When going to a psychologist, it's important to have a basic idea of what type of intervention or treatment you think would work best for you.
A psychologist can help you decide, but a little research will help you be more prepared and knowledgeable on at least a few types of therapies that exist, and what you're most comfortable with.
For example, even if you go to a doctor there might be different approaches - one might prescribe typical medication and the other might only prescribe alternative or homeopathic medicine or even suggest that medication should be avoided. It's similar with psychologists - they have different techniques for helping people.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is one common intervention psychologists use.
“It’s one of the evidence-based therapies … particularly for helping people with anxiety and depression," said Elizabeth Jerison Terry, a psychologist in California.
Most therapies are supposed to have similar features, including the role of the therapist as an expert, "the release of emotions," a decrease in anxiety, and a relationship of trust with the therapist, according to a clinical psychology textbook. However, there are certain differences in each type of therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy.
"You set goals with your clients, there’s homework, it’s a very structured kind of therapy,” Terry said.
Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is considered a faster and briefer type of therapy, according to the website of the National Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapists. There is research to prove its effectiveness as well.
“It’s much more focused on [how your cognitions affect your behaviors], how you can change your cognitions and that can change your emotions … It’s focused on how the things that you think affect how you feel and how you act," Terry said. "You’re kind of taught to evaluate your automatic thoughts and then counter them with thoughts that can help you … be more realistic in your thinking and feel better."
Another type of therapy is the psychodynamic approach.
"I look at the whole person, at a conscious and unconscious level as best I can to determine what will be most helpful, depending on the patient's ability to understand," said Carole Morgan, a psychologist in California who considers herself a psychoanalyst."Some patients want quick answers and their needs must be respected, but there are no quick answers most of the time so one needs to educate the patient."
Like other therapies, psychodynamic psychotherapy isn't for everyone. According to the clinical psychology textbook, it can be a long therapy and expensive, but there is also a brief psychodynamic psychotherapy. There is also some research proving its effectiveness, but more accurate research needs to be completed.
"Some patients can't work in a psychodynamic model so it is important to adjust to their abilities while being true to oneself," Morgan said. "Even though I am a psychoanalyst, I also work with an ear to cognitive behavioral approaches if necessary, but many therapists do not have enough flexibility."
Although it can be tempting to try different psychologists all at once, she suggests to "take them one at a time" because it can be confusing.
Different types of therapies branch out from cognitive behavioral therapy and psychodynamic psychotherapy, and there are even more separate types of therapies. For example, there can be separate cognitive and separate behavioral approaches.
There is also existential therapy.
The textbook states that this therapy "sees people as engaged in a search for meaning," and the goal of this therapy is "to help the individual reach a point at which awareness and decision making can be exercised responsibly."
This type of therapy promotes a "meaningful existence," including creating more control for the patient in creating her own positive life, according to www.psychologycampus.com. There seems to be some limitations with this therapy, since there isn't a lot of research proving its effectiveness, according to the textbook.
Other therapies might focus on general health and wellness, which are important for both a healthy body and mind. However, there are many people who are otherwise healthy, but they still have psychological issues, or people who are unhealthy but are not affected by any psychological issues.
There are individual, group, couple or family therapies, depending on where you go and what the psychologist's experience and preference is. Your comfort level with each of those types of therapies is also an important factor in choosing a psychologist.
There are many resources on the web, and different therapies work well for different issues. In many cases, you might just have to pick out a psychologist and then talk to the psychologist about what type of therapy he or she has experience with and what that involves. After discussing what you want to work on with the psychologist and what type of issues you are dealing with, both you and the psychologist can determine if a certain therapy (and psychologist) fits you best.
Sometimes therapy can feel uncomfortable because everything is out in the open, but if you just plain feel that it's not helping you and don't like the methods the psychologist is using and you're uncomfortable because of that, then you need to communicate that with the psychologist and maybe find a more appropriate option.
What types of therapy have you tried? What worked best for you? Share your stories here.
Sources:
http://www.nacbt.org/whatiscbt.htm
http://www.psychologycampus.com/psychology-counseling/existential-therapy.html
"Clinical Psychology" 7th Edition by Timothy Trull