Both psychotherapy and counselling cover a wide range of techniques, remedies and treatments. Sigmund Freud is the founding father of many of the principles and disciplines related to counselling and psychotherapy. When you treat an emotional condition, you need to make many factors into consideration. Even the concept of the unconscious mind comes into play. Psychotherapy and counselling is today very much mainstream. It is practised in hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices right across the world.
History Of Psychotherapy and Counselling
The origins of what we call psychotherapy are easy to trace back to Sigmund Freud. Back in the 1880s, Sigmund Freud practised psychotherapy in Vienna. He did not put away his trusted notebook and pen until sometime in the 1930s.
Many others have also influenced this field of medicine. Names worth mentioning are Carl Jung and Melanie Klein who specialised in infant and children psychology.
Psychotherapy remained popular in mainland Europe before it was finally exported to the rest of the world. One place where psychotherapy and counselling quickly found a home was the United States.
From there, it spread to Australia, the United Kingdom and other countries. Today, psychotherapy and counselling are two highly regarded medical practices.
You can choose to visit a psychoanalyst, psychologist, psychotherapies and a counsellor. Many different therapies including colour therapy are found within the field of psychotherapy.
Key Principles of Psychotherapy and Counselling
The main issue with psychological therapies is that they are challenging to research and prove. The methods used within this field of medicine are very diverse.
It is often the skill of the practitioner that makes the difference between success and failure. Some therapies are very hard to evaluate.
The most successful and best-evaluated therapies in the field are cognitive and behavioral therapies. They have been widely studied and are thought to have clinical value.
Less research is available for other therapies, but many claim they have a role to play. This is not one size fits all – individuals often need to do their research and find out what therapies work for them.
The Theory of Psychotherapy and Counselling
Often major life events and traumas can trigger a need to talk and try to make sense out of a situation. This can in turn trigger powerful emotions that are challenging to cope with on your own.
Instead of trying to manage these emotions and feelings on your own, consulting someone within the field of psychotherapy and counselling may help you.
The choice is seemingly endless. It is important to find a therapist that resonates with you. If you are not sure, you should change your chosen therapist.
Be aware that it may not be him or her. It could be the form of therapy or counselling they are offering. Popular choices include psychoanalysis, Jungian analytic therapy, psychodynamic, group, family and child therapy.
Counselling is another process which is popular. Popular counselling choices include general counselling, marriage, sexual and solution counselling.
Be aware that there are many other counselling and psychotherapy methods.
A brief list of mind and emotional therapies:
● Behavioural
● Cognitive
● Analytical
● Personal construct
● Neuro-linguistic
● Gestalt therapy
● Transactional
● Primal therapy
● Re-birthing
What Are the Main Uses of Psychotherapy and Counselling?
There are many ways in which counselling and physiotherapy can be applied. It is a matter of finding the therapy that works best for your condition or personal problem.
List of uses of psychotherapy and counselling:
● Anxiety
● Stress
● Depression
● Trauma
● Eating disorders
● Bereavement
● Sexual problems
● Relationship problems
● Emotional problems
● Personal development
● Psychosomatic illnesses
Final Thoughts and Medical Opinion
Medical professionals have learned to never undervalue the importance of psychotherapy and counselling. In holistic medicine, it is considered that your mental state as well as your physical condition has an influence on your overall health.
Giving someone emotional support when they need it can help to resolve a problem. It is important to visit someone with the right qualifications as it is easy to do more harm than good within this field of medicine.
Make sure the individual you consult is qualified. In Australia, the regulatory body for both psychotherapists and counsellors is the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA). Make sure your practitioner is a member.
