What Is Psychotherapy?

2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 15:43

Friends, in this video I will again arrange an educational program. This time on the topic of psychotherapy: what is psychotherapy, what it is not, to whom it is prescribed, to whom it is not assigned, what is the difference between long-term dynamic therapy and short-term therapy. I think we will even get a series of articles on this topic, in which we will also talk about what an integral personality is, what a mature personality is. Because, looking ahead, I will say that this is one of the goals of psychotherapy.

We will also talk about resistance in therapy, how it manifests itself, what it says about the setting, why is it needed, what is its function and what will happen if it is not there? We will talk about defenses, disruptions in therapy, criteria for completion of therapy, and much more that is important and useful to know about this topic.

In this sense, I think that this project will smoothly flow into the book, because I want to explain, tell, give examples of psychotherapy in more detail than in articles. And so, those who are interested in delving into this topic will download and read the book. And for those who are not so deeply interested, this series of articles will be enough to get a little enlightenment in this matter.

I notice that a lot of clients ask questions about what therapy is in general, why such a moment occurs, why such a moment? Sometimes I notice that some clients break down or leave one psychologist for me, for example, from ignorance of what happened in contact with that psychotherapist.

To be honest, I also thought about this while undergoing my therapy, but it was easier for me. Because in parallel with my therapy, I studied to be a gestalt therapist. And, thanks to this, many things became clear. Here my resistance has gone, but here I want to break, because it seems to me that my therapist hates me, but in fact, this is just my projection. And I asked myself a question: okay, I found out about this while going through the training, but how does the client know about it? Indeed, from this ambiguity, sometimes you really want to leave therapy. After all, few people allow themselves to come and say: "Hey, therapist, what's going on between us, let's discuss it?"

More often, they simply leave in silence, upset and with mixed feelings. But the therapist is not always to blame for this. Therefore, I think this topic is important and necessary.

So, speaking about what psychotherapy is, first of all I would like to read a few quotes from famous psychotherapists, whose opinion I trust.

But, first, let's turn to Wikipedia. This is standard, when we want to learn something new, where do we go? Wikipedia, of course! So what does she say about this?

“Psychotherapy is a system of influence on the psyche and through the psyche on the human body. It is often defined as an activity aimed at getting rid of a person from various problems: emotional, personal, social, etc. It is carried out, as a rule, by a specialist psychotherapist by establishing deep personal contact with the patient, often through conversations and discussions, as well as the use of various cognitive, behavioral, medication from other techniques."

However, I think this definition is not complete. But I want to draw your attention to the fact that even Wikipedia says that changes are possible due to the deep personal contact of the psychotherapist with the client, the client with the psychotherapist, both in one direction and in the other direction. As Carter said, "Trust is a two-way street."

I would also like to quote my coach Alexander Makhovikov, written down after him during one of the lectures.

“The goal of Gestalt therapy is to make a person free, in no way, not happy!.. The process of client development in Gestalt therapy boils down to restoring the balance between the body and the environment, and thus make a person more energetic, conscious, and thus make him more effective in overcoming life's difficulties."

"The goal of psychotherapy is to help the client feel that he has a choice where he previously experienced a compulsion."

James Bujenthal

I really love and recommend reading the books by Irwin Yalom, they are very easy and readable with interest. Here is his opinion on the psychotherapy process:

“One of the invaluable things a client learns during psychotherapy is relationship boundaries. He learns what he can receive from the other, but also, and this is much more important, what he cannot receive from the other."

Yes, limitation, the ability to recognize limitation is also part of therapy.

And of course, psychoanalyst Nancy McWilliams, she is also one of my favorite authors. She writes in a very structured way and some of her books can be re-read many times.

"The main thing in psychotherapy is not self-improvement, but understanding oneself in order to find more effective ways to deal with one's own needs."

Here, I would underline the word “needs”. Because I think the most important thing in psychotherapy is to understand what your needs are, and the rest will most often be resolved by itself.

“One of the reasons for the existence of psychotherapy is that by confessing to a stranger, you discover the freedom to be yourself. The therapist can be hated without a sense of guilt, with him you can be yourself and at the same time not rejected. In other words, a psychotherapist can tolerate you when you appear in all your glory for an hour, another a week. By taking the risk of showing yourself to someone, it becomes easier to show yourself to yourself."

Karel Whitaker

The most important thing is to ultimately show yourself, yourself. This can be very difficult to do.

James Hollis, a spokesman for the Jungian approach, is also one of my favorite authors, he writes beautiful books that are understandable and accessible. He says this:

“The task of psychotherapy, in one way or another, inevitably involves going through some kind of suffering when it comes to human growth, which is why so many shy away from deepening dialogue with their journey through life. But this process is not so terrible or painful as it might seem at first glance, especially since the reward is renewal and expansion of horizons, if we want it."

Here I would like to highlight: the most important thing is desire. Personal desire for growth and life change.

There are probably many more good and useful quotes on this subject. But these are the ones that have the greatest response for me and, it seems to me, say the most correct things about this important process.

From my own experience I will say that psychotherapy is a way, it is a certain lifestyle, a style of thinking, a style of feeling. This is the path: full, conscious, which will definitely make you full, conscious, whole and free, in the process of going through psychotherapy and at its completion. Although not always easy, it is true. I believe that constant awareness is the path to freedom.

If we try to divide psychotherapy, then from a practical point of view, it is divided into two main categories.

1. The first one - by tasks:

• curative
• developing.

2. And by the depth of the investigated processes:

• long-term dynamic psychotherapy
• short-term psychotherapy.

And we will talk with you about the difference, similarity, advantages and disadvantages of these things in the following publications.