Essay On Theoretical Orientation Of Psychotherapy

Being a psychologist for more than a decade is a very fulfilling one. I must say that it was and is not easy but nothing brings more satisfaction to a life of a psychologist than being able to contribute to the well-being of society by helping people gain a better understanding of their emotions, mental state and behaviors and helping them manage to live a better life. For many times, I have applied different psychotherapies for different kinds of disorder and I realized through continuous research and experience that there is not single approach that would be applicable to all medical cases. Some therapies have been scientifically tested more than other therapies . Let us consider one therapy which I have been applying to my clients for a specific type of disorders.

The cognitive behavioral therapy is a blend of two therapies which are the cognitive therapy and the behavioral therapy. This therapy helps a person focus on his current problems and ways to solve them. Both the patient and the therapist need to be involve in the process. The role of the therapist is to help the patient identify distorted or unhealthy thinking patterns , recognize and at the same time change inaccurate beliefs, being able to relate to others in a more positive and healthy way and to be able to change behaviors accordingly (Psychotherapies, n.d.).

Cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT is known to be an effective treatment and approach to the following type of disorders: depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, eating disorder and schizophrenia. It has become effective for these type of disorders because CBT is educative and patients are taught cognitive, behavioral as well as emotional-regulation skills. They can, in essence, become their own therapist. Essential parts of the sessions include mood check, prioritizing an agenda, discussing specific problems, setting self-help assignments, summary and then feedback.

There are some researchers who questioned the validity of this approach and claim superiority over other treatments, however, this is what I have personally found to be effective to my clients. At the end of the day, what truly matters most is that your patient gets better and better each day until one day he regains his full mental abilities and become a functioning individual in the society again.

Reference

Psychotherapies. (n.d.). Retrieved July 26, 2015, from National Institutes of Health:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/psychotherapies/inde

• Psychology
• Behavior
• Brain
• Life
• Development