Therapy is two-way communication between the clients and their therapists that is aimed to help people. Also known as “Talk therapy”, psychotherapy includes a variety of approaches that are aimed at supporting an individual in identifying and regulating their emotions, challenging their thoughts and modifying behaviours.
During therapy, your therapist will focus on integrating your thoughts, feelings and behaviours to help you understand your patterns and concerns. In a nutshell, therapy works for you, with you.
How can therapy help you? Therapy provides you with a safe, confidential and judgement-free space to share your unique experiences and help you manage and deal with your vulnerabilities.
While therapy is an ongoing process, it can: -Help you cope with everyday difficulties, -Promote your well-being, and -Enhance your functioning and efficiency in both, personal and professional life.
Therapy is also an effective tool to help people deal with the impact of trauma, medical illness or loss, such as the death of a loved one; and specific mental health disorders, such as depression or anxiety.
It can take different formats, depending on the therapist’s approach and the needs of the client, and therapy generally takes place in a one-on-one, couple, family or group setting. Depending on your concerns and the approach used by the therapist, a wide range of techniques and strategies can also be employed. Developing a therapeutic relationship The process of therapy generally involves developing a therapeutic relationship between the client and the therapist, communicating and creating a dialogue, goal setting and feedback. You may also find your therapist using:
insights,
persuasion,
suggestions,
comfort,
and instructions,
to help you view yourself and your concerns more realistically, and from all perspectives to build the motivation to deal with them effectively.
How can you get the most out of your therapy sessions?
Be honest with your therapist Show up as your truest self. Try not to hold back any parts of your experiences that you are afraid to reveal. This may take time, and that's okay.
Feel your feelings The key is to let yourself feel! Not just the positive feelings but also the negative and distressing feelings such as jealousy, guilt and shame.
Trust the process of change Collaboratively working on building an honest and trustworthy alliance with your therapist can aid in your growth.
Show up for yourself in your therapy spaces Do your homework, be there for yourself and play an active part in walking towards your progress. Working actively on reflecting on your therapy sessions and using the techniques to cope with challenges that go beyond the therapy space, can help you to foster better mental health.
Therapy has been an effective method that has helped aid clients in symptom relief and to cope better with general life situations. In the long run, therapy has also been shown to improve emotions and behaviours linked with positive changes in the brain and body.
Written By - Taehreem Ansari (Psychotherapist at The Mood Space)
Book your first session today, take a step towards better mental health.