Talking therapies, also known as psychotherapies, are effective ways of managing mental health problems. These therapies include techniques that help manage emotions and thoughts, develop coping mechanisms, and facilitate healing from past traumas. The efficiency of talking therapy is based on the therapeutic relationship between the client and therapist. In talking therapy, clients can explore their feelings and thoughts in a safe and non-judgmental environment.
Talking therapies have recently gained traction in healthcare, given the significant advancement in the field and the trauma caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now more recognized as an integral part of healthcare, and many institutions offer professional training programs.
One of these distinguished programs is the doctorate in counseling online provided by American International College, which emphasizes theoretical knowledge and the practical application of talking therapies. This program stands out because it gives future counselors theoretical knowledge and practical experience in talking therapies. It also provides you with 100% online coursework, access to field practicum hours near you, and free field placement services.
Talking therapies help individuals cope with everyday stress and manage severe mental health disorders. With this efficacy, what are the common types and their benefits?
Four types of talking therapies and their benefits
Different talking therapies are tailored to address specific issues and conditions. This section analyzes the four popular types, examining their usage and benefits.
1. Behavioral activation (BA)
BA originates from cognitive behavioral therapy and is commonly used to treat depression. The main principle behind BA is that human actions impact emotions and thoughts. BA then claims that the cycle of depression is fueled by a self-perpetuating loop of avoidance, isolation and disinterest in activities, a feeling that amplifies sadness, fatigue and lack of motivation. The therapy focuses on helping individuals increase their engagement in positively reinforcing activities to break this vicious cycle.
BA starts with a detailed assessment of the client’s relationship between their activities, mood and quality of life. The therapist can do this through activity monitoring charts to track their daily tasks and corresponding moods. After this phase, the therapist and client develop an activity schedule that reintroduces the individual to experiences that bring them joy, satisfaction or a sense of accomplishment. These can be activities tailored to their interests or capabilities.
The therapist then encourages clients to identify their core values and align their behaviors accordingly. This integration brings a sense of purpose and meaning to the activities and helps develop long-term behavioral changes. In other words, BA allows clients to tackle depression by engaging in activities within their control to develop long-term behavioral changes.
2. Interpersonal therapy (IPT)
IPT is a short-term, focused treatment strategy for depression and other mental health issues. It revolves around the notion that improving one’s relationships and social functioning can significantly reduce depressive symptoms. IPT helps individuals to identify and modify problematic interpersonal patterns to enhance their social skills and quality of life.
The therapy process for IPT starts with one out of these four:
- Unresolved grief: An extended and troubled mourning period after a significant loss.
- Role disputes: Conflicts or disagreements with close individuals in the client’s life.
- Role transitions: Adjustments to major life changes (marriage, new job or new stage of life/career).
- Interpersonal deficits: Chronic challenges in initiating or sustaining fulfilling relationships.
After pinpointing the central issue, IPT therapists guide clients to recognize how their interpersonal challenges influence their mental health. This insight-building phase helps them understand patterns and behaviors that clients might have previously overlooked. Once these patterns are clear, the client learns invaluable communication and problem-solving skills that let them navigate their interpersonal difficulties with newfound clarity and confidence. IPT is a flexible approach that helps address disorders and is known to not only alleviate symptoms but also enrich the quality of life.
3. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is a relatively new psychotherapy technique designed to alleviate distress associated with traumatic memories. The patient is charged with recalling distressing images while receiving one of several types of bilateral sensory input. The sensory input could be side-to-side eye movements, and the typical process of EMDR is as follows:
- The client identifies potential traumatic memories and plans for appropriate treatment.
- The therapist explains the EMDR process.
- They identify target traumatic memory, along with associated emotions and physical sensations.
- The next is the desensitization phase where the client relives the traumatic memory and associated feelings, while the therapist guides them in bilateral eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation.
- In the installation phase, the client replaces the negative belief linked with the traumatic memory with a positive one while continuing with the bilateral stimulation.
- The next is a body scan, where the client pays attention to their physical sensations to ensure that the traumatic memory no longer causes distress. This may take a while to achieve during therapy.
- The closure phase ensures that the client leaves each session feeling better than when they arrived.
- At the beginning of subsequent sessions, the therapist checks to ensure that the distress from the targeted memory has been significantly reduced, if not eliminated.
EMDR therapy involves the client focusing on traumatic memory and concurrently experiencing bilateral sensory input, such as left-right eye movements. This simultaneous sensory input is believed to facilitate the brain’s innate information-processing system to help ‘digest’ the traumatic memory and reduce its emotional intensity. Research shows that EMDR helps reduce PTSD symptoms (flashbacks, nightmares and intrusive thoughts), depression and anxiety.
4. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT)
MBCT is a modified form of cognitive therapy that integrates mindfulness practices, such as meditation and breathing exercises, into therapy. The core principle of MBCT involves being aware of one’s thoughts and feelings without being caught up in them. It doesn’t advocate for eliminating or avoiding negative thoughts – it encourages accepting these thoughts as transient mental events.
A typical MBCT program integrates mindfulness practices with cognitive behavioral techniques to help clients redirect their focus to the present moment and disengage from the habitual patterns of negative thinking and worrying. This helps reduce the risk of relapse in recurrent depression, lowers anxiety and stress levels, improves attention and enhances self-awareness.
Conclusion
Each of these therapies provides a unique approach to mental health care and offers numerous benefits to those who use them. The role of professional counselors is to effectively implement these therapies to guide individuals toward mental and emotional wellbeing. All of these therapies help clients manage their depression and down moments through coping mechanisms and, eventually, healing.
