Why to do psychotherapy?

I don't like the idea of ​​selling a service, so this article is to explain what I do, why it's important, how it works and to normalize some feelings and beliefs about psychotherapy.

Starting with the simplest: a psychological follow-up process is carried out by a Psychologist, who applies clinical procedures in an informed way, derived from widely established psychological principles, validated and verified by scientific research. Extensive scientific research proves that people who have or have had psychological counseling have seen their symptoms reduce and their quality of life increase – thus showing the effectiveness of psychotherapy. Also, that there is no significant difference between therapeutic approaches - whether cognitive-behavioral, psychoanalysis, humanistic, existential, etc -, they are all equally effective, compared to the control group "people who do not or have any follow-up". Research also shows that the duration of a therapeutic process, as well as its prognosis, varies depending on the characteristics of the client - the type of problem and symptomatology, his history, his goals, what is happening in his life outside. of the psychotherapeutic session, and their willingness to make progress – as well as therapist and alliance variables.

There are several reasons that lead someone to seek psychotherapy: they may feel depressed, anxious or angry; they may need help with a chronic illness that interferes with their emotional and physical well-being; still, they may have short-term problems that they need help to resolve (a divorce process, grieving, feeling overwhelmed by the new job). It's also not uncommon for a person to be unsure about what the problem is, feeling sad or angry, not knowing the cause or how to stop feeling that way. It can also happen that the problem is so painful that you can't even talk about it - a good psychologist doesn't force you to do it, and the work starts with other goals until the client is comfortable sharing his pain, eventually when the alliance therapy is stronger.

The therapeutic alliance between Psychologist and Client is the basis of the process. In the first session, shared goals are negotiated, and in the process of achieving them, personal evolution is promoted through the transformation of emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and also the personality structure – a factor that promotes longer lasting results. The objective of my work is, therefore, to promote my client to develop a healthy functioning in the relationship with himself and with others, that he makes deliberate decisions and in accordance with his values ​​and objectives, that he expresses himself in a genuine way, satisfying the your needs in the best way, and finally, be autonomous.

It is common for people to feel apprehensive about starting psychotherapy, in addition to the stereotype (which seems to decrease every day), the idea of ​​sharing your most intimate aspects with a stranger can be embarrassing or even threatening. I believe that there should be no shame in assuming that we need help to solve problems: it is a sign that we need to make changes, to feel better about ourselves, with others and in the world, and just have the courage to overcome this ambivalence. it is the first step of the process and also one of the most important because it is your dedication that predicts your results! Again, a good psychologist understands how difficult this first contact is, and makes the process as comfortable as possible.

Now, there is something else to expect during the psychotherapeutic process: you may feel overwhelmed, angrier, sadder or more confused than you felt at the beginning of therapy. This doesn't mean that the therapy isn't working, it could be a sign that the therapy is encouraging you to confront difficulties or work hard for evolution. In all cases, these strong emotions are a sign of growth, not a sign of stagnation.

If you have any doubts, feel free to post them, I'll be happy to clarify them!

Take care.