Psychotherapy

The term (meaning literally treatment of the mind or psyche,) refers to any of a variety of psychological means used to modify mental, emotional, and behavioural disorders, including the relief of distress and disability. Drugs may be used as aids in the process, but the process is primarily based on the use of words and actions that are believed by the individual, the therapist and the group to which they belong, to have healing powers and that create an emotionally charged relationship between them. This therapeutic relationship assumes that the parties to the relationship share certain values mutually and are convinced of the value of self-examination to make conscious the unconscious attitudes, fears and conflicts that determine behaviour.

The components common to the many varieties of psychotherapy are: one or more persons (patients) with some awareness of neglected or mishandled life problems; one or more persons (therapists) with relative lack of disturbance who perceive the distress of the patients and believe themselves capable of helping the patients to reduce distress; a positive regard of patients for therapists and vice versa; understanding and empathy of therapist for patient (the therapist enters into the patient's suffering and often suffers vicariously); perception by patient of the positive regard for and empathic understanding of him by the therapist; provision by the therapist of more correct information for the patient regarding the realities of his environment; help that the patient may achieve a better self-evaluation; emotional catharsis; a gradually increasing number of tasks for the patient to perform between therapy sessions in applying new information about himself and his environment; and a gradual process whereby the patient learns to become independent of the therapist.

The many varieties of psychotherapy may be distinguished as focusing primarily on one of the following: conceptual restructuring (attitude change or insight); changing emotional states or emotional responsiveness and sensitivity; modifying behaviour. Methods are supportive (using the patient's own resources to restore balance); re-educative (aimed at the individual achieving greater insight into conscious conflicts); and reconstructive (where emphasis is on insight into unconscious conflicts). All forms of psychotherapy are basically a discussion between two persons. The simplest form is verbal reassurance to an anxious person. The term [general psychotherapy]

is used to denote all influences assisting a patient in fighting disease; [specific psychotherapy]

refers to specific treatment of patients with borderline forms of neuropsychic disorder.

Psychotherapy has had a significant impact on Western culture and continues to influence attitudes to education, law enforcement and many other areas of life. It is a major tool for research into the intricacies of human nature.