Psychotherapy Methods

 

PERSON CENTERED PSYCHOTHERAPY

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The Person Centered Approach is one of the basic humanistic theories, with great influence on the development and definition of interpersonal relationships in all social contexts and is applied not only in psychotherapy but also in work and learning fields. Carl R. Rogers (1902-1987) was the founder and an important researcher of the person-centered approach and is considered one of the main and decisive scientists in the field of humanistic psychotherapy and psychology.

Person Centered Psychotherapy is based on the belief that, under favorable conditions, every person, especially as a young child, has the ability to develop his or her personality in a positive direction and to shape his or her life constructively. A person's core value and self-image can be freely reflected without criticism in the form of unconditional positive regard and acceptance. In this process of psychological development, which takes place in and through relationships with the world around us, the individual develops capacities that enable him to gain greater confidence in oneself, to take responsibility for decisions and actions, to become open to experience and change, and to shape his/her relationships in a satisfactory way

Psychotherapists who are trained in Person Centered Psychotherapy can offer these favorable conditions and treat the person, the individual they are facing, with empathy, respect, unconditional appreciation and authenticity. The individual is responsible and capable in such a neutral and stable relationship and atmosphere to process freely without fear of evaluation or criticism regarding the issues of concern. During this therapeutic process, the psychotherapist will pay attention, will listen and try to understand the world of the "other" through his or her questions and interventions. He/she is "curious" about his/her client's experiences. The goal is to enable the client to find their own answers and solutions, to enable them to look at themselves with understanding and self-respect and to continue to develop and grow as an autonomous, self-determined person.

“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I change” (Carl Rogers: On Becoming a Person, 1961)

 

INTEGRATIVE PSYCHOTHERAPY

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The fundamental idea of Psychotherapy is that no single form of therapy is best or even adequate for all cases (Stricker, 2010). It emphasizes a holistic approach to individuals and treatment is conducted according to the individual's response on an emotional, spiritual, cognitive, behavioral and physical level. The aim is to increase the individual's quality of life and his/her functionality on an intrapsychic, interpersonal and socio-political level, taking into account the personal limits and external constraints of each individual.

Each Integrative Psychotherapist develops his own personal integrative model that includes a combination of two or more theoretical approaches, principles, strategies and techniques for coping with human problems. This process is made methodically in a way that combines clinical intuition and a sound knowledge and understanding of the problems at hand and the interventions to be applied.

A central tenet of Integrative Psychotherapy and approach is the involvement of common factors, which are found in all theoretical approaches. In regard to the therapeutic relationship however, particular emphasis is placed on the maintenance of an attitude of respect, kindness, honesty and equality in regard to the personhood of the client in a manner which affirms the integrity and humanity of both “the self and the other”.

Integrative psychotherapy affirms the importance of providing a safe, honest and open environment in which personal development, growth and healing can take place in an objective space which has been co-created by both the client and the therapist.
 

PSYCHOANALYTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY

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Psychoanalysis is a theory of the human mind and a therapeutic approach. It was developed by the end of the 19th century by its founder, Sigmund Freud.

In psychoanalysis the first stages of life are very important for the foundations of character. These primal experiences will also determine feelings, behavior, etc., that the person will have in his future life course. Psychoanalysis considers that in many cases our thoughts and behaviour are instigated by the unconscious. Unconscious desires, thoughts, memories, and fantasies, in their attempt to reach consciousness, will most probably take the form of a symptom or an intense emotional reaction (anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and more). The kind of form that this symptom or reaction would take depends on each person’s unique personality and history.

Along the way of the therapy the analysand will develop feelings towards the analyst. In numerous occasions these feelings are not new but feelings that the analysand experienced in the past (in his infancy or childhood, towards people in his immediate family environment) and return in the present in different scenarios towards the psychoanalyst. This psychic phenomenon is called “transference” and it’s an unconscious process.

The psychoanalyst will welcome such feelings (positive and negative) since through the transference various issues (conscious and unconscious) which are fixated in the past and have an influence in the present could be processed and resolved.

 Creating an environment of safety, trust and confidentiality is very important in psychoanalysis. In such an environment the psychoanalyst will help the analysand to explore all his thoughts and feelings and along the way to resolve all barriers (internal and external) that keep him away from achieving his life’s goals.

 

SOMATIC (BODY) PSYCHOTHERAPY – BIOSYNTHESIS METHOD

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The Biosynthesis approach is a Somatic/Body Psychotherapy method, which has been developed by David Boadella in the last 40 years. It is based on the work of Wilhem Reich on energetic theories, Francis Mott and Frank Lake on embryology,  prenatal and perinatal processes, and psychoanalysis, especially the object-relation theory as described by Stanley Kelleman.

Biosynthesis approaches the human being as a Whole! It is an approach, the aim of which is to integrate all the human dimensions: neural, somatic/body, emotional, energy and spiritual dimension. This integration gives us the possibility of holistic therapy. The human being is an integrated entity of body, mind and spirit, that lives and evolves in society.

In somatic psychotherapy we learn that mental pain is reflected and expressed in various ways that can show up as physical symptoms or even illnesses. All our experiences, good or bad, are recorded in our cellular memory, which is located throughout our body and not just in the brain. In Biosynthesis, the Whole Person is in our central focus and so we treat him as a bio-psycho-physical entity.

A typical session of Somatic Psychotherapy begins with the exploration of the client's/patient’s request. The psychotherapist observes the physical posture and movement, the way he/she introduces him/herself, how he/she sits, pays attention to the breathing of the client and at the same time to his/her own feelings and emotions. At the same time, his/her efforts are focused on creating and establishing a safe space. During the process of somatic psychotherapy, with the support of the psychotherapist, the client learns to pay attention to his/her body, to be able to identify and talk about his/her sensations, thus connecting experiences and feelings. The safe context of the therapeutic space and timeline allows the approach of processing experiences, as traumas can arise and be renegotiated.

 

PSYCHODRAMA – GROUP PSYCHOANALYSIS

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Psychodrama was first created by Jacob Levy Moreno in 1921. Α key part of the process of psychodrama is the dramatization by the participants of a series of events (a scenario) as if they were happening in the present.

During psychodrama interventions, emphasis is placed not only on what the group members say, but also on what they do (the action) during the dramatization, while in group-analytic psychodrama, emphasis is also placed on the "matrix" of the group: the special quality of interaction that develops between to the members. The goal is for members to gain a better insight into their own situation (attitude, behavior, feelings) so that they can better deal with external reality as well as their thoughts and feelings, thereby increasing vigor and strength.

In practice, in a (group) analytical Psychodrama session, the Psychotherapist first establishes a safe framework and space where boundaries and rules are respected, so that the members of the group can "direct" and express and reveal situations, thoughts, feelings and process them, thus developing a basis for further self-exploration, empowerment and development.

The group focuses around a theme proposed by a team member, which is "played" by him/her and other team members. The person is asked to act and "direct" whatever comes to mind with the help of the other members - actors. Almost anything (real events, desires, dreams, fantasies, etc.) can be acted out.

Psychodrama offers a wide range of possibilities since it can be applied both in clinical and educational contexts as well as in psychoeducational or personal development contexts (with goals such as improving social skills, boosting self-esteem, improvement of interpersonal relationships and communication skills, etc.).

 

COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY

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Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a comprehensive form of psychotherapy delivered by mental health professionals who have received complete training in the model. It is a widely used, empirically documented form of psychotherapy, which has been shown to be effective in various psycho-emotional problems and mental disorders like anxiety and panic attacks. It is time-sensitive, structured and is focusing at first on the present and solving the problems that concern the client during the treatment period.

 According to the model, the way we perceive situations affects both our emotions and our behavior. The interpretations and meanings we give to a situation, the thoughts and mental images we form around it, in relation to our general perceptions and beliefs, determine our emotional reactions and behavior. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps people identify their distressing thoughts, evaluate how realistic the thoughts are and replace them with more realistic and functional thoughts. The more realistic they think, the better they feel.

 Using the principles of empathy, acceptance and non-judgmental approach, the psychotherapist builds a therapeutic relationship necessary for the therapeutic process. The goal of which is the patient, through his active participation and collaborative relationship with the therapist, to recognize the relationship between his thoughts, feelings and behavior and modify them. Essential elements of therapy are, among others, psychoeducation, skills training, homework, behavior analysis and mindfulness techniques. Emphasis is also placed on problem solving and behavioral change.

 

SYSTEMIC FAMILY THERAPY

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Systemic therapy is a further development of family therapy, which appeared in the field of psychotherapy in the 1940’s. It is a widespread psychotherapeutic approach, with proven effectiveness. There are various schools and models within the systems theory and the approach itself, sharing the same principles and assumptions.It has proven to be particularly effective in cases of chronic pain and psychosomatic problems, addictions, in couple relationships, taking care of the mental health of children and adolescents, in families with adopted children and related issues. Systemic Therapy can be applied in the difficult transitional phases of a family, in improving the parental role and the functioning of a family and also in working spaces or dealing with school issues, as well as when there is need of processing trauma and loss issues.

By the term “system”, we mean any group of strong influence, first and most decisive for a person that is his family. Everywhere in nature, and not only with humans, a system is more than the sum of its parts. This means that each member is connected to the others in relationships of mutual influence and mutual determination so that it is not possible to understand and examine a behavior without the context to which it belongs. Thus, the individual is seen through his interactions with the family and the wider social context. In this sense, mental illness is not seen as an individual affair and the individual emerges from the position of "problematic" through solely his own “fault or weakness”. The difficulties he may present in his personal course and development are directly connected, co-related and with the important systems to which he belongs.

Family therapy continues of course to be applied and is very effective, when several or even all family members are present. A Family therapist listens to all the "voices' ' of the members. This way it can be possible to highlight aspects that are usually not seen in everyday communication, to develop new ways of interacting between the members and be able to look at problems through different perspectives and find helpful solutions. Therefore, often, a Systemic Family therapist can also invite all or some other family members to the session , this happens sometimes figuratively and sometimes literally.