Psychotherapy

Question 1

Define and describe psychotherapy

Answer 1

“talk therapy” as a way to treat people with mental disorder by helping them understand their illness, it also teaches strategies to deal with stress and unhealthy thoughts and behaviors
psychotherapy helps patients manage their symptoms better and function at their best in everyday life

Question 2

List the major approaches to psychotherapy, specifically cognitive-behavioral therapy

Answer 2

cognitive: focuses on a person’s thoughts and beliefs and how they influence a person’s moods and actions
behavior therapy focuses on a person’s actions and aims to change unhealthy behavior patterns; problem-solve, identify distorted or unhelpful thinking patterns and inaccurate beliefs

can include: exposure therapy: how thoughts and anxious sensations recognize that link, and creating hierarchies of situations; and teach skills and addressing increasingly difficult situations

Question 3

List the major approaches to psychotherapy, specifically dialectical-behavioral therapy.

Answer 3

used to treat people with suicidal thoughts and actions and also used with those with borderline personality disorder

used in abuse, self-harm, chronic suicidal thoughts; dialectical- exercise in which two opposing views are discussed until a logical blending a middle ground is found

Question 4

List the major approaches to psychotherapy, specifically interpersonal psychotherapy.

Answer 4

used on one-on-one basis to treat depression or dysthymia; based on the idea that improving communication patterns and the ways people relate to others will effectively treat depression; it explores major issues that may add to a person’s depression and also creating supportive relationships

Question 5

List the major approaches to psychotherapy, specifically family focused therapy.

Answer 5

used in treating bipolar disorder, designed with the assumption that a patient’s relationship with his or her family is vital to the success of managing the illness

Question 6

List the major approaches to psychotherapy, specifically psychodynamic psychotherapy.

Answer 6

tied to psychoanalytical theory, which asserts that a person’s behavior is affected by his or her unconscious mind and past experiences; focused on helping people gain self awareness and understanding about their own actions, how non-conscious emotions and motivations can influence their behavior