Psychological Disorders

Methods of Therapy

What is Psychotherapy?

• The treatment of psychological disorders or maladjustments by a professional technique

Who can perform psychotherapy?

• Licensed therapists– Doctors:

• Psychiatrist: has M.D. & residency

• Clinical Psychologist: PhD

– Masters Degrees:• Psychiatric social worker

• School psychologist

• Counseling psychologist

• Unlicensed therapists– Many AOD counselors

– Hypnotists

– Group facilitators

Psychoanalysis

• Based on work of Sigmund Freud

• Basic assumption: Illness is the result of unresolved conflicts from childhood.

• Often talks about early problems with parents, assumes individual has repressed conflicts/anger

Psychoanalysis

• Goal:– Therapist explores the “unconscious mind” for

insight into conflicts • helps remember forgotten experiences that still influence

behavior

• Involves:– Free association

– Dream Analysis

– Resistance

– Transference

Humanistic Therapy• Basic assumption:

• “client” has not grown - but can cure

him/herself.

• “Client-centered therapy”– Reflection of feelings

– Provide conditions in which positive growth can take place

• Goal:– Therapist gives client “unconditional positive regard and

acceptance.”

– Problems are discussed (utilizing “active listening”) and the client comes up with solutions.

Carl Rogers

Other Psychotherapies

• Play Therapy– Children may reveal true emotions,

feelings during play

• Transactional Analysis (TA)– 3 processes as part of our personality

• Parent – Judging & restricting behavior

• Child – Basic, spontaneous, dependant-behavior

• Adult – mature life oriented behavior

Biological Therapy(a.k.a. “medical model”)

• Basic assumption: The illness is a disease with a biological base.

• Goal: Treat chemical imbalances or reduce symptoms

Biological Therapy• Drug Therapy

– Usually do not cure behavior– Changes behavior so other treatments can be effective

• Electroconvulsive Shock Therapy (ECT)– Used less than drugs

• possibility of brain damage

– Causes temporary unconsciousness &

convulsion, then awakening

• Lobotomies – rarely done anymore (controversial)

Behavior Therapy• Basic assumption: The illness was learned

through conditioning (and therefore can be unlearned).– Emphasizes behavior itself– Maladjustment because:

• Learned inadequate ways of behaving• Never learned how to cope with everyday problems

• Goal: – Therapist alters reinforcements– Uses behavior modification techniques

Behavior Therapy

• Aversive Therapy– Change undesirable behavior by pairing it with

punishment

• Desensitization– 2 opposite responses cannot exist at the same time– Get rid of undesirable response by strengthening

opposite response– Teach how to relax

Behavior Therapy

• Implosive Therapy– “floods” patient with anxiety to show that no harmful

experiences will result thus causing situation to lose its power

• Simple Extinction Therapy– Assumes maladjusted behavior continues because it is somehow

rewarded

– So… minimize reward to reduce chances of behavior recurring

• Modeling– Change behavior by watching & initiating behavior of a model

Cognitive Therapy

• Basic assumption: The illness is the result of inappropriate thought patterns and misinterpretations.

• Goal: – Therapist teaches new thought patterns – uses

cognitive restructuring.

Group Therapy• Basic assumption:

– Patient can benefit from interaction with others who have same problems – or the problems are the result of poor interactions

• Goals (vary with the group):– Get comfort, support, insight, and new

understanding from hearing others– Work out new ways of interacting

Group Therapy

• Encounter Groups– Explore feelings & motives within a group

• Family Therapy– Entire family participates because behavior is in

part resulting from maladjusted family

• Psychodrama– Act out problems in realistic role playing situations