What Is Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is a form of treatment that addresses concerns related to mental health and emotions. This could range from daily stressors that leave you drained, to self harm and depression. It is an experience where a qualified expert sits with you to process your emotions and make sense of them. Psychotherapy can help not only alleviate symptoms, but also help identify the psychological root causes of one’s condition so a person can have enhanced emotional well-being and healing.
Therapy may be conducted in an individual, family, couple, or group setting. Therapy helps both children and adults. Most therapist recommend weekly sessions lasting about 45 to 50 minutes. The patient and therapist need to be actively involved in psychotherapy. The trust and relationship between a person and his/her therapist is important for working together effectively and making gains from psychotherapy.
Psychotherapy can be short-term (a few weeks to months), dealing with more immediate challenges, or long-term (months to years), dealing with longstanding and complex issues. The patient and therapist mutually decide on the frequency and duration of treatment.
How Therapy Actually Works
Therapy works because you end up finding yourself again in that space. It is a safe and non-judgemental dynamic created between you and your therapist where you are challenged to be your most authentic self. It is not just for venting and discussing mommy issues. Therapy is about making progress. It is about learning communication skills, ways to manage your emotions, and self-acceptance. You get to reflect on your patterns of behaviour so far and why this has been the case.
You’ll learn to question your negative thoughts and change your behaviors. Your therapist will encourage you to confront things you’ve been bottling up. This can be challenging. And some days, you might end therapy feeling sad or angry, but this is part of the process and important for your recovery. Things do get easier over time.
Naturally, unlearning years of your old programming takes time. This is why most people need more than a few sessions to get the full benefit of therapy. And this is okay! It’s common to see a therapist regularly for several months or even years. Some people combine therapy with other treatment options like medication, support groups, and lifestyle changes. Your therapist will work with you to determine the best option for you.
The Science Behind Why Therapy Works
Brain Changes – Therapy can bring about change at the level of the brain. We think of medication as changing the depressed brain, but there’s very compelling evidence that talk therapy does the same. With brain imaging methods, psychotherapy has been shown to alter activity in the medial prefrontal cortex, the anterior cingulate cortex, the hippocampus, and the amygdala. These areas are involved in “me”-centered worry thoughts, executive control, emotion, and fear.
Stress Reduction – Therapy often involves techniques to manage stress and anxiety. These techniques can help reduce activity in the amygdala, a brain region associated with fear and stress. The prefrontal cortex is involved in decision-making, planning, and impulse control. Therapy works by strengthening this region, leading to better coping mechanisms and emotional regulation.
New Neural Pathways and Change in Gene Expression – Therapy can stimulate the formation of new neural connections, a process known as neurogenesis. Psychotherapy produces long-term behavior change by modifying gene expression and brain structure which strengthens connections and communication between neurons. By learning new coping mechanisms and behaviors, individuals can create new neural pathways, leading to positive changes in thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Emotion Regulation – Therapy works by strengthening connections between the emotional center of the brain (limbic system) and the rational center (prefrontal cortex). This allows for better control over emotional responses. It helps you develop a better understanding of your own emotions and the emotions of others, leading to improved interpersonal relationships.
Why Therapy Might Not Be Working For You
Misfit – Therapy may not work for you if you and your therapist aren’t a good match. If you don’t know, it’s always OK to ask about their training and experience and if they have treated clients with similar concerns.
Unrealistic Expectations – If you start therapy with the expectation that after one or two sessions you’ll be “cured” or turn your life completely around, you will be sorely disappointed. Therapy is a process that takes a fair amount of time. Granted, some therapeutic approaches are designed to be “brief,” but even those have their limitations and don’t lead to miraculous results.
Lack of Trust – Therapists are there to provide a nonjudgmental objective lens. If you don’t trust your therapist, you probably haven’t created a solid therapeutic alliance. Trusting your therapist means you can be honest and genuine with them in therapy. It is challenging to move forward without that rapport in place.
Inconsistency – Consistency is key to meeting your therapeutic goals. If you have a therapist who constantly cancels on you or you don’t show up for several sessions, this can be a barrier to achieving goals. Or if your therapist asks you to reflect on something and you don’t show back up for a session for a few months, that can delay the process too.
You Are Not Ready To Do The Work – Therapy requires work from both the therapist and the client. While therapists don’t offer direct advice, they often teach you skills that may be helpful to reach your goals. You may have trouble opening up to do the work, or feel that your therapist leads you astray. Try to keep an open mind and consider speaking with your therapist to identify your role in therapy.
