Psychological Fun: An Overview Of Non-standard Types Of Psychotherapy

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

Gone are the days when a healthy lifestyle was limited to industrial gymnastics on the radio: now you have an endless variety of workouts, equipment, group and individual programs at your disposal, choose it or not. But we hope that you care not only about a healthy body, but also about a healthy mind: no, no, yes, and sometimes you will look for support from a psychologist. But if the notorious couch of a psychoanalyst worries you, and the ubiquitous training of personal growth is already in the liver, this is not yet a reason to put an end to psychology - here, as in sports, there is still something to amuse yourself with.

Today, several hundred schools of psychotherapy are registered in the world, and all of them continue to develop and mix with ancient oriental practices, different types of meditation and art in order to satisfy the most sophisticated client needs. If you are at a loss with the choice, you can first be inspired by our selection

1. Body-oriented psychotherapy (TOP):

What is the essence:

Guided by the principle of the unity of the body and the psyche, the psychotherapist, together with you, examines any of your bodily manifestations: characteristic movements and gestures, breathing patterns, chronic and acute diseases - and considers them as a metaphor for your mental makeup or as a hidden message from the body about those problems that are difficult realize with the mind.

What it looks like:

During one-on-one sessions on TOP, the conversation about your problems will be diluted with a discussion of how your body responds to things that matter to you. The therapist may suggest exercises (for example, moving or breathing in a certain way) so that you can see the smallest nuances of the body's work. There are also group one-day or two-day workshops where participants explore general topics related to the body. Be prepared for the fact that usually such seminars do without chairs, and you will be asked to leave your high-heeled shoes outside the door: here you have to walk barefoot, sit on the floor and even wallow in a star pose on the carpet. So we recommend stocking up on warm socks and a soft blanket or blanket.

Suitable for you if:

• You are pursued by some kind of disease that does not lend itself to medical influence;

• You want to befriend your body and understand what it is trying to tell you;

• You love any bodily practice and want to achieve greater awareness in them

Contraindications:

There are no general contraindications for doing TOP, on the contrary: any health problems or personality disorders can be a good topic for work. However, do not forget to warn the therapist about the peculiarities of your body before starting a seminar or consultation, so that he selects exercises accordingly and familiarizes you with safety precautions.

How to choose a specialist:

When choosing a psychotherapist, carefully study his regalia - a self-respecting psychologist always puts information about his qualifications in the public domain. It is best if the therapist turns out to be a member of ATOP (Association of Body-Oriented Psychotherapists): this line in the resume guarantees an impressive number of hours of training, practice under the guidance of more experienced colleagues and their own psychotherapy. An indicator of the therapist's competence can be considered his respect for your personal space: any exercise, especially if it requires touch or some uncomfortable action for you, should only take place with your consent.

2. Dance movement psychotherapy

What is the essence:

In dance movement psychotherapy, you will be able to tighten not only your belly, but also your self-esteem: a safe and comfortable dance environment, an atmosphere of acceptance and support in a group will help you to form a more positive body image. In addition, free, spontaneous dance moves are a very effective way to express feelings and inner conflicts that are difficult for you to put into words.

What it looks like:

Most often these are group sessions, during which participants communicate with each other using spontaneous movements. The dance therapist offers special exercises, reflects the movements of the participants, helps to develop them, explores the meaning and emotional coloring of the dance improvisation of the clients. As you understand, it is better to come to such classes in the most comfortable clothes that will allow you to demonstrate (including to yourself) the entire arsenal of your psychotherapeutic steps.

Suitable for you if:

• You feel that you have lost contact with yourself, are unhappy with your reflection in the mirror or behavior;

• You have communication problems, you do not have enough support from others;

• You love to dance and are ready to express your feelings in motion.

Contraindications:

Serious injuries to the musculoskeletal system can prevent you from performing at your best, as can severe chronic illnesses. However, by alerting the therapist to your difficulties, you can work more carefully and explore the movements that are safest for you.

How to choose a specialist:

It is best if the dance movement therapist came to psychology from dance (for example, teaching it or performing on stage) - this will ensure his ability to more accurately reflect your movements and help you expand the range of your own possibilities. The risk that an incompetent dance movement therapist will screw up something and damage your psyche is extremely small, but do not forget to check if he has received a high-quality psychological education.

3. Thanatotherapy

What is the essence:

Even grandfather Freud said that the two main driving forces in man are Eros and Thanatos. And if you don't need to talk about Eros, then Thanatos, the fear of death, most often turns out to be in the shadows. In thanatotherapy, of course, they do not kill anyone or raise the dead, but they will try to bring you to a state close to death - total and uncompromising relaxation. In such a state, you can suddenly open up to such deep-seated feelings, fears and body clamps that you yourself do not even know about.

How it looks

In both individual and group thanatotherapy, the client is generally required to just lie down. Yes, that's right: in the well-known shavasana, "pose of the corpse", right on the floor - and this is much more difficult than you might think. Even when it seems to you that you are completely relaxed, the keen eye of the thanatotherapist reveals the smallest tension of the facial muscles, arms, neck, behind which all sorts of repressed feelings, memory of physical and psychological trauma are hidden. The therapist will be able to work these secret clamps with subtle jewelry movements that you may not feel. In the case of group work, the therapist will be helped to relax you and other group members - naturally under his strict guidance. When going to such an activity, do not forget to take your favorite soft blanket or at least dress warmly - relaxing to death, you risk seriously numb!

Suitable for you if

• You are dead tired and do not find the strength for more active forms of self-examination;

• You know about some of your body clamp, which you cannot get rid of in any way and about the meaning of which you are ready to reflect;

• You are actually faced with the fear of death, and these experiences haunt

Contraindications

Just in case, we emphasize again: warn the therapist about any health problems before starting work - this will make life easier for both of you. It is better not to come to classes with a cold, especially in winter, otherwise lying on the floor can aggravate your condition. And one more nuance: thanatotherapy is a series of special touches (within the framework of the ethical code of a psychologist, of course), so if for some reason physical contact with strangers is unacceptable for you, this may not be the most suitable type of leisure for you.

How to choose a specialist

Thanatotherapy is a fairly new direction of psychotherapy, it was invented by our compatriot Vladimir Baskakov, who still teaches psychotherapists his method. Therefore, the only source of specialists in thanatotherapy at the moment is his Institute of Thanatotherapy, and look for it in the resume of a psychotherapist before attending an individual consultation or a group seminar.

4. Jungian sand psychotherapy

What is the essence:

In Jungian psychotherapy, it is believed that the unconscious communicates with consciousness in the language of symbols, so the only way to see your dark side of the soul is to give these hidden images a way out. Writing a fairy tale, drawing, modeling from plasticine, dancing, or, at worst, a simple story about your nightmare can help with this, but for sophisticated clients, a more exotic way was invented, which at the same time gives much more freedom of self-expression - a psychotherapeutic sandbox.

What it looks like:

In the sand psychotherapist's office, you will find a wooden tray with sand inside, a jug of water and a collection of miniature figurines - from men and animals to doll furniture and plants. After the introductory conversation, you will be asked to depict what you are talking about in the sand, give the finished composition a name and discuss it. You will be surprised how much new you see when you look at your sand piece from the side! The advantage of sand is that you can redo the resulting image as many times as you like, or even erase it altogether: out of sight - out of mind.

Suitable for you if:

• You are haunted by feelings incomprehensible to you, fears, recurring dreams, vague memories that you would like to decipher;

• You like to experiment with different types of self-expression, and may have even tried other types of art therapy;

• You miss the simple fun of children and dream of combining play with deeper soul searching.

Contraindications:

There are no contraindications for sand psychotherapy. Of course, the deeper you dig in the sandbox of your unconscious, the more likely you are to stumble upon the most terrifying monsters that hide in your head, but you will have to take this risk whichever way you choose, be it classical psychoanalysis or training assertive behavior.

How to choose a specialist:

Initially, the sandbox was a tool of Jungian analysts, so if you want to get first-hand experience, you can contact the representatives of this particular school. However, now every second psychological center has at its disposal this simple, but very fruitful tool in its arsenal, so feel free to go to sculpt symbolic cakes to any qualified psychotherapist - you will not go wrong.

5. Holotropic Breathwork

What is the essence:

This controversial breathing practice was invented in order to work through the deepest and most long-standing psychological trauma, which cannot be reached in any other way. The mechanism of work in a nutshell is as follows: with intense breathing, the most distant parts of the brain are supplied with blood and oxygen, which are not involved in ordinary life - our oldest memory is stored there, so memories can gush out in a stream. Proponents of this method are confident in the healing effect of the experiences that you can experience during the session: a wide variety of emotions and physical sensations are deprived of their disturbing influence if you allow them to surface and can be properly viewed from the outside.

What it looks like:

Holotropic breathing sessions are held both one-on-one with a therapist (here he is called a "sitter", a nurse), and in a group. Participants ("holonauts") lie on the floor and breathe - how intensely, quickly, deeply, everyone decides for himself, because the experience is deeply individual. All this action takes place under specially selected music, which will prompt the change in the stages of breathing. Sitter makes sure that the holonaut does not freeze or fall asleep (this happens quite often due to hyperventilation), provides a safe environment, and will provide support in case unpleasant sensations suddenly appear. As a rule, the breathing process itself fits into a couple of hours, but there are also longer sessions - it all depends on the skill of the sitter, the diligence of the holonauts, the composition of the group and the situation. After everyone breathes out and comes to their senses, the experience must be learned: for this the therapist will offer you to draw images that come to mind or share your feelings with other group members.

Suitable for you if:

• You love bold and desperate experiments with consciousness and are looking for new sensations;

• You know from one of your relatives about traumatic events that happened to you in early childhood, at birth or even in utero, and are ready to work with these unexplored layers of your past;

• You have heard a lot about Holotropic Breathwork, but you were hesitant to try it.

Contraindications:

Holotropic breathing is not a walk in a blooming garden, but a very intense physical activity, and there are a lot of contraindications: severe diseases of the cardiovascular system, recent surgeries and fractures, pregnancy, epilepsy, glaucoma, psychopathology, etc. In general, we highly recommend that you yourself familiarize yourself with the possible consequences of holotropic breathing before attending such a seminar: opponents of the method scare that regular holotropic "immersions" threaten the health of nerve cells. If you are not sure if this practice is right for you, be sure to discuss your concerns with the facilitator before starting the session.

How to choose a specialist:

The choice of a Holotropic Breathwork specialist is extremely important, because from the outside this method seems quite simple, and therefore attracts a large number of not too professional fans. If you want your session to be truly safe and fruitful, we advise you to look for a psychotherapist who has received an official certificate of completion of the Grof Transpersonal Training (GTT), named after the creator of the method, Stanislav Grof.

6. Systemic family constellations

What is the essence:

Imagine that your family is a single organism, a complex system that finds different ways to maintain balance. Sometimes she succeeds well, and over time, the roles of a relative naturally change, and conflicts are settled. But sometimes the system can malfunction, especially if a couple of skeletons are hidden in the family closet, which are not customary to talk about. Constellations allow you to look into this closet and look at your family system from the outside in order to adjust your behavior towards relatives.

What it looks like:

Constellations always take place in a group. The main character is a client (as a rule, during one meeting there are no more than 2-3 clients, this is agreed in advance), who describes his family situation and chooses several members of the group for the role of his relatives and himself. He places the deputies around the room, as he sees fit - sculpts a kind of family sculpture, and he himself remains in the position of an outside observer. As soon as the sculpture is ready, the "actors" begin to listen to their feelings, can perform some actions, move or show unexpected emotions. Gradually, the picture changes, and the therapist can slightly adjust the process - and now a completely different side of your family ties opens up to you, which rarely leaves anyone indifferent. If you want to get acquainted with this method of work, but are not ready to lay out your family system on the table, you can sign up for constellations as a substitute in someone else's picture. Believe me, even playing the role of someone's relative, you can learn a lot about yourself!

Suitable for you if:

• You find that all the roots of your problems are in your relationship with your family or even passed down from generation to generation;

• You suspect that one of your relatives is hiding a secret that leaves an imprint on the life of the family in general or on you in particular;

• Your family has faced serious troubles in the past or is going through the worst of times.

Contraindications:

Family constellations are a fairly safe method, so there are no particular contraindications here. However, be prepared for the fact that as a result of work, unexpected family secrets may be revealed, the veracity of which you really want to double-check. This Pandora's box will be harder to close than signing up for a seminar!

How to choose a specialist:

A psychotherapist teaching family constellations should have a basic education in family psychotherapy, as well as additional qualifications for the Bert Hellinger constellation method. In the case of constellations, you can easily choose the specialist you like empirically: participation in a group in the role of a substitute, as a rule, costs very little, and there is a whole sea of centers that invite you to constellations. You can look at different "constellators" and choose what is called a heart.

7. Playback theater

What is the essence:

Playback theater refers to those types of psychotherapy in which your life situation will appear before you from the outside, played out by other participants in the process. Unlike psychodrama or family constellations, which we talked about above, the playback theater employs a permanent cast who is specially trained in psychotherapeutic improvisation, is ready to show you your problem in all its glory and even offer an unexpected ending to this life play.

What it looks like:

It looks like a real theater: stage, auditorium, curtain. On stage - the artists, the musician, the presenter and the chair for the main character - for you. Sitting on this chair, you talk about anything: about what is important to you right now, what happened many years ago, about your biography year after year. Right during your story, the actors begin to spontaneously reproduce it on stage. If at the end of the story there is a question mark or a mysterious ellipsis, the actors can float through the waves of improvisation and offer some kind of ending to the performance that can prompt you for a solution to your pressing problem.

Suitable for you if:

• You are confused in some situation and need a fresh look from the outside;

• You are looking for support and understanding from people who, in this case, can act as spectators of your performance;

• You love theater and are ready to explore its psychotherapeutic potential.

Contraindications:

Playback theater is a rather soft and, as a rule, even cheerful practice, so there is nothing to worry about. The only thing to keep in mind is the inevitability of public speaking, so be mentally prepared to be in the spotlight.

How to choose a specialist:

In the case of playback, you don't choose the therapist, but the whole theater. As in other psychotherapy schools, there is the International Playback Association - the theater you are going to go to must be part of it. This will mean that its actors and directors have not only theatrical education, but also serious psychological training.

eight. Transformation game "Genesis"

What is the essence:

Psychological and transformational board games are similar to regular games and can be played alone or with other players. They give you the opportunity to “play” with your life, or some important part of it, in order to more deeply understand your desires and find solutions to significant problems. While playing, you can make difficult choices, make tough decisions without taking any particular risks, but you will see more clearly what you are capable of. One such game is Genesis, which focuses primarily on goal setting, strategic planning and effective communication.

What it looks like:

Groups of up to 4 people gather, sit down at the playing field (it vaguely resembles the game "Jumanji" from the movie of the same name) and plunge into the process for almost the whole day: throwing dice, moving chips from cell to cell - everything is as usual. The key training moment of the game "Genesis" is this: the participants themselves set a goal for the game, work out options for solving their problems and, together with the presenter, formulate an attitude for success. In the course of this game, you can, although not without difficulty, get away from ineffective strategies of thinking or actions to more winning ones. The main thing is not to forget to take from home a small object like a button or a pebble, which will become your playing piece.

Suitable for you if:

• You are on the verge of a responsible choice and doubt which path is correct;

• You would like to achieve greater success in your work, looking for new options for the development of your projects;

• You are willing to build relationships with people more effectively, especially if you often have to do it under stress.

Contraindications:

No matter how effective this training is, “Genesis” is still a game, and it depends only on you which conclusions to be drawn from it. Therefore, there is nothing to fear: there are no risks and no contraindications to participation.

How to choose a specialist:

Genesis is a patented game and can only be played by properly licensed and trained coaches. This method is quite new, and has not yet attracted much attention, so it is difficult to stumble upon a fake. Feel free to choose a psychological center where transformational psychological games appear on the "menu" and go towards self-development.