapists utilize. Questions help clients to see the problems they face with increased clarity and can guide the way to finding new solution options. To help clients gain relief from their problems and the negative feelings they have been generating, some therapists use Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques. These interventions lead to new "cognitions" (thoughts) and behaviors (habits) that can enable clients to become more effective in dealing with the problems they face. Other therapists use psychodynamic techniques, that is, techniques that explore the earlier-in-life experiences that have made a person prone to feeling mad, sad, or scared. Integrative therapists, use both of these therapy approaches- looking back to understand the sources of current problematic thoughts, feelings and discovering new understandings and action options.

What is the role of emotion in therapy?

Unpleasant emotions mainly arise in response to problems in living. Therapists work tto replace negative emotions with an emotional sense of well-being and help their clients find solutions to the problems in their lives that had given rise to their emotional distress.

Anger arises when we are not getting something we want, or getting something we don't want.

Technique to deal with anger: Do a Best Possible Light visualization. Ask, "If I look at my anger in the best possible light, what am I trying to accomplish?" Then ask the follow-up question, "What might be a more effective and less costly way to get that than getting mad?"

Depression results from giving up, that is, from folding rather than continuing to try to get what we want.

An anti-depressant technique: Do a 3P's visualization. Pinpoint the situation where you have given up. Pump up your internal sense of power by visualizing yourself as far larger, and then, from that larger stance, Problem-solve to find new solutions.

Anxiety arises when we see a potential danger ahead, and danger that is imperiling what we want such as safety, a treasured relationship, our health, or something else that we value.

One therapy technique for frozen or spinning thoughts that go with anxiety: write a list of all the concerns that come to mind. Then return to each item on the list, one at a time. Figure out what additional information you need to respond effectively to that concern, then devise a plan of action for how to get it and then what to do.

An additional technique: To understand in a deeper way the source of anxiety reactions that feel disproportionate to the situation.

·

What I have learned from the article

• Each negative emotion arises from specific problematic ways of responding to challenging situations and each requires a different therapy technique.
• Effective therapy offers more than just a nice person to talk with. Well-trained therapists utilize problem-specific techniques.
• Therapy begins with analysis to help clients identify their specific troubling emotions and distressing life problems.
• Therapists then guide clients with techniques that reduce their distress and facilitate problem-solving.

Read the complete article here

💬 What are some things that come to your mind when you hear the word therapy?

💬 Have you ever tried therapy? How was your experience?

💬 If you have never tried therapy, would you consider it? Why yes/no?

#therapy #therapist #emotions #techniques