Psychotherapy is a 'talking cure', which aims to help the client make sense of his feelings and experiences by working through his fears and concerns with the guidance of a trained therapist.
The psychoanalytic process as it developed at the end of the Nineteenth Century through the work of the pioneers, Freud and his successors, has undergone constant change and expansion in the last century. Led by demand, and the results patients experienced, innovative and daring practitioners were attracted to the field. They extended the horizons, developing and adapting the core theories to changing life styles and societies.
The premise that the therapist sits silently searching for the one hidden event that has shaped the life of the client, which in turn can serve as the key to the client's ills is a dated one. The process is now one that is shared between the client and the therapist: a co effort of investigation and discussion. Extracting meaning from the experiences and emotions of each unique individual can promote change and growth, and is the primary endeavour of therapy.
Who is a therapist?
The therapist has studied the body of work on the unconscious and its relevance to the human dilemma and has developed the skills and knowledge to lead the client through the journey of self-discovery and understanding.
Why go to therapy?
If you are suffering from a general sense of confusion, feeling lost and unsure of what matters to you, are sad or depressed and experiencing psychological pain, therapy may assist you to think in a different way, to try to make sense of your feelings and why you do the things that you do. By helping you understand your reactions and the dilemmas that bring up painful emotions, therapy can create an environment in which you can make truly free choices about how you live and accept what is in your life.
Why go to couple therapy?
Most couples go through difficult periods when important changes occur in their lives such as marriage, pregnancy, birth of children, illness and issues around employment. Although some of these events may be long awaited, happy occasions, they still alter the structure of the couple and the character of the partners. Sometimes this change will be too difficult for a couple to navigate alone. Some temporary help from a therapist, trained in these processes, can bring relief and change, assisting the couple to process and adapt to their changing circumstances.
How long will the process take?
Even a session can be helpful to clarify a specific issue. Ideally, the client and the therapist will work together to understand how much work the client wants to do at this point of their life. It can be a session, a course of six sessions, or if the client chooses to look at very deep issues, much longer.
What is the frequency of sessions?
Usually once a week for 50 minutes. But the session frequency can be adjusted according to the clients needs and taking into account practical realities.
How does therapy contribute to one's quality of life?
Being able to cope with life's difficulties is a necessary and valuable ability. Rather than dismantling this ability, therapy enhances it by foreseeing hidden but existing difficulties and creating new ways of dealing with them. It reduces the energy and concentration that is dedicated to keep some issues at bay, by dealing with them in a more conscious and systematic way with the help and support of a therapist.
Many of us have been aware of others reacting in ways that are not in their best interests. We are surprised how rational people can find themselves in painful situations that look self-destructive to the outsider. With help, we can find the hidden motivations and temptations that fuel these impulsive actions. When the motivations are understood it is easier to modify them rather than compulsively repeat them. This is most obvious with our choice of partner. Many people find themselves in similar kinds of relationships again and again even though they try desperately to avoid repeating the same pattern endlessly. The repetition of destructive patterns of choice and behaviour confuses and frustrates them. An increased awareness of what drives people to make these choices will equip them with the knowledge to prevent relentless repetition of painful and destructive patterns.
What is Psychotherapy / Counselling?
