People typically make the decision to enter psychotherapy only after giving the decision considerable thought. Usually, they are in a situation that is causing them significant distress and where other options for making things better have already been exhausted. Having made the decision to seek psychotherapy, it is helpful to know what psychotherapy involves!

The word therapy implies in the service of healing. Psychotherapy literally means a therapy of the mind (the Psyche). We now recognize that mind involves our thoughts, our emotions, the connections between our thoughts/emotions and also our physical bodies. Mind operates at both a conscious level (in our awareness), as well as out of our direct awareness, in what we call the unconscious mind. There are many different approaches to psychotherapy, each of which emphasizes slightly different aspects of the relationship between these different parts of the mind and our day-to-day behavior. Ultimately, the decision about which psychotherapy approach you pursue depends on the concerns with which you are wrestling. Certain psychotherapies have shown to be more effective with certain kinds of presenting problems. However, one of the biggest factors to consider in deciding whether to go forward with psychotherapy often has less to do with the psychotherapy approach itself and more to do with the comfort level and trust that you develop in working with a particular psychotherapist.

At Partners in Healing our clinicians are well versed in a variety of psychotherapy styles tailoring the approach to your individual needs and issues.

For more information regarding psychotherapy you may visit the American Psychological Association website: www.apa.org.