Types of psychotherapy and their description. Seminar types and forms of psychotherapy

The term psychotherapy refers to a wide range of approaches and techniques, ranging from one-on-one conversations to therapy using techniques such as role-playing or dance to help explore human emotions. Some therapists work with couples, families, or groups whose members have similar problems. Psychotherapy is carried out for both adolescents and children, as well as adults.

Art therapy

Art therapy combines talk therapy and creative exploration through painting, crayons, pencils, and sometimes sculpture. Techniques may also include drama, puppetry and movement. Sand therapy involves clients selecting toys that represent people, animals and buildings and arranging them in a designated sandbox theater space. An art therapist has a comprehensive psychological understanding of the creative process and the emotional properties of various art materials. In this case, art is the outer expression of our inner emotions. For example, in a painting, the relationship of sizes, shapes, lines, open space, texture, shades, shadows, colors and distances reflects the client's subjective reality.

Art therapy is particularly suitable for clients who have difficulty expressing themselves verbally. In non-clinical settings, such as art studios and workshops, a focus on creative development can be particularly useful when working with children and adolescents, as well as adults, couples, families, groups and communities.

Art therapy is also suitable for people who have experienced trauma, such as refugees, and people who have learning difficulties.

Attachment-based psychotherapy

Attachment-based psychotherapy is a branch of relational psychoanalysis that examines related emotional forms of attachments, beginning at birth.

This type of therapy is based on theory that examines early child development and early attachments—secure, anxious, avoidant, ambivalent, or disturbed—to understand how experiences of problematic attachments early in life manifest later in adulthood.

Who is this type of therapy suitable for?

By working through attachment relationships with a therapist, clients have the opportunity to grieve past losses and consider the impact of important relationships on their lives in the present and past.

Behavioral therapy

Behavior therapy is based on the theory that learned behavior in response to past experiences can be forgotten or reformulated without focusing on the interpretation of unusual behavior.

Who is this type of therapy suitable for?

People with obsessive and compulsive disorders, fears, phobias and addictions can achieve success through this type of therapy. The emphasis is on the client achieving goals and changing their behavioral responses to problems such as stress or anxiety.

Body therapy

Body therapy covers a range of holistic approaches. This type of therapy examines how a person's body and its emotional, mental, spiritual, social and behavioral aspects of life influence each other. The entire complex of relationships between mind and body is taken into account.

Who is this type of therapy suitable for?

Various types of body therapy, such as integral body psychotherapy, bioenergetic analysis, biodynamic psychotherapy or biodynamic massage, will help address issues at different levels, including the body, emotions, mind and spirit. Many psychological problems (such as depression, eating disorders, panic attacks and addictions) are known to have an impact on the body.

Short-term therapy

In the context of short-term therapy, a variety of psychotherapy techniques are used. It differs from other therapeutic approaches in that it focuses on a specific problem and involves direct intervention by the therapist working with the client in an accelerated manner. Accurate observation is emphasized, the client's natural gifts are used, and temporary belief in the unbelievable is encouraged to allow the consideration of new perspectives and different points of view.

The primary goal is to help the client view their current circumstances in a broader context. Brief therapy is considered solution-oriented, and therapists are more interested in the current factors that interfere with change than in the causes of problems. Here, not one specific method is used, but different approaches, which, together or separately, can have the final result. Brief therapy is provided for a short period of time, usually in a planned number of sessions.

Cognitive Analytical Therapy

Cognitive analytic therapy integrates theories that explore the connections between language and thinking, as well as the historical, cultural, and social influences on a person's actions. Clients are encouraged to use their own resources and develop skills to change destructive behavior patterns and negative patterns of thinking and acting.

This type of therapy is short-term (16 weeks), structured and guiding. For example, the client may be encouraged to keep a journal or use task charts. The therapist works collaboratively with the client, focusing on changing behavior patterns and teaching alternative problem-solving strategies. Attention is also given to understanding the connections between childhood behaviors, social influences, and their impact on the client as an adult.

Dance movement therapy

Dance movement therapy is an expressive form of psychotherapy based on the belief that the body and mind are interconnected. Through movement and dance, the client has the opportunity to explore emotional, cognitive, physical and social unity in a creative way.

Therapists work on the principle that movements reflect the thinking and feeling processes of each individual person. By recognizing and justifying the client's movements, the therapist encourages him to develop new emotional experiences obtained through certain adaptive movements that contribute to solving psychological problems.

Dance movement therapy can be practiced individually with a therapist or in a group. The client does not need to be a trained dancer to benefit from this type of therapy, as movement is an integral part of our being.

Dramatherapy

Drama therapy involves the intentional use of theatrical techniques such as role-playing, drama games, pantomime, puppet shows, speech techniques, myths, rituals, storytelling and other improvisation-based techniques that promote creativity, imagination, learning skills, intuitive understanding and personal growth. This highly varied approach provides an expressive therapy that can be used in a wide variety of settings, including hospitals, schools, mental health clinics, prisons and organizations.

Drama therapy provides opportunities for individuals or groups to explore personal and/or social issues in a creative setting, to calmly reflect on existing beliefs, attitudes and feelings, and to find alternative courses of action. The therapist encourages clients to introspect, reflect on, and express feelings about themselves and others.

Existential psychotherapy

Existential psychotherapy helps the client realize the meaning of life through the willingness to bravely face it and the problems associated with it. From an existential point of view, there is no essential or predetermined meaning in life, a person is completely free and is responsible for everything, so meaning must be found or created. This can lead to feelings of meaninglessness in life, so this type of therapy explores the client's experience of the human condition and seeks to clarify the person's understanding of values ​​and beliefs, directly expressing what was previously unspoken. The client is given the opportunity to live more authentically and purposefully, while accepting the limitations and contradictions of human life.

This type of therapy is considered a serious exploration of what a person is in general, and this often entails a painful process of directly confronting those aspects of human life that people usually try to avoid.

Family therapy

Family therapy is a branch of psychotherapy that focuses specifically on family relationships. It is built on the premise that the problem lies within the family as a whole, and not with an individual within the family. This type of therapy also includes couples therapy and systemic family therapy.

Family therapy encourages change and development, and collaborative resolution of family conflicts and problems. Emphasis is placed on how families interact with each other, emphasizing the importance of strong families for psychological health and well-being. Regardless of what the source of the problem is or who is involved, the therapist strives to involve the entire family in the process of reaching good solutions, looking for constructive ways in which family members can support each other through direct participation. An experienced therapist is able to influence conversations to best utilize the strength and wisdom of the family as a whole, taking into account the broader economic, social, cultural, political and religious context in which the family lives and taking into account the various views, beliefs, points of view and the personal stories of each individual member.

(In this case, family refers to long-term active relationships within a family, ties within which may be blood or not).

Gestalt therapy

Gestalt is a German word meaning the whole and the sum of all parts, the symbolic form or combination of elements that make up the whole.

Gestalt therapy is a psychotherapeutic method that is built on the belief that people have a natural desire for health, but outdated behavior patterns and dominant ideas can create blocks that interrupt the natural cycle of wellness, thereby leading to interaction with others.

Gestalt therapy addresses what is happening at a given moment in time, making conscious a person's idea of ​​himself, his reactions and interactions with other people. The belief that being completely in the here-and-now creates the potential for further experiences, enthusiasm and courage in the client to live life to the fullest. The therapist working with this method observes how clients avoid contact in the here-and-now, how they avoid changes and certain behaviors or symptoms that clients consider unwanted or unsatisfactory. During communication, an experienced Gestalt therapist delivers effective cues that help the client become aware of not only what is happening and being said, but also what body language is communicating and how repressed feelings are expressed. Gestalt techniques often involve acting out scenarios and dream analysis.

Group analysis

Group analysis combines the results of psychoanalytic analysis with the study of interpersonal interaction in a social context. The goal of therapy is to achieve better integration of the client in his network of relationships, that is, in the family, team and society. The emphasis of group analysis is on the relationships between the individual and the rest of the group, emphasizing the social nature of human experience through an interactive approach. Group analysis can be applied in many areas of human relations, such as teaching, learning and organizational consulting.

The theory is based on the premise that deep and lasting changes can occur within a carefully selected group whose overall composition reflects social norms. Group analysis views the group as an organic whole and the role of the therapist is to support the group rather than take an active role. The group becomes a dynamic, independent whole and functions within a socio-cultural context, which in turn influences the process.

Group psychotherapy

Group psychotherapy is a branch of psychotherapy designed to help people who would like to improve their ability to cope with life's difficulties and problems, but in a group situation.

In the context of group therapy, one or more therapists work with a small group of clients at a time. Although this group was originally created to reduce cost and increase productivity, participants soon realize positive therapeutic effects that could not be achieved in one-on-one work with a therapist. For example, interpersonal problems are well dealt with within the group. Group therapy is based not on one psychotherapeutic theory, but on many, and often revolves around conversation. It may also include other approaches such as psychodrama, movement work, body psychotherapy or constellations.

The goal of group psychotherapy is to support solutions to emotional difficulties and encourage personal development among group members. The totality of past experiences and experiences outside the therapeutic group, plus the interactions between group members and the therapist, constitute the material on which therapy is based. Such interaction may not necessarily be entirely positive, since the problems that clients have in their daily lives will inevitably be reflected within the group's communication. However, this provides valuable opportunities to work through such problems in a therapeutic setting, where experiences are generalized, which can then be interpreted into real life. An experienced therapist knows how to select the right group members to support the group process.

Humanistic integral psychotherapy

Humanistic integral psychotherapy works with a full range of interventions that promote the development of the individual and his relationships with others and society.

During humanistic integral psychotherapy, both the client and the psychotherapist are actively engaged in the formation of processes of assessment, correction and analysis of results. This approach focuses on the importance of the client having the abilities of self-regulation, self-actualization, responsibility and choice to facilitate the process of change. The psychotherapist helps the client realize his potential. The therapist also considers the impact of the external world on the client's internal world when assessing the importance of social, cultural and political spheres of experience.

Humanistic Integral Psychotherapy is available across a range of public, private and voluntary sectors and is suitable for individuals, couples, children, families, groups and organisations.

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy uses hypnosis to induce a deep state of relaxation and altered consciousness during which the unconscious mind is especially able to perceive new or alternative possibilities and ideas.

In the field of hypnotherapy, the unconscious mind is considered a resource for achieving well-being and developing creativity. By assessing this area of ​​the mind through hypnosis, opportunities open up for building a health orientation in the body.

Hypnotherapy can be used to change a client's behavior, attitudes and emotions, as well as to treat pain, anxiety, stress-related illnesses and addictions to promote personal development.

The British Council for Psychotherapy considers hypnotherapy a subsection of hypnopsychotherapy. This means that any professional registered with the British Council for Psychotherapy is qualified to work with problems that are within the scope of a hypnotherapist, but additional training is required to work at a deeper level with more complex emotional and psychological problems.

Jungian analysis

Jungian analysis is a specialized form of psychotherapy that works with the unconscious mind. The analyst working in this area and the client work together to expand the client's consciousness with the goal of moving towards psychological balance, harmony and wholeness. Jungian analysis evaluates the deep motivations in the client's psyche, thoughts and actions that are beyond conscious awareness. The analyst strives to achieve deeper and more lasting changes in the client's personality. They do this by emphasizing what happens during sessions and in the internal and external experiences of the client's life. Jungian analysis seeks to synchronize conscious and unconscious thoughts to build new values ​​and work with psychological pain and suffering.

Neurolinguistic psychotherapy and counseling

Neurolinguistic psychotherapy was developed on the basis of neurolinguistic programming. Neurolinguistic psychotherapy is universal and is based on many areas of psychology and psychiatry. This theory is based on the belief that we ourselves build a model of our reality (personal map of the world), based on our experience and how we imagine it. Each person uses their own map to guide themselves through life. The models used can create changes that promote implementation and success, but in other cases can limit and constrain.

Neurolinguistic psychotherapy explores the thought patterns, beliefs, values ​​and experiences behind problems or goals. It helps people make appropriate adjustments to reorganize their world, which reduces the number of limiting beliefs and decisions, helps overcome stuck emotional and behavioral states, and generates new resources through expanding the existing skill base. This gives a person a sense of greater control and, as a result, greater ability to create the life they desire.

Neurolinguistic psychotherapists work with a wide range of psychological problems, and they determine how a unique therapeutic program will be put together, an individualized system of therapy that often, if necessary, combines different therapeutic approaches in order to enhance treatment results.

Object Relations Therapy

Object Relations Therapy is based on the theory that the ego exists only in relation to other objects, internal or external. In object relations, the self is seen as self-developing and existing in the context of relationships, primarily with parents, but also taking into account home, art, politics, culture, and so on. This theory is based on the belief that man is a social being. Consequently, contact with others is a basic necessity, and our inner world is a changing dynamic process, consisting of unchanging and moving patterns, conscious and unconscious. These dynamics influence how we perceive and experience reality.

The therapist working in this area actively interacts with the client, supporting him in dismantling irrational ideas through actively experiencing the real relationship between therapist and client. This provides an opportunity to revisit essential relationship issues such as loss, intimacy, control, dependency, autonomy, and trust. Although different interpretations and confrontations may arise, the main goal is to work through the underlying irrational components of the client's emotional world.

Personal counseling

Personal counseling is based on the premise that a person seeking support with a problem enters into an open relationship with a therapist who allows the client to freely express their emotions and feelings. This type of therapy is also called client-centered psychotherapy or Rogers therapy.

Who is this type of therapy suitable for?

Personal counseling is suitable for clients who would like to work on specific psychological habits or thought patterns. The therapist assumes that the client is the best judge of his own experience and is therefore able to achieve his potential for growth and problem solving. The therapist, working in the context of personal counseling, provides an enabling environment to enable such potential to emerge through unconditional positive regard and empathic understanding, which enables the client to come to terms with negative feelings and to discover inner resources of strength and freedom to make the necessary changes.

Psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis deals with the study of the mind, being a systematic body of knowledge about human behavior and a method of treating psychological and emotional illnesses.

Regular psychoanalysis sessions create an environment in which unconscious patterns can be brought to the conscious level in order to change them. The client's relationship with the analyst has an important influence on the client's unconscious behavior patterns and itself becomes the central focus in which the client's behavioral patterns are highlighted in the context of the relationship in real-time sessions.

Freudian psychoanalysis is a special type of psychoanalysis in which the person undergoing psychoanalysis expresses thoughts in words through methods such as free association, fantasies and dreams. The analyst interprets them to create for the client a correct representation of the solution to important issues and problems in the client's life.

Who is this type of therapy suitable for?

Freud believed that unwanted thoughts from early childhood are suppressed by the unconscious mind but continue to influence our feelings, thoughts, emotions and behavior. These repressed feelings often resurface in adulthood in the form of conflicts, depression and the like, as well as in dreams and creative activities. These unconscious aspects are explored in sessions through the intervention of the analyst, who openly talks about the client's painful defensive reactions, desires and feelings of guilt.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy

Psychodynamic psychotherapy is a term that includes types of therapy of an analytical nature. Essentially, it is a form of depth psychology that focuses on unconscious and past experiences to determine current behavior.

The client is asked to talk about his childhood relationships with his parents and significant others. The main emphasis is on uncovering the unconscious contents of the client's psyche in an attempt to reduce mental stress. The therapist tries to exclude his personality from the picture, essentially becoming a blank canvas onto which the client transfers and projects deep feelings about himself, parents and other significant characters in his life. The therapist continues to focus on the dynamic between client and therapist.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy is typically less intense and briefer than psychoanalysis, and it relies more on the interpersonal relationship between client and therapist than other forms of depth psychology. This area is used in individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, family psychotherapy, as well as for understanding and working with the organizational and corporate environment.

Psychosynthesis

Psychosynthesis is based on the involvement of the past in the context of awakening one's own “I”. Psychosynthesis is considered a form of existential psychology with spiritual goals and concepts and is sometimes described as "psychology of the soul."

Psychosynthesis seeks to integrate or synthesize a higher, spiritual level of consciousness with the level at which thoughts and emotions are experienced. Through drawing, movement and other techniques, other aspects of personality are revealed and expressed. Assagioli used the term "superconsciousness" to describe the area of ​​the psyche that contains our greatest potentials, the source of our individual path of development. He believed that the suppression of this potential could lead to psychological disorders as painful as the suppression of childhood traumas. Assagioli insisted that psychosynthesis must be included in the experiential understanding of psychology, and sought to maintain a balance between rational and conscious therapeutic work along with the integration of spiritual experience.

Psychotherapy and relationship psychoanalysis

Relationship psychotherapy is a broad way of understanding human motivation and the therapy process. Therapists who use this approach understand that interpersonal relationships are one of the main motivations of people, but as a result they also bring many people to therapy.

Therapists, using a variety of modalities, can be said to provide therapy within a relational approach if they prioritize the relationships their clients have with others as they work to understand their own personalities. In addition to the importance of understanding how previous relationships influenced the current one, the therapist advocates such a line of communication when, as a result of the relationship between the therapist and the client, a space is created where relationship dynamics arise, which are subsequently discussed, comprehended and adjusted. The therapist can use the dynamics that arise spontaneously within the therapeutic relationship to shed more light on the dynamics in the client's relationship and therefore help him understand himself better. How the therapist trusts the therapy regarding his position in the relationship depends significantly on his own personality and qualifications. Privilege in the relationship, however, is usually given to the client.

Relationship counseling

Relationship counseling helps people recognize and work through or resolve distressing differences and recurring patterns of distress within the context of an existing relationship. The therapist explores the client's feelings, values, and expectations by engaging the client in conversations, discussing solutions to problems, and exploring alternatives and new possibilities.

Who is this type of therapy suitable for?

Relationship counseling is suitable for family members, couples, employees or employers in work settings, professionals and their clients.

Solution Focused Brief Therapy

Solution-focused brief therapy works with a specific problem and promotes positive change rather than dwelling on the problem itself or past problems. Clients are encouraged to focus positively on what they do well, their strengths and resources, and to set and achieve goals. This method is focused on finding solutions rather than solving problems. This type of therapy is short-term, only three to four sessions are enough.

Systemic therapy

Systemic therapy is a general term for areas of therapy that work with people in their relationships with each other, group interactions, group patterns and dynamics.

Systemic therapy has its roots in family therapy and systemic family therapy, but works with problems practically rather than analytically. It does not seek to determine the cause or provide a diagnosis, but rather to identify ossified patterns of behavior in a group or family and work with them directly. The role of the therapist in systemic therapy is to offer constructive prompts to promote change in the relational system, paying attention to existing relational patterns rather than analyzing causes such as subconscious impulses or childhood traumas.

Who is this type of therapy suitable for?

Systemic therapy can also be used in corporate settings and is now being widely implemented in the fields of education, politics, psychiatry, social work and family medicine.

Transactional Analysis

Transactional analysis is an integral approach in psychology and psychotherapy based on two concepts. Eric Berne believed that, firstly, our personality is divided into three parts or three ego states: child, adult and parent. Secondly, these parts communicate with each other in transactions (units of communication), and within each social transaction one of the parts dominates. Therefore, by recognizing these roles, the client can choose which part to use and thus adjust his behavior. Berne's transactional analysis as a form of therapy works with the term "inner child" to describe unmet needs from childhood.

Transpersonal psychotherapy

Transpersonal psychotherapy refers to any form of counseling or psychotherapy that places emphasis on the transpersonal, transcendental, or spiritual aspects of human experience. Transpersonal psychotherapy is often seen as a companion technique to other schools of psychology, such as psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and humanistic psychology.

Transpersonal psychotherapy focuses on aspects such as spiritual self-development, mystical experiences, trance experiences and other metaphysical experiences in life. As in psychosynthesis, the main goal of transpersonal psychotherapy is not only to relieve suffering, but also to integrate the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of the client's well-being. Therapy involves exploring and emphasizing the client's potential, developing internal resources and creativity.

Although the child therapist works with the child, the client is still considered the parent. This is a fundamental difference from working with adults. The adult comes himself and is responsible. The child, as a rule, is brought by the parent, and the responsibility lies with him. Even legally, child psychotherapy is only possible with the consent of a parent or guardian.

In addition, the child does not live independently, separately. Everything that happens to him happens in some kind of family context. Therefore, child psychotherapy cannot be truly successful without the cooperation of parents, who must understand what is happening to their child. And for a therapist, a conversation with a parent allows you to understand whether something is changing outside of the therapeutic session. Periodically you need to “check your cards”.

At the same time, there is the task of maintaining confidentiality. I don't tell my parents specific things, I talk to them about the meaning of what is happening. Often I don't even talk about the games we play.

As long as the parents, one way or another, cope on their own, they do not need a psychotherapist. They come when they feel confused and powerless. There are bad parents, asocial families. But these people do not come to a child psychotherapist voluntarily. And those who come are people who are interested in their child, even if they are very angry with him. This anger is not from cold calculation, but from powerlessness and pain.

Contact us regarding fears and anxiety in a child. This is truly the domain of a psychotherapist; he can help. Although sometimes joint work with a neurologist is required, a competent psychotherapist will see this and refer you to a doctor for a parallel examination.

Behavioral problems can also be usefully addressed through psychotherapy. Aggressive behavior, communication difficulties in a child. You can and should work with this.

Problems in learning are also addressed. But the psychotherapist will not deal with the intellectual sphere, look at the child’s memory or attention; there are other specialists for this. The psychotherapist would rather look for what is preventing the child from studying well, as evidenced by his problems at school.

They also come when the child does not speak, although the speech therapist and neurologist do not see any obstacles. Often there are psychological reasons behind this. For example, when a child has no one to talk to in the family or has no reason to.

A psychotherapist can also deal with psychosomatic problems. For example, doctors say that about half of cases of enuresis do not have physiological causes, and it is necessary to deal with psychological ones. It could be gastritis, asthma, or some other disease. If examinations do not show anything at the body level, it is useful to look for reasons at the mental level.

Psychotherapeutic assistance can be useful for a child who finds himself in a difficult life situation (divorce of parents, loss of loved ones, serious illness or physical injury to the child himself or someone close to him).

Each request has an individual situation. Therefore, these initial requests quickly fade into the background. Every time we deal with an absolutely unique case, which must be dealt with. The therapist essentially always does the same thing. He accompanies a person in his experiences, works with the emotional sphere. And outwardly, these emotional problems may look like behavioral, intellectual, communication difficulties, and so on. A specialist can help adapt to some of the child’s characteristics if they cannot be changed - some kind of illness or, for example, stuttering. He will teach the child to live with this, not to become isolated in his own peculiarities.

I don’t raise a child, I don’t change him, but I support him, looking with him for ways he can become more alive and communicate more successfully with others. I work in a non-directive manner, I prefer to follow what the child is doing and support the strong parts in him - the expression of feelings, comprehension.

Psychotherapists usually do not pay much attention to any formal diagnosis, as, for example, neuropsychologists or speech therapists do. All diagnostics take place in conversation and observation mode. There are simply some points that the psychotherapist pays attention to at the first meetings. In general, the work scheme can be very different, it depends on the personality of the psychotherapist and on his professional preferences. The first meeting is held jointly with the child and parent. Or maybe only with a parent. I always ask the parent if they want to meet with me separately before bringing their child to me, if there is anything they want to talk to me about one-on-one. At the first meeting, I ask everything in great detail about the child’s life - how he was born, what kind of child he was in the family, what happened and is happening in the family, about the relationship between parents, and so on.

Mom usually comes. But lately both parents have begun to come more often, which is much better, since these are always two different views. In addition, immediately at this meeting you can decide whether they need some kind of help (we are talking about family therapy), or whether the difficulties that forced them to contact me are related specifically to the child.

Next comes the first meeting with the child, where work is carried out with him. But it is also most often carried out in the presence of a parent (if the child is under 5 years old, then the parent is always present at subsequent meetings). I always ask the child how he himself sees the situation that the parent describes. At these first meetings we conclude a kind of contract. We agree on what we will work with next, what we will try to achieve.

At a meeting, I can offer something to the child - some kind of exercise or game. But if he refuses, I will not insist, but will try to solve this problem somehow differently. A child psychotherapist, of course, plays most of all with the child - with toys, role-playing, and outdoor games. Well, he talks, of course, he talks, especially with an older child. Sometimes we also draw.

A very good question is why the parent cannot do all this himself - play, draw, talk. In principle, it can, but there is at least one important point here. During a psychotherapeutic meeting, it is very important to give the child maximum freedom. In fact, a parent usually does not have such an opportunity, and it is very difficult to separate the time when everything is possible and when much is not possible. This is the main problem. But you can explain the methods themselves to your parents, and they even take some elements from the meeting into their lives. For example, how to play so that the game is psychotherapeutic for the child. This can be taught to parents.

What is also important is that this hour is allocated. He is allocated for just such work, at this hour the main responsibility lies with the psychotherapist, and the parent himself can also be more free. In everyday life, a parent rarely has such an opportunity; he always has some other tasks. At our meeting, if a child, for example, makes a scandal, I have a lot of time and opportunity to deal with it, but a mother, even if she knows what a psychotherapist would do in this place, often does not have such an opportunity - she may have another child, she may be late for the bus and so on...

It must be said that psychotherapeutic work is most often long-term, unlike counseling, it involves at least 10 meetings. The optimal frequency is once a week. A consultant differs from a psychotherapist in that he has a slightly different goal and position. Consulting is a process where the consultant and client consider a problem and think about solutions. The consultant will tell you about some psychological mechanisms and how they work in your specific situation, and one meeting is often enough for this. Psychotherapy is rather a process of accompanying a child in his experiences; the methods and position of the specialist also differ accordingly.

Our best method of finding a psychotherapist is still word of mouth. Maybe this is normal. But I can fully recommend an integrated approach, which is available, for example, in psychological, medical and social centers. After all, it is not always possible to immediately understand which specialist the child needs, and there, at the initial appointment, the child is usually examined by several specialists at once, and each one indicates whether there are any problems in his or her area.

A psychologist is a more general specialty compared to a psychotherapist. To engage in psychotherapy, you need both basic psychological and additional psychotherapeutic education, specifically in child psychotherapy.

You need to keep in mind that this may be a very good specialist, but it will not suit you specifically. It won’t work out like with a doctor - I don’t like the person, but I’ll show him my hand. The soul will not appear so easily. Therefore, it is important to focus on yourself, on intuition.

Psychotherapy is a scientific direction of psychological practice. The goal of psychotherapy is to help the patient understand the causes of personal problems and find resources to solve them. This goal can be achieved using different methods; there are several schools of psychotherapy. I propose to consider the most popular teachings: psychoanalysis, systemic family psychology, neurolinguistic programming, cognitive behavioral psychotherapy, gestalt therapy.

The oldest, first type of psychotherapy. Its basis was laid by S. Freud in 1895. By now, the concept has undergone some changes, but still remains the leading direction in the theory and practice of psychotherapy. became the foundation of all other teachings.

The essence of psychoanalysis:

• The basis of the direction is the method of free associations. The basic rule of psychoanalysis says: tell the psychotherapist about all your thoughts, feelings, memories, fantasies that arise during the session.
• The specialist, in turn, interprets the patient’s feelings regarding these images and obstacles to the associative flow. Freud paid special attention to the interpretation of clients' dreams.
• The psychotherapist speaks out loud the assumptions about the connection between the client’s unconscious and conscious.

This is why psychotherapy sessions are needed to pull repressed events out of the subconscious. However, Freud distinguished not only the conscious, subconscious, but also the preconscious. This area contains forgotten, but not yet repressed memories. You can return them to the level of consciousness on your own, without the help of an analyst.

Difficulties of psychoanalysis:

• Resistance from the unconscious, preventing treatment and identifying problems.
• The transference reaction to the psychoanalyst on the part of the client. There is a transfer to the specialist of the client’s mental and behavioral reactions aimed at people from the unconscious. For example, anger at parents or husband turns into anger and aggression towards the psychoanalyst.
• The countertransference reaction, that is, the transfer from the specialist’s unconscious and the response to the client’s transference.

The method of psychoanalysis is used for treatment. The cause of neurosis is the internal contradiction of the morals, ethics and intellect of the individual. The psychoanalyst must help find this conflict and resolve it.

During the transfer, the client endows the specialist with the qualities of one side or the other. Transference interpretation allows you to evaluate the problem in the “here and now” mode. The cause of the conflict becomes obvious to both the specialist and the client.

Systemic family psychotherapy

The term "psychotherapy" covers a wide range of approaches and methods. These range from one-on-one conversations, to therapy sessions that use techniques such as role play or dance to help explore human emotions. Some therapists work with couples, families, or groups whose members have similar problems. Psychotherapy works with adolescents, children, as well as adults. Below is a list of different types of psychotherapy and their benefits.

Art therapy combines therapy and creative exploration through paints, crayons, pencils, and sometimes modeling. Methods may also include theatrical performances and puppet theatre. Sandworking, for example, involves clients choosing toys depicting people, animals and buildings and placing them in the controlled space of a sandbox theater. An art therapist is trained in the psychological understanding of the creative process and the emotional attributes of various art materials. In this case, art is seen as the outer expression of our inner emotions. For example, in painting, size, shape, line, space, texture, shade, tone, color and spacing all reveal the client's perceived reality.

Art therapy can be especially effective for clients who have difficulty expressing themselves verbally. In settings such as art studios and workshops, an emphasis on creative development can be beneficial, especially when working with children and adolescents, as well as adults, couples, families, and groups.

Art therapy can be beneficial for both people who have experienced trauma and people with learning difficulties.

Behavior therapy is based on the theory that current behavior is a response to past experiences and can be unlearned or reformulated.

People with compulsive and obsessive disorders, fears, phobias and addictions can benefit from this type of therapy. The emphasis is on helping the client achieve goals and change behavioral responses to problems such as stress or anxiety.

Brief therapy uses a variety of psychotherapy approaches. It differs from other therapeutic approaches in that it focuses on a specific problem and involves the direct intervention of a therapist who works more actively with the client. It emphasizes the use of the client's natural resources while also temporarily suspending disbelief to allow new perspectives and multiple points of view to be considered.

The main goal is to help the client see his current circumstances in a broader context. Brief therapy is seen as addressing current barriers to change rather than looking at the root causes of issues. There is no single method, but there are many ways that, individually or in combination, can ultimately be beneficial. Brief therapy typically takes place over a predetermined number of sessions.

Cognitive analytic therapy combines theories to explore the connection between linguistics and thinking, as well as the historical, cultural and social factors that influence the way we function. Cognitive analytic therapy encourages clients to use their own resources and develop skills to change destructive behavior patterns and negative ways of thinking and acting.

Therapy is short-term, structured and directive, for example the client may be asked to keep a diary or use progress charts. The therapist works collaboratively with the client, changing behavior patterns and learning alternative coping strategies. Attention is paid to understanding the relationship between behavioral patterns established in childhood, social contributions and their impact on the client in adulthood.

Drama therapy uses theatrical techniques such as role-playing, drama, mime, puppetry, voiceover, myth, ritual, storytelling and other improvisational techniques to facilitate creativity, imagination, learning, understanding and personal growth. The highly diverse approach provides an expressive therapy that can be used in a variety of settings, including hospitals, schools, and mental health centers.

Drama therapy provides an opportunity for individuals or groups to explore personal and/or social issues in a creative environment, and calmly reflect on existing beliefs, attitudes and feelings, and find alternative ways of acting in the world. Drama therapy encourages self-awareness, reflection and self-expression of feelings towards oneself and others.

Existential psychotherapy helps the client find meaning in life and the desire to face himself and his problems. The existential belief that life has no ready answer or predetermined significance and the individual is completely free and has complete responsibility so that meaning must be found or created. This can cause a feeling of meaninglessness in life, so therapy explores the client's experience, the human condition, and aims to clarify the understanding of individual values ​​and beliefs, clearly naming what has not previously been spoken out loud. The client accepts the limitations and contradictions of what it means to be human.

Family therapy is a branch of psychotherapy with a special emphasis on family relationships. She works with the fact that the problem lies within the family, and not with one person. Family therapy is also called systemic family therapy.

Family therapy promotes change and development, and as a result, resolution of family conflicts and problems. The emphasis is on how family members interact with each other, emphasizing the importance of family functioning to mental health and well-being. Regardless of the origin of the issue or problem, the therapist's goal is to engage the family in finding beneficial and constructive solutions for family members to support each other through direct involvement. An experienced family therapist will be able to influence negotiations in a way that draws on the strength and wisdom of the family as a whole, taking into account the broader economic, social, cultural, political and religious context in which the family lives, and respecting each family member and their different views. beliefs, opinions.

Gestalt means the whole and the totality of all the parts, and the symbolic configuration or form of the elements that makes up the whole.

Gestalt therapy is a psychotherapeutic approach that is based on the belief that people have a natural desire for health, but old behavior patterns and fixed ideas can create blocks.

Gestalt therapy starts from what is happening in the moment, bringing awareness to the individual's self-image, reactions and interactions with others. Being present in the here and now creates the potential in the client for greater excitement, energy and courage to live immediately. The Gestalt therapist looks at how the individual resists contact in the here and now, how the person resists change, and the types of behaviors or symptoms that the client views as inappropriate or unsatisfactory. The Gestalt therapist helps the client become aware of not only what is happening and what is being said, but also of body language and suppressed feelings.

Group psychotherapy is a psychotherapy designed to help people who would like to improve their ability to cope with difficulties and life problems through a group.

In group therapy, one or more therapists work with a small group of clients. Psychologists recognize positive therapeutic effects that could not be obtained in individual therapy. For example, interpersonal problems are solved in groups.

The goal of group psychotherapy is to provide emotional support for difficult decisions and to stimulate the personal development of group members. The combination of past experiences and experiences outside the therapeutic group, interactions between group members and the therapist, becomes the material through which therapy is carried out. These interactions may not only be perceived as positive, since the issues that the client faces in everyday life are inevitably reflected in the interaction with the group. This provides the opportunity to work through problems in a therapeutic setting, producing experiences that can then be translated into “real life.”

Hypnotherapy uses hypnosis to induce a deep state of relaxation and alteration of consciousness during which the subconscious mind is receptive to new or alternative points of view and ideas.

In the field of hypnotherapy, the subconscious mind is seen as a source of well-being and creativity. Addressing this part of the mind through hypnosis opens up possibilities for maintaining a healthy body.

Hypnotherapy can be used to change behavior, relationships and emotions, as well as manage pain, anxiety, stress, dysfunctional habits, promoting personal development.

Jungian analysis is a psychotherapy that works with the unconscious. The Jungian analyst and client work together to expand consciousness to achieve psychological balance, harmony and wholeness. Jungian analysis explores the deep motives in the client's psyche, thoughts and actions that lie in the subconscious. The Jungian analyst strives to achieve profound change in personality. Particular attention is paid to what happens in sessions, as well as the internal and external experiences of the client's life. Psychotherapy aims to reconcile conscious and unconscious thoughts to eliminate psychological pain and suffering and create new values ​​and goals.

Neurolinguistic psychotherapy was created from neurolinguistic programming. NLP has a broad basis and draws on many areas of psychology and psychotherapy. The foundation of NLP is the premise that we create our own model of reality (personalized map of the world) based on our experiences and how we represent them from within. Each person uses their own maps to navigate through life. The models that are used can promote change that improves self-actualization and success, or at times can be limiting and inhibiting.

NLP explores the patterns of thinking, beliefs, values ​​and experiences behind problems or goals. It allows people to make appropriate adjustments to transform the corresponding world view, which helps reduce limiting beliefs and decisions, overcome emotional and behavioral patterns and create resources, by expanding the person's existing skill base. This gives a person a sense of control and therefore greater ability to create life as they wish.

NLP psychotherapists work with a wide range of psychological problems.

Transactional analysis is an integrative approach in psychology and psychotherapy and is based on two concepts: first, we have three parts or “ego states” of the personality: child, adult and parent. Secondly, these parts communicate with each other in “transactions” and, within each social interaction, one part predominates. Therefore, by recognizing these roles, the client will be able to regulate his behavior. This form of therapy works with the term "inner child" to describe unmet needs from childhood.

Therapy is based on acceptance and a non-judgmental relationship with the consultant, the assumption that the individual is seeking support in resolving the problem and that this allows the client to freely express his emotions and feelings. This therapy is also called person-centered therapy or Rogers psychotherapy.

Counseling for clients who would like to address specific psychological habits and thought patterns. The client perceives the consultant as the best authority on his own experience and is therefore able to achieve his potential for growth and problem solving. The client-centered counselor provides the enabling environment to allow such potential to arise through unconditional acceptance, positive regard, and empathic understanding so that the client can come to terms with negative feelings and develop the inner resources, strength, and freedom to bring about change.

Studies conducted in the USA and other countries show that psychological disorders are detected in 14–20% of children, i.e. every fifth or seventh child. These rates vary by gender, age, ethnic origin and location. For example, children aged 6–11 years are more likely to have behavioral problems than other age groups.

Psychological disorders in children are identified by various methods, including using a variety of tests, specially organized conversations (interviews) and by observing the child’s behavior. Parents and teachers are important sources of information. The most common childhood disorders include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, oppositional disorder (disobedience, negativism, provocative behavior), extreme anxiety, separation anxiety (being separated from the mother or someone close), depression and learning disorders (including learning disabilities, mental retardation, autism and other syndromes). In addition, children may need psychotherapeutic help even if they do not have psychological disorders, for example, in situations where the child is a victim of sexual harassment, divorce, or parental neglect of the child.

Unlike adults, who usually seek help themselves, a child is most often referred to a psychotherapist by parents or teachers. In many cases, an appeal to a child psychotherapist is due to the fact that the child is seriously upsetting adults in some way, violates the rules of behavior, or has poor contact with peers. Most of these children exhibit behavioral problems or impulsivity, inattention, and other manifestations of attention deficit disorder ( cm. HYPERACTIVITY). Such child behavior disorders have a serious impact on his immediate environment. In contrast, children with anxiety and depressive disorders suffer primarily themselves and often do not know how to get the attention of those who can help them.

Professionals involved in child psychotherapy need a good knowledge of the normal course of mental development. Many of the same childhood problems that are considered disorders are also found in children without any abnormalities. The difference may lie in the severity of the problem, the surrounding circumstances, or the appropriateness of a particular emotional state or behavior for a given developmental stage. The child's level of social adaptation must be assessed taking into account behavioral variations within the framework of normal development. For example, children's fears in early childhood and in later periods differ in nature, and the presence of certain fears is normal for a certain age. The characteristics of the child’s family are no less important; in some cases, it is the parents who need help.

Types of psychotherapy.

Child psychotherapy is carried out using various methods, but, as a rule, it involves the establishment of interpersonal contact, trusting relationships and verbal communication with the child, as well as the presence of a certain theoretical approach that guides the psychotherapist in his work. Conversations, games, role-playing games, rewards for good deeds, discussion of positive examples of behavior, as well as aids - board games, teaching aids, toys - are used. The therapist's entire attention is usually focused on how the child feels, thinks, and acts.

The approaches used in child psychotherapy differ both in the type of problems it is aimed at and in the volume of psychotherapeutic assistance itself; the main ones are psychodynamic therapy, behavioral and cognitive-behavioral therapy and family psychotherapy.

Psychodynamic therapy, focused on resolving unconscious conflicts, was one of the first to appear. Since the possibilities of verbal therapy in the case of a small child are very limited, playful forms of influence have been developed. Play therapy releases pent-up emotions and allows the child to express feelings that would otherwise remain hidden. By inviting the child to draw, play with toys, or write stories, the therapist penetrates his world, making every effort to uncover the internal conflict that causes behavioral or emotional disturbances.

Behavioral psychotherapy for children aims to teach the child adaptive ways of behavior. To do this, the therapist provides the child with the opportunity to learn and practice new patterns of behavior, and also tries to encourage the child and reward him for the desired behavior. This approach is focused on the process of a child’s activity, during which they try to instill new skills, overcome fears, relieve depression or facilitate social interactions. For example, the fear of speaking in public can be overcome by preparing the child for verbal communication and giving him the opportunity to practice. The therapist should observe the child's actions and provide feedback, assessing their results and rewarding success.

Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy is aimed at developing adaptive behavior and uses reward reinforcement, as is typical for behavioral therapy itself, but also takes into account cognitive processes, i.e. peculiarities of perception and thinking of a given child. In other words, attention is paid to how the child perceives and processes the information received during psychotherapy. The cognitive-behavioral approach is focused on the learning process, the psychological preparation of the child for various unforeseen circumstances and the selection of examples of behavior that he could follow; At the same time, this approach involves observing how the child comprehends what he is taught.

A family approach to psychotherapy can use any of these strategies, but it focuses on the family as a whole, not just the child. At the same time, the child is considered as a product of the entire system of relationships in the family, and it is with this system that the emergence and development of the child’s maladjustment is associated. Treatment thus involves interaction with all family members.

When is psychotherapy needed?

There are no hard and fast rules here, except that the decision must be made in the best interests of the child. As mentioned, many emotional and behavioral difficulties that occur in childhood and adolescence are part of normal development and do not require therapeutic intervention unless they occur too frequently or are not too severe at a particular point in the child's development. Only when the severity of psychological and behavioral problems exceeds the boundaries of the norm can one think that they are maladaptive, i.e. entail undesirable consequences for the child. For example, if a ten-year-old child has no friends, does not talk on the phone, is afraid to sleep in a room alone, and often refuses to go to school, then the child's behavior can be considered maladaptive; It is in such cases that psychotherapy is indicated.

The decision about whether a child needs psychotherapeutic help is usually made jointly - by parents, psychotherapist and child. When any facts are learned from sources such as school or other family members, teachers and relatives should also be involved in the discussion of this issue. Sometimes it is the parents’ inability to handle the child, their personal psychological problems or problems in family relationships that lead to serious difficulties for the child. Consulting various sources of information can help determine whether treatment is needed and help you choose the right psychotherapeutic approach.

Treatment process.

A child’s visits to a psychotherapist by themselves do not provide the desired result. It is important that the child feels comfortable with the therapist and actively participates in the treatment process. Many psychotherapists argue that the child’s involvement in the psychotherapeutic process is the key to improving his condition.

The nature of psychotherapeutic assistance depends on the disorder that has arisen in the child. Behavioral disorder and deviant (crime-related) behavior respond best to individual and family psychotherapy. In this case, individual therapy introduces new behavioral skills, and environmental change is achieved by working with the entire family. In another situation, the child may be prescribed weekly individual psychotherapy sessions, and sometimes participation in special school programs is sufficient. Some children require hospitalization, in which case psychotherapy is carried out within the walls of a medical institution.

The duration of therapy varies. For example, behavioral or cognitive behavioral therapy takes several months, while psychodynamic therapy lasts longer, often several years. Various studies confirm the effectiveness of both behavioral psychotherapy and its combination with cognitive psychotherapy. It has also been established that the vast majority of children who need psychotherapy feel significantly better after treatment.