What is Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy, or "talk therapy", is a way to treat people with a mental disorder by helping them understand their illness. It teaches people strategies and gives them tools to deal with stress and unhealthy thoughts and behaviors. Psychotherapy helps patients manage their symptoms better and function at their best in everyday life.
Sometimes psychotherapy alone may be the best treatment for a person, depending on the illness and its severity. Other times, psychotherapy is combined with medications. Therapists work with an individual or families to devise an appropriate treatment plan.
What are the different types of psychotherapy?
Many kinds of psychotherapy exist. There is no "one-size-fits-all" approach. In addition, some therapies have been scientifically tested more than others. Some people may have a treatment plan that includes only one type of psychotherapy. Others receive treatment that includes elements of several different types. ...More
Fast Facts: Learn! Fast!
What is psychotherapy?
- Psychotherapy, or "talk therapy", is a way to treat people with a mental disorder by helping them understand their illness.
- It teaches people strategies and gives them tools to deal with stress and unhealthy thoughts and behaviors.
- Psychotherapy helps patients manage their symptoms better and function at their best in everyday life.
- Sometimes psychotherapy alone may be the best treatment for a person, depending on the illness and its severity. Other times, psychotherapy is combined with medications.
- Therapists work with an individual or families to devise an appropriate treatment plan.
- Many kinds of psychotherapy exist. There is no "one-size-fits-all" approach.
News Articles
Short Course of Psychotherapy Can Help Ease Panic Disorder
New research offers up hopeful news for the millions of people struggling with panic disorder. Two relatively brief types of psychotherapy can help alleviate the often-debilitating symptoms of this anxiety disorder. More...
Now That Psychiatric Care Has Gone Online, Many Patients Want It to Stay There
Now, not only have patients seeking help with mental health issues been working through their emotions and experiences by video and phone for months -- many would like to keep those options, a new study shows. More...
Can Talk Therapy Heal the Body, Too?
Therapy designed to address mental health issues may also tamp down chronic inflammation, a new review suggests. More...
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More Information
- An Interview with Bruce Ecker, M.A., L.M.F.T., on Coherence Therapy
- An Interview with Bruce Ecker, MA, on Memory Reconsolidation and Psychotherapy
- An Interview with Jon Frederickson, MSW, on Experiential Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
- An Interview with Joshua Lerner, MA, LCSW, on the History of Object Relations Theory
- An Interview with Kirk Schneider, Ph.D., on Existential Humanistic Psychotherapy
- An Interview with Leslie Greenberg, PhD, on Emotion-Focused Therapy
- An Interview with Wilma Bucci, Ph.D., on Psychoanalysis and Cognitive Science
- Boundaries and Dysfunctional Family Systems
- Cognitive Restructuring
- Humanistic Psychotherapy
- 23 more
- Learning Theory
- Post-Cognitive Psychotherapy
- Repression
- Transference
- Wise Counsel Interview Podcast: Myrna Weissman, Ph.D. on Interpersonal Psychotherapy
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Alan Rappoport, Ph.D. on Control-Mastery Theory
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Annie Fahy, MSW on Motivational Interviewing
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Becky LaFountain, Ph.D. on Adlerian Psychology and Psychotherapy
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Dr. Jürgen Kriz on Self-Actualization and Person Centered Psychotherapy
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Fern Cohen, Ph.D. on whether Psychoanalysis is Dead
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Francine Shapiro, Ph.D. on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Jeffrey Young Ph.D. on Schema Therapy
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with John Clarkin, Ph.D. on Transference-Focused Therapy
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Jonathan Engel, Ph.D. on the History of American Psychotherapy - Part 1
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Jonathan Engel, Ph.D. on the History of American Psychotherapy - Part 2
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Laris Macpherson on the Therapy Client's Experience
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Marsha Linehan, Ph.D. on Dialectical Behavior Therapy
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Natalie Rogers, Ph.D. on Expressive Arts Therapy
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Otto Kernberg, MD on Transference Focused Therapy
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Raul Moncayo, Ph.D. on Lacanian Psychoanalysis
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Richard Shulman, Ph.D. on Volunteers in Psychotherapy
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Shinzen Young on Mindfulness Meditation
- Wise Counsel Interview Transcript: An Interview with Steven Hayes, PhD on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
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