Psychotherapy – helps with emotional, social or mental health problems.
This introduction was written by Sandra Figgess – a psychotherapist who works nearby.
Sessions with a trained psychotherapist offer an environment in which you can express your feelings and gain a deeper insight into your issues. Psychotherapy sessions are confidential, so you can talk about things you might not feel comfortable discussing with anyone else. The aim is to help you find better ways to cope, or to bring about changes in the way you think and behave that will improve your mental and emotional well-being.
The term ‘psychotherapy’ covers a range of approaches and methods. These range from one-to-one talking sessions to therapies that use techniques such as role-play or dance to help explore people’s emotions.
Psychotherapy can be short or long term. The number of sessions will depend on you, your therapist, the type of therapy and the depth and complexity of the issues you want to resolve. It is unusual for therapy to last for less than six sessions, and some types of therapy may last for two years or more.
Psychotherapy can benefit anyone with emotional, social or mental health problems, such as:
- anxiety or an inability to cope or concentrate
- problems dealing with stress or recovering from stressful situations
- lack of confidence or extreme shyness
- coping with the effects of abuse
- feelings of depression, sadness, grief or emptiness
- extreme mood swings
- difficulty making or sustaining relationships, or repeatedly becoming involved in unsatisfying or destructive relationships
- sexual problems
- difficulties coming to terms with losses such as bereavement, divorce or loss of employment
- eating disorders
- self harm
- obsessive behaviour
- panic attacks and phobia
- the long term effects of traumatic experiences
Your therapist will work with you to help you understand your problems and what lies behind them. Depending on what you want to achieve from the sessions, they might help you to find better ways to cope with your problems or help you to identify changes in your life to improve your emotional well being.