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Psychotherapy, as a method to re-establish one’s psychological equilibrum, has a variety of forms and types, each of them providing solutions for a wide range of problems. There are many ways to classify the forms of psychotherapy, but I chose to present you the most common of them.
Psychoanalysis
Founded by austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud in the 1890’s, psychoanalysis is the first therapeutical approach that has been labeled as psychotherapy in Europe. One of my personal favorites, psychoanalysis is constructed around the concept of “unconscious mind”, which is the part of the mind capable of storing repressed memories. Psychoanalysts see current mental problems as consequences of past experiences that have been repressed for either being too painful, embarrassing, not in accordance with morals or norms of society, etc. The therapy involves sessions of dialog between the therapist and the client aimed to reveal those hidden memories and feelings. Hypnosis and verbal free association are often used to unlock contents. The number of sessions varies from 1 to 3 fifty minutes sessions per week. The psychoanalytical cure is known to be a long-term form of therapy, that might last around two or three years. Psychoanalysis guides you through a long journey within yourself, but don’t worry, it will be a comfortable one : the use of the sofa in therapy sessions has been introduced by father Freud also. You only need to relax and get ready to meet your inner self!
Cognitive-behavioral therapy
Albert Ellis is a pioneer in the development of cognitive-behavior therapy, also known as CBT. This type of psychotherapy combines the cognitive and behavioral approaches. The therapists and the client will focus on modifying specific behaviors and negative patterns of thinking using goal-oriented, systematic procedures. The time needed for this type of therapy is shorter and preferred in the treatment of certain mental problems, such as anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders etc.
Gestalt therapy
Gestalt therapy places the client in the “here and now” concept. One must be responsible for all decisions and aware of all kinds of relationships and connections made with others and also with the environment. The founders of this type of psychotherapy are Fritz Perls, Laura Perls and Paul Goodman.
Classic psychodrama
Psychodrama has been developed by Jacob L. Moreno and promotes the idea of acting out your emotions and interpersonal interactions on stage. The client is the protagonist and the therapist is seen as the director. Although the client might interact with other actors, the whole play is focused on him and the exploration of his internal conflicts through several techniques, such as doubling, mirrors, role reversals etc.
Ericksonian Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy is a great method to modify segments of behavior that interfere with one’s healthy psychological lifestyle. Through hypnosis you can get rid of bad habits, such as nail biting or smoking. Ericksonian hypnotherapy, unlike “classic hypnotherapy”, uses more indirect suggestions than direct ones. This is what makes it efficient even when the client has a high level of resistance to suggestions. Milton Erickson is known as the father of modern hypnotherapy and his form of hypnosis is one of the fastest growing branches of hypnotherapy today.
Integrative Psychotherapy
In order to describe this form of therapy, I will use the metaphor my trainer used in our first course: Integrative psychotherapy is like drawing using all the crayons in the box, instead of just one. Integrative psychotherapy supports the idea that a psychological issue can be seen from different angles, using a variety of approaches and that for therapy one may choose the adequate techniques, irrespective of the orientation they belong to, but are considered most effective for the client. An integrative psychotherapist might use techniques from the following approaches: psychoanalysis, cognitive-behavioral therapy, client-centered therapy, gestalt therapy, neuro-linguistic programming, ericksonian hypnosis, transactional analysis, etc.
Now you know some of the most common branches of psychotherapy and you might consider these information when choosing a therapist. You have the right to know which kind of training the therapist in front of you has taken and you can choose if it fits your needs or not. However, certain types of psychotherapy are indicated for specific problems, so do not be shy and talk to your therapist about this matter.
Keep in mind that the way towards a healthy, happy life is always in front of you and all you need to do is take time to enjoy every step of the journey!
Article by Lucia Grosaru
Your summary of Psychoanalysis comments: “Psychoanalysis guides you through a long journey within yourself, but don’t worry, it will be a comfortable one : the use of the sofa in therapy sessions has been introduced by father Freud also. You only need to relax and get ready to meet your inner self!”
You have clearly never had psychoanalysis. With respect, you are not preparing prospective patients adequately. Psychoanalysis is incredibly difficult, painful and draining of emotional energy. To be successful, psychoanalysis causes the loss of previous destructive behaviors, hopes and fears and that loss is accompanied in most cases by periods of agonising depression. It takes on average 3 to 5 years to complete, and patients go through a cycle of feeling much worse before they feel better. While I am a huge advocate of analysis, I am also keen to ensure that patients are given some idea of how painful the experience is – There is nothing comfortable or relaxing about it.
Thank you Jayne for your visit and comment consisting of your oppinion and experience with psychoanalysis. My short presentation only aimed to show the main features of every orientation. Just like any other process, the psychoanalitical one brings change into one’s life and the final change is for the better. That is what makes the “journey” worth taken. Again, thank you for sharing your oppinion.
Best wishes,
Lucia
Yoga (Application) which was based on the control of the body physically and implied that
a perfect control over the body and the senses led to knowledge of the ultimate reality. A detailed anatomical knowledge of the human body was necessary to the advancement of yoga and therefore those practicing yoga had to keep in touch with medical knowledge. (Romila Thapar, A History of India, volume one).
I suggest : Mind and brain are two distinct things. Brain is anatomical entity whereas mind is functional entity. Mind can be defined as the function of autonomic nervous system (ANS). It is claimed that mind can be brought under conscious control through the practice of meditation. But how? ANS is largely under hypothalamic control which is situated very close to optic chiasma (sixth chakra or ajna chakra). Protracted practice of concentration to meditate at this region brings functions of ANS say mind under one’s conscious control.
ANS is further divided into parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) and sympathetic nervous system (SNS). On the basis of these facts I have discovered a mathematical relationship for spiritual quotient (S.Q.). Spiritual Quotient can be expressed mathematically as the ratio of Parasympathetic dominance to Sympathetic dominance. PSNS dominates during meditative calm and SNS dominates during stress. In this formula we assign numerical values to the physiological parameters activated or suppressed during autonomic mobilization and put in the formula to describe the state of mind of an individual and also infer his/her level of consciousness.
Meditation is the art of looking within and science of doing nothing. We don’t use anything in meditation. We just try to concentrate to meditate at some point in human anatomy known as ‘chakra’ in Indian System of Yoga. The current of mind is flowing outward through the senses and unconsciously. The mind comes at rest gradually through regular practice of meditation. Then comes self realization and enlightenment. Protracted practice of meditation under qualified guidance will help to manage all sort of psychological problems.
Emotional Quotient can also be expressed mathematically as the product of I.Q. and Wisdom Factor. E.Q. stands for Emotional Quotient. An intelligent person may not be wise. But a wise man will always be intelligent. An intelligent person having certain level of positive emotions can be said as wise. An intelligent person lacking wisdom will turn autocrat. A wise man will always be a democrat who respects others existence.
Some may raise doubt that how could be the Wisdom quantified? The answer is simple -if Mental Age of I.Q. can be quantified then Wisdom can also be quantified, of course, comparatively with more efforts. Wilhelm Stern had given the formula of I.Q.. It is, Mental Age/ Chronological Age x 100. Spiritual Quotient (S.Q.) leverages both E.Q. and I.Q.
Radha Soami Faith is a branch of Religion of Saints like Kabir, Nanak, Paltu, and others. Soamiji Maharaj is the founder of this Faith. You may call It like New Wine in Old Bottle.
Maslow has given Hierarchy of Needs. At the top of it is need for self-actualization or self-realization.
In our society we should learn To Live and Let Live and help to satisfy others need. When the lower order needs, physiological and sociological both, are satisfied then only a person think to satisfy need for self-realization in true sense. Else he/she may spend all his/her life to satisfy at the most the need for self-expression instead of self-realization.
It is, therefore, the duty of every responsible person of our society to give serious thought over it.
For the satisfaction of need for self-realization i.e. establishment of harmony of individual consciousness with that of universal consciousness we need following three things:
1. Mater or Guru (A Self-Realized Soul)
2. Secret of Levels of Universal Consciousness
3. Method for traversing the path.
Meditation as Psychoanalytic Technique
Psychoanalysis is primarily a method of psychotherapy developed by Sigmund Freud. According to psychoanalytic theory, anxiety is due to the presence in us all of certain threatening sexual or aggressive urges, wishes or motives springing from the id. These urges come into conflict with the realistic barriers imposed by the ego and the taboos of society incorporated in the superego. We repress the urges and conflicts – hide them from conscious awareness in the unconscious mind. We cannot consciously think about or verbalize a repressed desire. But the urge is still there in the unconscious mind, driving for expression though always in conflict with the ego and superego. We are afraid to express the id impulses. This fear is called anxiety. Various normal and abnormal defense mechanism develop in us to reduce anxiety. Abnormal neurotic behaviours occur when the defenses distort reality to such a degree that an individual’s ability to function is impaired.
The aim of psychoanalytic therapy is to lessen anxiety and the need for exaggerated defense mechanisms through self-understanding and knowledge of the sources of anxiety. Psychoanalysis emphasizes free association, the phenomenon of transference, and the development of insight. Psychoanalysis helps a person understand himself better. The goal of psychoanalysis is for patients to acquire self-understanding and knowledge of the sources of anxiety.
We will now see how practice of meditation works effectively as psychoanalytic technique. During meditation the mind is at first apt to wander. But let any desire whatever arise in the mind, we must sit calmly and watch what sort of ideas are coming. By continuing to watch in that way the mind becomes calm, and there are no more thought waves in it. Those things that we have previously thought deeply have stored into unconscious mind and therefore these come up at the surface of conscious mind during meditation. This is sort of catharsis. We may call it ‘auto-catharsis’ or ‘catharsis within’. Meditation provides us insight, self-understanding and increases our will power. Meditaters are fearless.
Thank you so much for presenting this interesting approach!
Excellent site, keep up the good work
Thank you very much, Bill!