Dictionary For Dads

Psychotherapy or therapy in general is a loosely used term and often not explained or defined for parents or children. Therefore, when parents are referred to therapy for themselves or their children they usually are confused. Dictionary For Dads understands this dilemma and is defining the different modes, applications and benefits of the most popular forms of therapy today. All therapists are not created equal and we are not endorsing or promoting any one mode of therapy. However, we believe it is beneficial for anyone seeking therapy to know what to look for and what benefits are associated with each school of thought.

Psychotherapy or therapy is a method of talking with a psychotherapist, psychiatrist, licensed social worker, or psychologist. Psychotherapy can help people who are experiencing difficulties in life and are open to evaluate and consider different perspectives and  cognitive and behavioral exercises that are proven to be beneficial to ones mental health. Psychotherapy has been instrumental in treating behavioral issues, trauma, addiction, stress management, anger management, loss and bereavement, smoking, time management, divorce, family  system dynamics, eating disorders, depression, fears, anxiety, ADHD, Autism,and other problems associated with life's many challenges.

One On One Therapy                                                                         Generally therapy is offered in one on one sessions. However it is also provided on the telephone, in groups or family settings. Generally each session is one hour this is usually broken down to 45 minutes with the therapist and 15 minutes for the therapist to record the session.

Family therapy or couples therapy
Family therapy includes discussion and problem-solving sessions with every member of the family. Sessions are conducted as a group and at times may also include some couples, or one on one sessions. Family or couples therapy is instrumental in helping individuals view the family as a system where any one aspect or member of the systems behaviors or struggles affects the whole system.

Group therapy
In group therapy, a small group of people meet regularly to discuss individual issues and help each other with problems with the guidance of a therapist. The benefits of a group are that they enable the therapist to experience the social interactions of the group members. In addition, the group member’s experiences generally offer a wealth of information, strategies and experience to all members of the group. In addition it helps members build and reinforces communication skills while establishing a support network.

Behavior Therapy                                                                             Behavioral therapy, or behavioral modification, is a psychological technique based on the premise that specific, observable, maladaptive, badly adjusted, or self-destructing behaviors can be modified by learning new, more appropriate behaviors to replace them. Rewards and negative consequences have been used throughout recorded history in an attempt to influence behavior, from child rearing to the criminal justice system. Modern behavioral therapy began in the 1950s with the work of B.F. Skinner and Joseph Wolpe. Wolpe treated his patients who suffered from phobias with a technique he developed called systematic desensitization. Systematic desensitization involved gradually exposing a patient to an anxiety-provoking stimuli until the anxiety response was extinguished, or eliminated.
 
Cognitive therapy
Cognitive therapy seeks to identify and modify patterns of thinking. The theory is you think something and react in behavior based on your thoughts. If you can change the way you experience the world around you can change the associated reaction to those thoughts. Some of these patterns have been learned in early childhood and are not beneficial to the individual and sometimes are  patterns that can lead to troublesome feelings and behaviors. Beliefs and expectations are explored to identify how they shape a person's experiences. If a thought or belief is too rigid and causes problems, the therapist helps the client to modify his or her belief so that it is less extreme.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy                                                                               Cognitive-behavioral therapy is based on the idea that our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviors, not external things, like people, situations,and events. The benefit of this approach is that we can change the way we think to feel and behave better even if the situations do not change.Cognitive Behavioral Therapy provides clients with practical and powerful skills that can be applied over a lifetime to reduce discomfort and improve everyday functioning. Since thoughts and perceptions generate emotions and behavior, CBT (or cognitive restructuring) re-frames thinking to modify emotions and behavior. Furthermore, CBT utilizes different behavioral strategies to help improve functioning.

Gestalt Therapy
Gestalt therapy stresses the development of client self-awareness and personal responsibility.
The goal of Gestalt therapy is to raise clients' awareness regarding how they function in their environment (with family, at work, school, friends). The focus of therapy is more on what is happening (the moment-to-moment process) than what is being discussed (the content). Awareness is being alert to what are the most important events in clients' lives and their environment with full sensorimotor, emotional, cognitive, and energy support. Support is defined as anything that makes contact with or withdrawal from with the environment possible, including energy, body support, breathing, information, language and concern for others.
Gestalt Therapy Is Based On The Following Principles:

1. Holism takes into account the whole person including thoughts, feelings, behavior, body sensations, and dreams. The focus is on integration, that is, how the many parts of the person fit together, and how the client interacts with their environment.
2. Field theory According to this theory, everything is related, in flux, interrelated, and in process. The therapist focuses on how the client makes contact with the environment (family, work, school, friends, authority figures).
3. The figure-formation process describes how individuals organize or manipulate their environment from moment to moment.
4. Organismic self-regulation is the creative adjustment that the individual makes in relation to the environment. 
5. The Now. The concept of the here and now is what is being done, thought, and felt at the moment, and not in the past or the future.
6. Unfinished business is defined as the unexpressed feelings that are associated with distinct memories and fantasies. These feelings may be resentment, rage, hatred, pain, anxiety, grief, guilt, and abandonment that are not fully experienced in awareness, linger in the background, and are carried into the present life and cause preoccupations, compulsive behaviors, wariness, and other self- defeating behaviors. Unfinished business will persist until the person faces and deals with these denied or alienated feelings.

Interpersonal therapy (IPT) is a short-term therapy. This treatment approach focuses on an individual's social relationships and how to improve social support. IPT therapy seeks to improve a person's relationship skills, working on communication more effectively, expressing emotions appropriately and being properly assertive in social and work situations.IPT teaches patients how to deal more effectively with others to reduce conflict and gain support from family and friends. It is usually conducted, like cognitive-behavioral therapy, on an individual basis but also can be used in a group therapy setting.

Movement/dance/art/music therapy
These methods include the use of movement, art or music to express emotions. This type of therapy is effective for those who have difficulty expressing feelings.

Photo therapy (light therapy)
People who suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) which is a form of depression that is related to the change of seasons within their geographic location, may benefit from bright light Photo therapy. Photo therapy uses special light bulbs which are much brighter than ordinary lights and are specifically designed to treat individuals with Photo therapy.In the process of this therapy a physician or therapist instructs patients on the proper use of these high-intensity lights in an attempt to improve symptoms of seasonal affective disorder.

Psychoanalysis
Also called psychoanalytic therapy, this type of therapy facillitates the process of self evaluation. It allows a patient to discover and understand how historical events, emotional conflicts, family structures, and experiences contributing to present perception of reality and how these contribute to the patients choices, expectations, drive and in some cases to mental health symptoms.

Psychoanalytic therapy is a lengthy process, typically taking several years. There are different types of psychoanalysis, each with a different focus. Freudian psychoanalysis has been criticized because of its tendency to create long-term dependent relationships between the therapist and the client. Other types of psychoanalytically oriented therapy have become popular, such as Jungian therapy. In Jungian therapy the therapist and client tend to focus more on the immediate situation and life problems than on the root of the problem to help individuals develop greater self-realization.