Therapy is not a common practice in Nigeria due to certain misconceptions many people have about it. However as mental health awareness continues to increase in the country, the importance of therapy cannot be overemphasized.
In this article, we will try to provide you with necessary information about therapy that will help you understand it better and hopefully break the mystery surrounding it.
This article examines the concept of therapy, the benefits it brings as well as its procedures and types.
What is Therapy?
In this context, therapy is a process of meeting with someone, who is usually a therapist with the aim of discussing and resolving mental and emotional issues. It is a safe and confidential verbal discussion with a trained therapist, psychologist, counselor etc., to discuss things you’re worried about or struggling with.
In short, therapy is a talk-based treatment used to treat mental and psychological conditions. It is also known as Psychotherapy or Talk therapy.
Purpose of Therapy
The true purpose of therapy is to analyze the ‘WHY’ behind certain feelings and emotions with the aim of resolving them and coming to a conclusion.
You don’t just go to therapy to talk. You go with a purpose to heal and resolve your mental and psychological issues.
Can Anyone Go for Therapy?
Anyone can undergo therapy. Your age or experience has no bearing on whether you’re fit to go for therapy.
Even children can go for therapy. Therapy is a way to take care of the emotional and mental state of a person.
It benefits both adults and children.
Do You Need Therapy?
You don’t need a doctor or anyone to refer you for therapy. You may decide to undergo therapy for any reason if you feel you have a psychological, emotional or mental issue you need to resolve.
However, the American Psychological Association suggested two factors you should consider before deciding to go for therapy. They are:
- Is the problem distressing i.e. is the problem affecting your quality of life? Are you spending a lot of time thinking or worrying about the issue?
- Is it affecting any aspect of your life? Is the problem interfering with a part of your life?
NOTE: These are just factors you might consider. Choosing to seek therapy is a personal decision that only you can make.
11 Signs It Might be Time to Consider Therapy
- You’re dealing with anxiety and depressions symptoms.
- You’re finding it hard to cope with daily stress.
- You can’t function properly at work.
- You’re having trouble sleeping.
- You’re always feeling down or tired.
- You have lost interest in things you used to enjoy in the past.
- You’re on the brink of making a life-changing decision.
- You think a lot about death and self-harm.
- You’re abusing drugs and alcohol.
- You’re experiencing serious and persistent mood swings.
- You find it difficult to control your emotions.
Remember, these are just likely signs you should go for therapy. At the end of the day, the decision to seek therapy is in your hands.
9 Major Benefits that Therapy Bring to Your Life.
Therapy has a lot of impact on your overall wellbeing. If you do decide to go for therapy, here are 9 benefits you’ll enjoy:
- It will help you treat and resolve your mental and psychological problems.
- It will help you manage and reduce stress in the workplace and society.
- It will help you address and reduce anxiety.
- It will help you regulate your emotions.
- It will help you build resilience and cope with life challenges.
- It will help you get clarity and find your purpose.
- It will help you develop and maintain better and healthy relationships.
- It will help you become more productive at work.
- It will teach and help you set healthy boundaries.
10 Types of Therapy Techniques/Procedures
There are several types of therapy techniques a therapist can employ in treating your mental health issue.
It is usually the therapist who decides which procedure to use in your treatment. He/she considers the various type of therapy procedures and chooses the most suitable for your condition.
Here are 10 of the most commonly used therapy procedures:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy(CBT)
- Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R).
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Therapy (T-F CBT).
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy.
- Psychoanalytic Therapy.
- Humanistic Therapy.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
- Art Therapy.
A brief explanation of 3 of these procedures:
This is the most common and effective therapy approach. It is aimed at helping individuals handle their problems by changing the way they think and act.
It is guided by the principles that our thinking patterns affect our behavior. It involves a series of activities aimed at helping you to identify and reevaluate your negative thoughts and behaviors as well as proffer solutions to change them.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on addressing your present challenges and not past events.
It is commonly used to address problems like depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, substance abuse, insomnia etc.
This is an extension of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Although it combines the principles of CBT, it takes a more active role in the recovery process.
In this procedure, you are guided to find your most meaningful and motivating desires and then taught to take actions that will help you achieve those desires or aspirations. In short, it is a person-centered recovery approach.
This approach is used to treat mental health conditions like depression, substance use disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) etc.
It addresses not just your symptoms but the underlying reasons for it.
As the name implies, it is a type of treatment used to help individuals who have experienced traumatic experiences in their life. It helps you cope with the aftermaths of trauma.
This procedure helps you identify unhealthy thoughts and responses caused by trauma and guides you in replacing them with healthier thoughts and responses.
Through Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, you’re able to process traumatic events, manage its effects and control your reactions to triggers.
This type of therapy procedure is mainly used to treat trauma related conditions.
It also helps parents and families of children with trauma understand and support their children’s situations.
6 Types of Therapy
There are 6 major types therapy which are:
- Individual therapy.
- Couples Therapy.
- Family Therapy.
- Group Therapy.
- Face to Face Therapy
- Online Therapy.
Individual Therapy
This is a therapy where you’re the only person receiving therapy at a time and the therapy process is customized to your needs alone. It is a one on one session with your therapist.
This process is confidential and helps your therapist to have a more thorough understanding of your issues to proffer appropriate solutions.
However, a major downside of this type of therapy is that there is no one to motivate or help you stay committed since you’re alone in the therapeutic process.
Couples Therapy
This therapy only involves two sets of people -the couple and their therapist. It is usually aimed at helping couples address sources of conflicts in their relationships to improve communication and strengthen their emotional connection.
It helps to analyze negative patterns and cycles in the relationship and improve relationship satisfaction.
It also helps to rebuild trust after a breach of trust has occurred e.g after cheating.
A major disadvantage of couple’s therapy is that couples may be reluctant to participate and this might affect the success of the therapy process.
Family Therapy
This therapy focuses on understanding and addressing changes in the family, improving communication as well as settling conflicts.
It is used to address challenges relating to parenting, blended families, intergenerational conflicts etc.
This therapy helps to create harmonious and healthy family relationships. It also helps to support parent-child bonds and promote unity.
A major disadvantage of family therapy is that it can be a time consuming, challenging and uncomfortable process for all parties.
Group Therapy
This involves a small group of people usually between 6-12, coming together to be guided by one or more therapist. These group system is focused on shared experiences and mutual support among group members.
Since individuals are together, each person is more committed and motivated to the process.
A major disadvantage of this type of procedure is that confidentiality and privacy can easily be compromised since individuals are made to share their personal experiences.
Group therapy is mainly used to treat substance abuse, addiction recovery and generally any condition that is likely to benefit from peer support and shared experiences.
Online Therapy
This is also known as tele therapy or telehealth. With the advancements in technology, online therapy is quickly becoming popular around the world.
Here, you undergo therapy from your home, work or any place of your choice.
This therapy is usually carried out on video platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, Skype etc. or through phone calls.
Online therapy benefits individuals who live in rural or remote environments. It also allows individuals with physical limitations access mental health care.
Despite its many benefits, online therapy faces privacy and confidential challenges. Since, it is done online, your personal information can easily be leaked.
Also, online therapy is not as thorough as face to face therapy as therapists can only assess facial expressions and not body language.
Face to Face Therapy
This is also known as in-person therapy or traditional therapy. Here, you meet with your therapist face to face i.e in a physical setting e.g. an office, clinic etc.
This therapy is more thorough and effective as therapists can not only observe facial expressions but also body language in addressing clients’ needs.
This type of therapy is less flexible in scheduling sessions and is costlier due to transport challenges and expenses.
5 Key Factors to Consider Before Choosing Any Type of Therapy
Below are 5 key considerations you must think about selecting the type of therapy that best suits your needs. They are:
- Your specific goal.
- Your financial Capability.
- Your schedule or time.
- Your location.
- Your personal preferences.
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Your Specific Goal
The issue you want to solve determines the kind of therapy you choose.
For example, is your goal for therapy to manage stress and anxiety or settle conflicts in your family? Are you going for therapy to recover from a past traumatic experience or is it to regulate your emotions?
Knowing the goals that you want to achieve with therapy will help you decide what type of therapy to choose.
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Your Financial Capability
You must determine your budget for therapy before you choose the type of therapy you want. You must find out how much a type of therapy cost before you decide to go for it.
Mycarebuddy recognizes that your financial capabilities varies which is why we offer budget-friendly payments options.
You can check out those options here
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Your Schedule
In choosing the right therapy, you must consider your schedule and free time. Are you busy in the day or at night? Are you free on the weekends or on workdays?
For example, if you don’t have time to meet a therapist physically, you might decide to consider online therapy which is more convenient.
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Your Location
Your location will determine the type of therapy to choose.
For example, it will determine if you want online or offline therapy.
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Your Personal Preferences
Your personal preference matters a lot in choosing the right therapy for yourself.
Do you prefer face to face or online therapy? Is confidentiality a major requirement for you?
These questions and many more will need to be answered before you choose any type of therapy.
Conclusion
Therapy is a major treatment in resolving mental, emotional and psychological conditions and issues.
Choosing the right therapist is even more important to ensure you enjoy all the benefits that therapy has to offer.
Ready to find an empathetic therapist that really cares about your mental health? Mycarebuddy is the best place to start. Our therapists are highly qualified and experienced in addressing various aspects of mental health.