Major categories of therapy
Insight therapies, behaviour therapies, biomedical therapies.
Why people seek or avoid therapy
Severity, stigma, cost, access, cultural beliefs, perceived effectiveness.
Mental health professionals
Psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, counseling psychologists, social workers, psychiatric nurses.
Insight therapies
Aim to increase self-understanding of underlying causes of problems.
Logic of Freudian psychoanalysis
Psychological problems stem from unconscious conflicts rooted in early experiences.
Psychoanalytic techniques
Free association, dream analysis, slips of the tongue, interpretation.
Resistance in psychoanalysis
Client’s unconscious efforts to block anxiety-provoking material.
Transference in psychoanalysis
Client projects feelings about important figures onto therapist.
Therapeutic climate
Empathy, genuineness, unconditional positive regard.
Rogers’ client-centred therapy
Non-directive approach facilitating self-growth through acceptance and empathy.
Positive psychology & insight therapy
Focus on strengths, well-being, meaning, and resilience.
Group therapy
Therapist-led sessions where clients share experiences and support each other.
Efficacy of insight therapies
Moderately effective; outcomes vary by disorder and therapist quality.
Principles of behaviour therapy
Maladaptive behaviours are learned and can be unlearned.
Systematic desensitization
Gradual exposure paired with relaxation to reduce anxiety.
Aversion therapy
Pairing unwanted behaviour with unpleasant stimuli.
Social skills training
Teaching communication, assertiveness, and interpersonal skills.
Cognitive therapy logic
Psychological distress arises from distorted thinking.
Cognitive therapy techniques
Identify, challenge, and replace maladaptive thoughts.
Effectiveness of behaviour therapies
Strong empirical support, especially for anxiety and phobias.
Goals of biomedical therapies
Reduce symptoms by altering brain chemistry or physiology.
Categories of psychotropic drugs
Antipsychotics, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, anxiolytics, stimulants.
Problems with drug therapy
Side effects, relapse after discontinuation, placebo effects.
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
Induced seizure used mainly for severe depression.
