Supportive Therapy Flashcards
What is psychotherapy?
It’s a therapeutic interaction contracted between a trained professional and a client, patient, couple or group
Purpose is the exploration of thoughts, feelings and behaviour for the purpose of problems solving or achieving higher levels of functioning
Psychotherapy aims to increase the individuals sense of own wellbeing
Name the different models of psychotherapy.
Person centred approach
Supportive psychotherapy
Psychodynamic therapy
CBT
Integrative therapy
Describe the person centred approach.
AKA client centred approach
Based on humanistic principles that people are motivated to self actualise
Client is a partner in health acre and makes their own decisions
Non directive (therapist takes the lead from the client)
What are the 3 core conditions of person centred approach?
Empathy
Unconditional positive regard
Genuineness
What is empathy?
Reasoning with the client’s world and being able to see things the way they do
Verbally sharing your understanding with the client. Empathy involves skilful listening and mirroring client’s feelings
What is expected from a therapist in the context of empathy and culture?
Become aware of your own cultural heritage and affiliations and the impact your culture had on the counselling relationship
Become immersed in the cultures of people who differ from you
Be realistic and honest about your own range of experiences as well as issues of power, privilege and poverty
Its your own responsibility to educate yourself about other cultures
Become aware of your own biases and prejudices - both overt and covert
What does a positive regard entail?
Non judgmental warmth
An attitude of valuing the client
Unconditional although not superficial
Closely related to empathy as well as congruence/genuineness
What is meant by congruence/genuineness?
Honesty, transparency and openness to client
Honesty but in helpful rather than destructive ways
Understanding client’s feelings take precedence over expressing own feelings
Where does supportive therapy fall on the psychotherapy continuum?
In the middle of psychodynamic (expressive therapy) and person centred therapy (basic counselling skills).
What is the aim of supportive psychotherapy?
To help the patient cope with symptoms in order to prevent relapse of mental illness.
In case of healthy person, to assist in dealing with transient problem.
To maintain, restore or improve self esteem, ego function, and adaptive skills
How is supportive psychotherapy distinct from other forms of supportive contact?
It’s based on diagnostic evaluation, the therapists actions are deliberate and designed to achieve specific objectives
Professional psychotherapeutic relationship is not based on reciprocal equality, exists solely to meet needs of the client
Confidentiality is implicit in the counselling process
Conscious problems/conflicts are address, underlying unconscious conflicts and personality distortions are not
Defences are questioned only when they are maladaptive
Conversational style renders the therapeutic process an interaction rather than interview
