Psychotherapy Health Dictionary

Treatment of mental and emotional problems by psychological methods. Patients talk to a therapist about their symptoms and problems, with the aim of learning about themselves, developing insights into relationships, and changing behaviour patterns.

A psychological rather than physical method for the treatment of psychological and psychiatric disorders (see PSYCHOLOGY; PSYCHIATRY). Almost every type of disease or injury has a mental aspect, even if this relates only to the pain or discomfort that it causes. In some diseases, and with some temperaments, the mental factor is much more pronounced than in others; for such cases psychotherapy is particularly important. The chief methods employed all depend on the client-therapist relationship being of prime importance.

Suggestion is a commonly employed method, used in almost every department of medicine. It may consist, in its simplest form, merely of emphasising that the patient’s health is better, so that this idea becomes ?xed in the patient’s mind. A suggestion of e?cacy may be conveyed by the physical properties of a medicine or by the appearance of some apparatus used in treatment. Again, suggestion may be conveyed emotionally, as in religious healing. Sometimes a therapeutic suggestion may be made to the patient in a hypnotic state (see HYPNOTISM).

Analysis consists in the elucidation of the half-conscious or subconscious repressed memories or instincts that are responsible for some cases of mental disorder or personal con?icts.

Group therapy is a method whereby patients are treated in small groups and encouraged to participate actively in the discussion which ensues amongst themselves and the participating therapists. A modi?cation of group therapy is drama therapy. Large group therapy also exists.

Education and employment may be important factors in rehabilitative psychotherapy.

Supportive therapy consists of sympathetically reviewing the patient’s situation with him or her, and encouraging the patient to identify and solve problems.

Psychological (as opposed to physical) methods of treatment for mental disorders and psychological problems.

n. psychological (as opposed to physical) methods for the treatment of mental disorders and psychological problems. There are many different approaches to psychotherapy, including *psychoanalysis, *client-centred therapy, *group therapy, and *family therapy. These approaches share the views that the relationship between therapist and client is of prime importance, that the goal is to help personal development and self-understanding generally rather than only to remove symptoms, and that the therapist does not direct the client’s decisions. They have all been very widely applied to differing clinical conditions; in the treatment of *mental illness, various psychotherapeutic approaches are used with success, for example *cognitive behavioural therapy in depression and anxiety and psychosocial interventions in schizophrenia. See also behaviour therapy; counselling. —psychotherapeutic adj. —psychotherapist n.