Psychodynamic therapy is a form of depth psychology focused primarily on revealing the unconscious content of a client’s psyche in an effort to alleviate psychic tension. In this way, it is similar to psychoanalysis, though psychodynamic therapy tends to be briefer and less intensive. Psychodynamic therapy also relies on the relationship between client and counselor more than other forms of depth psychology. In terms of approach, this form of counseling also tends to be more eclectic than others, taking techniques from a variety of sources, rather than relying on a single system of intervention.
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Gestalt psychotherapy by integrates a philosophical position, a theory of personality and a therapeutic style. The philosophical position is historically related to existentialism and perceptual psychology. The Gestalt theory of personality evolved primarily out of clinical experience, rather than as a purely theoretical construct. The therapeutic approach emphasizes personal empowerment, responsibility, choice, and the I-Thou relationship.
In the I-Thou relationship, human beings are aware of each other as having a unity of being. In the I-Thou relationship, human beings do not perceive each other as consisting of specific, isolated qualities, but engage in a dialogue involving each other’s whole being. In the I-It relationship, on the other hand, human beings perceive each other as consisting of specific, isolated qualities, and view themselves as part of a world which consists of things. I-Thou is a relationship of mutuality and reciprocity, while I-It is a relationship of separateness and detachment.
Gestalt values ‘slowing down’ and increasing awareness of ‘what is,’ an acknowledgment that paradoxically we only change as we accept and experience more fully who we are. The goal is the realization of a person’s nature, and this does not come through thinking alone, but through allowing a person’s natural experiential process to flow.
The Gestalt approach to therapy is holistic, and views the person as flowing through various cycles from an all-encompassing need for self-actualization. The therapeutic style is phenomenological, focusing on increased self-awareness in the ‘here and now’ throughout the whole mind and body.
Gestalt psychotherapy also emphasizes an awareness on the environmental and social context of a client and addresses the ways in which the mind self-regulates in relationship to these circumstances.
The uniqueness of this therapeutic practice allows individuals to work at their own pace to facilitate change and personal growth.
Those interested in learning more about Gestalt psychotherapy should know that it differs from the similarily-named but very distinct topic of Gestalt psychology.
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Cognitive behavioral therapy (also known as cognitive behavior therapy or CBT) is a psychotherapeutic approach that aims to influence dysfunctional emotions, behaviors and cognitions through a goal-oriented, systematic process. CBT can be seen as an umbrella term for a number of psychological techniques that share a theoretical basis in behavioristic learning theory and cognitive psychology.
There is empirical evidence that CBT is effective for the treatment of a variety of problems, including mood, anxiety, personality, eating, substance abuse, and psychotic disorders. Treatment is often brief, and time-limited. CBT is used in individual therapy as well as group settings, and the techniques are often adapted for self-help applications. Some CBT therapies are more oriented towards predominantly cognitive interventions, while others are more behaviorally oriented.
In cognitive-oriented therapies, the objective is often to identify and monitor thoughts, assumptions, beliefs and behaviors that accompany and are related to negative emotions, and to identify those that are dysfunctional, inaccurate, or unhelpful. The aim is to replace or transcend them with those that are more realistic, useful and fulfilling.
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Jungian analysis is a specialized form of psychotherapy in which the counselor and patient work together to increase the patient’s consciousness in order to move toward psychological balance and wholeness, and to bring relief and meaning to psychological suffering. The process can treat a broad range of emotional disorders such as depression and anxiety, and it can also assist anyone who wishes to pursue psychological growth. At the heart of Jungian analysis is a realignment of conscious and unconscious aspects of the personality with an ensuing creation of new values and purpose.
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I am a licensed clinical social worker committed to empowering gay men and people affected by HIV/AIDS. I believe that growth is a never-ending process, and I work with clients who are as interested in building the best things in life as they triumph over the worst.
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