As part of our series of blogs exploring different types of therapy, during Mental Health Awareness Week (15th to 21st May), we’re going to focus on psychotherapy.
Also known as talking therapy, this technique recognises the lasting impact of trauma and how stressful events that you experience, or witness, make you feel unsafe, helpless or vulnerable. This blog post will discuss the benefits of talking therapy and how it can help you improve your mental health.
Talking therapy generally involves talking to a trained therapist about an emotional difficulty. Therapists are trained to help you express your thoughts and feelings, with a focus on compassionate listening and understanding.
This is a common treatment for mental and emotional problems. This may be done one-to-one, in a group or even with your family or partner. It can also typically be done online, over the phone or in person.
Being able to express your feelings in a safe environment can help you find better ways to cope with your feelings and fears, change the way you think and behave, teach you to communicate better and ultimately help you heal from trauma.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a common form of talking therapy which has been shown to work for treating depression, anxiety, stress and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some CBT methods can also be useful for people that are struggling with anger issues, sleep problems and chronic pain.
CBT aims to help you change the way you think (cognitive) and what you do (behaviour). It focuses on helping you find practical solutions for current problems, rather than looking into past causes. This can help you break away from negative thinking patterns, allowing you to think and behave more positively.
There are also a number of self-help CBT techniques which include reframing unhelpful thoughts, facing your fears and problem solving. Find out more here.
There are other different types of talking therapies such as CBT, including behavioural activation and interpersonal therapy (IPT). It is important to find the method that works best for you. You can find more information about different types of talking therapies here.