4 July 2012
Are There Different Styles of Psychotherapy?
Short answer: yes.
Long answer…
…it’s sort of like martial arts. There’s karate and kung-fu, and aikido, and tae kwon do (to name a few). And yet there are streams of karate which may incorporate, say, judo. There are streams of kung-fu which also focus on tai chi chuan.
Similarly, with psychotherapy – whether the practitioner is a psychotherapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist – there are disciplines, called modalities. Here are a few, to give you an idea:
Freudian/Jungian: Freudian psychoanalysis is a scientifically-leaning attempt to understand the human mind using the idea of drives as a motivating factor in human psychological development. The Jungian approach is a split-off from Freudian psychoanalysis, much more accepting of the spiritual (and sometimes mystical) facets of human belief and how they inform our psychological development.
The traditional Freudian and Jungian approaches are known as one-person psychology: there may be two people in the therapeutic space, but only the analyst (as opposed to the client) is in control. The client associates, the analyst interprets. The analyst is the sole expert.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (aka CBT) is a rational approach. It tends to focus on very specific problems with the client, as opposed to allowing for deeper (less clear) problems to come to the surface. A CBT practitioner will typically structure a fixed number of sessions with a client, with the idea being that by the last session, whatever is ailing with the client will be worked out, not unlike a muscle. This may be handy for isolated problems, such as helping to quit smoking, or perhaps some forms of anger management.
Relational Psychotherapy: Relational Psychotherapy is a newer, dynamic form of therapy. Unlike Freudian/Jungian approaches, it is a two-person psychology: there is mutuality between the therapist and the client, and the structure is such that the therapist is not positioned as an all-knowing expert who controls the kite strings. This leads to greater, fuller communication between therapist and client.
The general idea behind Relational Psychotherapy is that interpersonal relationships are a foundation of how we are raised, how we develop, and how we see ourselves at the end of the day. The focus is on the present, the here-and-now with the understanding that, while relevant events of the past are welcomed into the therapeutic space, it’s how the client feels now which is what’s ultimately important. Unlike CBT, Relational Psychotherapy is not hyper-focused on fixing isolated problems, since some problems which may seem isolated may have deeper roots in our behaviour.
If you are interested in learning more about my services, about me, or perhaps booking an appointment, please call me at 416-873-7828 or email me at info@downtowntherapy.ca for more information.
filed under: general info• modality• psychotherapy
19 June 2012
Some Basic Differences
One of the most common questions (and one I think many are afraid to ask) is what the difference is between the various types of mental health professionals.
Psychiatrist: A psychiatrist is a medical doctor specializing in mental health, who works with standardized diagnoses, and who typically prescribes drugs to treat patients. They may or may not have extensive training as a therapist. Psychiatrists are covered in Ontario via OHIP, however for those doctors who practice therapy, waiting lists can be prohibitively long.
Psychologist: A psychologist is a specialist in psychology, often holding a Ph.D. They do not prescribe drugs. Some have extensive training as therapists, whereas others choose to service other industries, or conduct private research. Psychologists are not covered by OHIP but are covered by some private health benefits plans.
Psychotherapist: A psychotherapist is specifically trained to work with others in a therapeutic environment. There are various approaches (or modalities) of psychotherapy: Freudian, Gestalt, CBT, to name a few. Psychotherapists are not covered by OHIP but are covered by a few health benefits plans.
Regardless who you end up seeing, a good therapist not only has extensive training and supervision, but also has experience as a client – either as part of their training program or through personal choice. A therapist with no experience of what it’s like to be on the other side of the couch as a client is missing an important tool: relatability.
If you are interested in learning more about my services, about me, or perhaps booking an appointment, please call me at 416-873-7828 or email me at info@downtowntherapy.ca for more information.
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