Understanding different schools is psychotherapy

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Ever wondered what the 7 in O7 Therapy stands for? It represents the number of major schools in psychotherapy. Them being:

Cognitive psychology
Gestalt psychology

Psychoanalysis
Humanism
Structuralism
Functionalism
Behaviorism

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Let’s take it from the top. Psychotherapy is a general term for treating mental health problems by talking with a psychiatrist, psychologist, or other mental health provider. To this date, there are over 250 schools of psychotherapy that explain how the human mind and behavior work. Yet, the 7 core schools/ theories mentioned above are what’s mostly being used and taught nowadays. Psychologists often have an eclectic view on psychology; they draw on ideas and theories from different schools rather than holding onto a singular perspective.

The Spectrum Behind the Different Schools in Psychotherapy

It’s challenging to explain how the human mind and behavior work. Individual differences are abundant, life experiences vary, emotions and thoughts are complex, and that is why professional mental health care providers have long been long studying hundreds of theories/concepts/perspectives that can help explain mind and behavior. The 7 core schools of thought can be broken down into three main levels:

Level One: The Deep Roots.

Some schools in psychotherapy focus on tackling people’s mental health challenges through a deep-rooted perspective. They focus mainly on what happened in a person’s past that has led to how they think, feel and behave today. A way to tap into that would be to revisit old experiences, past trauma, childhood disorders, that have suddenly resurfaced in current settings. The downside to these schools of thought is that the technique is often time-consuming and doesn’t necessarily tackle or address the current symptoms, the person’s feeling. It dismisses all current concerns and focuses on one’s past instead. That being said, people can get better and their symptoms can change, but it takes a very long time period and not in a straightforward manner. The psychoanalytical school is one example from the cluster of theories that uses this perspective; its approach is often concerned with tapping into individuals past deep experiences.

Level Two: The Specific Tackle

Other schools in psychotherapy focus on specific challenges the person brings forth and specific solutions on how to overcome them. For example, if a person comes in with a diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), then the psychologist/psychiatrist will use Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). This doesn’t only apply to disorders. If a person comes in with problems in regulating their emotions, then Dialectical- Behavioral Therapy (DBT) will be applied. This approach is often less time-consuming and deals with instant, specific, surface level solutions to one’s problems with the main aim of replacing negative challenges with positive, more adaptive ones. Behaviorism school in psychotherapy is one example of the psychology principle’s that takes on this perspective in dealing with people. You might have heard of operant or classical conditioning because to this date, it is used in conscious and unconscious means. For example: reinforcing your pet dog with treats whenever he answers to your command (classical conditioning) .

Level Three: The Middle Ground

These schools of psychology focus on having a middle ground approach to therapy. They do focus on the person’s current concerns and symptoms while also tapping into their past if they feel it is necessary to do so. These types of psychotherapy schools are most often used nowadays because they care most about treating the individual as a whole from all necessary viewpoints. The Cognitive psychology school is an example of this perspective where it approaches challenges in therapy by helping people develop tactics to solve problems, regulate emotions, and establish constructive patterns of thought and behavior. They work on current symptoms with clients and delve deeper into past ones if it is needed to get better. We can think of these three levels concerning the 7 core schools in psychotherapy as a spectrum where they fall as such:

Wrapping up

Psychology is an ever-evolving phenomenon that is bound to receive change, experimentation, and new input. That is because we are dealing with the study of people’s mind and behavior, hence fixed rigid approaches will not suffice. That is also why in therapy settings, there are always different schools/theories used depending on the professional’s qualifications and the client’s needs. It’s always a good idea to have a holistic, eclectic perspective on people and to gain such ideologies in therapy, we work together. Something that is not that known in therapy is how the psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker, or any other mental health care provider might work together to gain more insight and help the client with their full capacity. It makes having an eclectic view more tangible. And since it mostly depends on how unique each and every client is, the usage of the three levels depends on the case at hand.

A word from O7therapy

If you are currently seeking out therapy, we encourage you to ask about the schools your mental-health care provider uses. Ask questions about them and figure out together the best level that will suit your case best.

Understanding Different Schools in Psychotherapy

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