The main currents in psychotherapy

When choosing therapeutic support it is important to know what we expect and what we can find. This article will guide you in the particularities of the main psychological currents in psychotherapy.

When choosing a psychology professional, it is important to know from which current they work., in order to see the one that best fits the problem to be treated. The patient’s improvement will begin to occur when he makes positive changes in his way of thinking or acting.

We must be aware that if we want to solve problems we also have to change something that we were doing wrong, whether it is something in our way of thinking or something in our behavior.

Below we will explain the main psychological currents, although there are also professionals who alternate several currents depending on the patient’s needs. You can also alternate and combine several, there is no universal formula, since each person is a world and what works well for one, does not work well for another.

Psychological currents and psychotherapy

Psychoanalysis

It focuses mainly on the past. The patient is analyzed to search for the psychic conflict that causes the discomfort, so that the unconscious becomes conscious and the inner world can be understood and ordered.

It is indicated for those who feel bad and do not know why., or you may know what the reason is but no matter how good the advice you receive, you are not able to solve your problem. Your life will be investigated to find the real root of the problem.

In this case, the professional will talk less than the patientsince it is the one that analyzes the information it receives and will help the person realize the reason that caused their suffering, giving them tools to make the necessary change so that their suffering disappears.

Behaviorism

It is based on the present problem and not on the origins. It is suitable for treating specific problems already diagnosed. It is a short-term therapy, in which the professional directs the conversation at all times and teaches how to think and act in a realistic and more adjusted way.

This therapy is appropriate when the main problem is the lack of learning resources when dealing with specific situations. The professional must be very influential and sincere with the patient to make him see that he has to change his behavior, if he wants his problems to disappear, he will replace negative habits with more constructive ones. It’s like a kind of behavioral reeducation.

Therefore, behaviorists seek to modify behavior as a basis for people to improve their emotions and thoughts. It is a very suitable therapy for when all others have failed.

Humanism

We try to bring out the best that each person has inside, in order to restore inner calm. The professional will transmit empathy, sensitivity, respect and acceptance. It will be an equal relationship.

It is not about an authority that guides the course of the session, but rather it relies on the patient’s abilities and He is guided so that he himself can find the answer to his discomfort. The aim is for the person to connect with their entire inner being, and to form an independent and fulfilled person.

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It is one of the psychological currents criticized because It is based more on intuition than on a scientific methodalthough on numerous occasions it has been shown that a scientific method is not necessary to solve people’s discomfort.

Gestalt

It focuses on feeling the here and now, promotes action, creativity and unconditional acceptance. The sentimental part and non-verbal language play a leading role. The patient is taught to pay attention to her emotions and before acting, be aware of how he thinks and feels. It helps to know oneself, emotionally, intellectually and physically.

It is based on us being aware of the present moment, of how we do things, what is happening in this moment and how I am feeling and interpreting it. This stream is intended for anyone who wants to improvedevelop your human potential and personal growth.

Cognitive behavioral

It is the most used therapy today, the one with the most scientific evidence, and the one that is mostly present in the University study plans.

It is one of the psychological currents that focuses most on changing the way of thinking and reasoning. By changing the way of thinking, emotions also change, therefore, as we adopt more rational and objective thoughts, our suffering will also subside.

With this therapy you will learn a new way of thinking and reasoning and, therefore, of acting. It focuses on the present and aims to teach new ways of seeing, thinking and acting in life.

The psychologist who uses this current will feel supported by scientific evidence in his approaches. He will generally be directive and will tell you how you should deal with specific situations, with a high success rate.

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Acceptance and commitment therapy

One of the latest therapies to become visible is Acceptance and commitment therapy. It is included in the Third Generation of Behavioral Therapies. This therapy provides a philosophy of life, a cultural perspective through which to understand and treat psychological problems, as well as an alternative to experiential avoidance. It carries out a functional analysis of psychological problems and introduces a behavioral way of analyzing emotions, feelings, memories and thoughts.

It is based on the way in which different concepts, memories and words of the subject are related to the problems. Thus, the therapist highlights the dysfunctional rules that the client imposes on himself. Avoidance could explain many problems where the subject does not face the private experiences that address him.

“When you accept what you are without trying to change it, what you are begins to transform.”

As stated by the team Kohlenberg (2004), In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, the characteristics of psychopathology are not fundamental. What is important is the function that maladaptive behaviors fulfill to avoid internal events.. This therapy has two main elements. On the one hand, the role that private events play in the explanations of the problems. And on the other, the importance of the therapeutic relationship.

The therapy aims to ensure that the patient reaches a emotional and cognitive control to enjoy a satisfying life. However, it would not be through avoidance, but rather acceptance. Acceptance means facing an event by feeling the feelings as feelings, thoughts as thoughts, and memories as memories. In this way we do not avoid, but rather we observe and from there we change. There is an acceptance of what cannot be changed and a commitment to change what can be changed..