‘What Is Psychotherapy?’ PDF
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Looking for a “What Is Psychotherapy?” PDF to provide to clients who are new to therapy? You’re in the right place.
The “What Is Psychotherapy?” PDF provides mental health clinicians with an overview of the key principles of psychotherapy to provide to their clients who are starting treatment. Think of it as a psychotherapy info sheet that describes the key benefits of therapy, the conditions it can treat, and the importance of psychotherapy.
You can download the free “What Is Psychotherapy?” worksheet to use in-session as a psychoeducational tool or save to your electronic health record (EHR) for future use.
What are the principles of psychotherapy?
Clients may know that psychotherapy is a type of behavioral health treatment. However, they may know little more than that.
Sometimes, we have to zoom out as a therapist to answer, in non-clinical language, the question: “What is psychotherapy treatment?”
When describing the core principles of psychotherapy to clients, you might discuss that therapy involves the following:
- A private and collaborative relationship between a formally trained therapist and client.
- Therapists might be social workers, mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, and psychologists.
- Psychotherapy can be used to treat a wide range of mental health conditions, life stressors, and relationship difficulties.
- The goal of therapy is to empower clients to regain a sense of control, find solutions, provide relief, reduce the intensity of symptoms, or resolve some of the challenges they face.
- Understanding the client by discussing their background, relationships, and reasons for seeking treatment.
- Strengthening coping skills and devising strategies to adapt to more helpful behaviors.
- Providing resources and referrals for additional support and treatment.
Therapy may be provided individually, in a group, with a family, or with a partner(s).
Types of psychotherapy
There are several types of psychotherapy, each with its own theory and practical approach.
Here’s an overview of each type of therapy, along with the conditions it is used to treat:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
One of the most common types of psychotherapy, CBT involves exploring the relationship between feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. It helps to identify negative thoughts and core beliefs and replace them with more helpful thoughts and behaviors.
CBT is helpful for anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, depressive disorders, phobias, and personality disorders.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR)
EMDR is an eight-phased protocol that incorporates bilateral stimulation to process trauma. Clients also learn emotional regulation techniques.
It can be used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complex trauma, substance use disorder, and more.
Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
DBT helps teach skills to strengthen coping strategies (distress tolerance), mindfulness, and improve relationships.
DBT is helpful for anxiety, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depressive disorders, substance use disorders, eating disorders, PTSD, and more.
Interpersonal therapy
This type of therapy seeks to help improve interpersonal relationships, mood, and coping skills. It is usually time-limited to 12 to 16 weeks.
It typically helps with conflicts, grief, and life stressors.
Narrative therapy
Narrative therapy helps clients better understand their lives by looking at their history from different perspectives.
It can help with anxiety, depression, substance use disorder, and relationship challenges.
Exposure therapy
Exposure therapy involves exposing clients to their memories and fears by revisiting events. It can be used for clients with anxiety, PTSD, phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Motivational interviewing
This type of therapy helps people find the motivation to change their behavior. For example, it can help with substance use disorders, smoking cessation, diabetes management, eating disorders, and developing healthy habits, like improving sleep.
Psychodynamic therapy
Psychodynamic therapy seeks to understand the root cause of emotional suffering in order to relieve symptoms and enhance emotional capacity.
It can help with anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance use disorders, and life challenges.
Biofeedback
Biofeedback is a mind-body technique used to increase awareness of the body processes and gain control over heart rate, breathing, and muscle tension. It can be used by behavioral and medical providers, but isn’t a standalone treatment.
It can be used to treat anxiety, depression, chronic pain, ADHD, constipation, insomnia, migraine, and other physical conditions.
Counseling
Counseling is used to discuss and work through life challenges. It may also be provided by religious or faith-based leaders and community members who are not professionally trained mental health providers.
Common issues discussed include relationship difficulties, anxiety, and more.
Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is a set of theories founded by Sigmund Freud. It seeks to understand the unconscious mind and its relationship with the conscious mind by understanding fears, repressed thoughts, conflicts, and emotions.
It may be used for clients with anxiety, depression, phobias, and destructive behaviors.
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
ACT helps individuals accept thoughts and feelings, diffuse difficult emotions, and work towards goals aligned with their values.
It may be helpful for clients with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, pain, psychosis, substance use disorders, and life stressors.
Experiential therapies
This includes art therapy, play therapy, equine therapy, and more. While they each differ in their approach, they involve using an activity—like collaging or observing an animal—to explore mental health and life challenges.
These types of therapy may be useful for ADHD, depression, anxiety, autism, PTSD, relational challenges, and more. They’re also good for children and adolescents.
What’s included in the ‘What Is Psychotherapy?’ PDF?
Our “What Is Psychotherapy?” worksheet lists the main types of psychotherapy to help clients identify approaches they may find helpful.
The “Introduction to Psychotherapy” PDF can be used in session with clients (whether you see clients in person or through telehealth sessions), as a psychoeducational tool, or as a handout for clients to take home.
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