Psychotherapy Flashcards
Define psychotherapy
the systematic use of the relationship between the patient and therapist - as oppose to physical and social methods - to produce changes in feeling, cognition and behaviour.
What are the common characteristics of all psychotherapies?
An intense confiding relationship with a helpful person (the therapeutic alliance or therapeutic relationship lies at the heart of all psychotherapeutic approaches)
• A rationale containing an explanation of the patient’s distress
• The provision of new information about the nature and origins of the patient’s problems and the ways of dealing with them
• The development of hope in the patient that they will be helped
• Opportunities to experience success during treatment, enabling an increased sense of mastery
• The facilitation of emotional arousal
What forms of psychotherapy are available on the NHS?
Psychodynamic psychotherapy
Behavioural and Cognitive therapies (cognitive-behavioural therapy or CBT)
Interpersonal therapy (IPT):
Family/systemic therapies:
WHat issues does Psychodynamic psychotherapy address?
Issues of transference
and psychological defence mechanisms
Indications for psychodynamic psychotherapy?
patients suffering from recurrent and chronic inter-personal (relationship) difficulties and psychological conflict or alienation
In psychodynamic therapy, how is the presenting problem understood?
in the light of past experience (e.g. childhood trauma
or deficiency) and the dynamics of the internal world (hence “psychodynamic”)
Use of classical behavioural therapy? What it involves?
uses techniques usually involving some form of exposure to reduce avoidance and permit habituation
The treatment of choice for simple phobic disorders and for sexual dysfunctions
What does CBT address?
directly addresses the role of dysfunctional thoughts and beliefs in producing and maintaining undesirable emotional states and behaviours
What does CBT involve?
An explicit formulation of the origin and maintenance of the patient’s problems is developed in
collaboration with the patient
patient will complete homework tasks (e.g. experimenting with
new behaviours, identifying and challenging negative thoughts, collecting evidence for or
against beliefs, etc.)
What does IPT use for the focus of treatment? What does IPT address?
. It uses the link between the onset of depressive symptoms and current interpersonal problems
as a focus for treatment
addresses current relationships
What does family/systemic therapies target?
the system that generates the problematic behaviour. This is classically seen in a family unit, where each family member is viewed as a component of the system, and the patient’s problem is generated (and maintained) by the system’s malfunctioning
When is family therapy used?
most commonly employed as an intervention for children, but is also used
in eating disorders (particularly with younger anorexic patients) and as an adjunctive
treatment in schizophrenia.
Difference between counselling and psychotherapy?
Counselling does not usually explore the therapeutic relationship (as in psychodynamic psychotherapy)
Counselling tends to help people overcome immediate crises
(for example job losses, bereavement or relationship problems), whereas psychotherapy
helps people with more long-standing problems of a serious nature
Factors suggesting patients are suitable for psychotherapy?
patients who are able to verbalise their problems
are psychologically minded (i.e. able to see that psychological processes could contribute to their problems)
take some degree of responsibility for the resolution of their
difficulties (i.e. are well motivated)
make the best candidates
Factors suggesting patient would not be suitable for CBT?
PAtients with psychosis
Serious dependance on illegal drugs
