Key Points

Psychotherapy is a voluntary, professional relationship between a therapist and a client aimed at helping the client solve psychological problems. Its goals include changing maladaptive behaviours, reducing distress, and improving personal growth.

The therapeutic alliance is the special, trusting, and confidential relationship between the therapist and client. It is built on empathy, warmth, and unconditional positive regard, and is central to the healing process.

Empathy is the ability to understand and feel things from the client's perspective. Unconditional positive regard is the therapist's total acceptance of the client without judgment, which helps build trust.

Psychotherapies are broadly classified into three groups: psychodynamic, behaviour, and humanistic-existential therapies. They differ based on their views on the cause of problems, treatment methods, and the therapist-client relationship.

Behaviour therapy posits that psychological problems arise from faulty learning of behaviours and thought patterns. The focus is on correcting these faulty patterns in the present through specific techniques.

Techniques include systematic desensitization for phobias, aversive conditioning to remove undesired responses, and token economy for reinforcing desired behaviours. These methods apply principles of classical and operant conditioning.

Introduced by Wolpe, this technique treats phobias by pairing relaxation with a hierarchy of anxiety-provoking stimuli. The client gradually learns to remain relaxed when imagining the feared object or situation.

Cognitive therapies attribute psychological distress to irrational thoughts and beliefs. The goal is to identify and change these dysfunctional thought patterns to reduce negative emotions and behaviours.

RET, developed by Albert Ellis, uses the Antecedent-Belief-Consequence (ABC) analysis. It focuses on refuting the client's irrational beliefs that mediate between an event and its emotional consequence.

Aaron Beck's therapy focuses on identifying and correcting negative automatic thoughts and cognitive distortions. He proposed that childhood experiences create dysfunctional core schemas that are triggered by life events.

CBT is a popular therapy that combines cognitive and behavioural techniques. It addresses the biological, psychological, and social aspects of a disorder, making it effective for anxiety, depression, and other issues.

This approach suggests distress arises from feelings of loneliness and a thwarted need for self-actualization. Therapy aims to help clients find meaning and remove obstacles to their personal growth.

Developed by Carl Rogers, this therapy provides a warm, non-judgmental environment where the client can reconnect with their true self. The therapist acts as a facilitator, showing empathy and unconditional positive regard.

Logotherapy, founded by Victor Frankl, is a form of existential therapy that helps patients find meaning and responsibility in their lives. It addresses 'existential anxiety,' which arises from a perceived meaninglessness of life.

Healing is influenced by several factors, including the specific techniques used, the quality of the therapeutic alliance, and catharsis (emotional unburdening). Patient motivation and therapist variables also play a crucial role.

Key ethical principles for therapists include obtaining informed consent, maintaining client confidentiality, and ensuring professional competence. The primary goal must always be to alleviate the client's distress.

Alternative therapies such as Yoga and Meditation are used to treat psychological distress. Techniques like Sudarshana Kriya Yoga and Vipasana meditation have been found effective for stress, anxiety, and depression.

Rehabilitation aims to empower patients with severe mental disorders to become productive members of society. It includes occupational therapy, social skills training, and vocational training to improve their quality of life.