Each person is unique and responds differently to feedback and comments. They can be received as a help, or as a criticism depending on the person. Similarly, some appreciate receiving a compliment, while others will be wary and find it suspicious… Each one being unique, the choice of the type of therapy and the therapist is also individual and unique.
Each type of therapy has its strengths and weaknesses.
A strength of behavioral and cognitive therapy is to focus on the problem and to structure the action to be taken to get out of it. On the other hand, CBT leaves little room for deeper analysis. As a psychologist mastering these various therapeutic approaches, it is obvious that I use techniques belonging to different types of therapy if it seems appropriate to me during my consultations.
EMDR therapy has the advantage of giving quick results, but on the other hand it requires revisiting the trauma, which can be emotionally taxing.
Brief solution-focused therapy is goal-oriented and does not require revisiting the past. On the other hand, it limits the emotional connection with the therapist.
It is important to discuss with the therapist what you are looking for. Certain types of therapy are more indicated for certain psychological problems, and not very suitable for others. Similarly, some types of therapy require more sessions. The therapist you choose should be able to discuss it freely with you and give you useful information and recommendations.
At Barends Psychology, we offer online therapy services. The first session is free, and is used to get to know your therapist better, and vice versa. Learn more about online therapy rates and schedules .
Type of therapy – Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) combines two types of therapy: Cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy. CBT focuses on the problem and its resolution. Using this approach, the therapist helps the individual to question their beliefs and patterns of thought and behavior, to replace them with more appropriate patterns. For example, modifying the “white or black” way of thinking by introducing nuances, the same for the tendency to generalize, or even in catastrophist thinking.
The theory behind CBTs is based on the idea that irrational cognition (thoughts) produce maladaptive behaviors (eg aggressiveness or avoidance). By questioning these irrational thoughts, the therapist helps the client to act on his reasoning, his interpretation of situations, but also on his behavior.
Type of therapy – SFBT (Solution focused Brief Therapy)
Solution-focused brief therapy focuses on the present and future goals, rather than the past. The therapist encourages the individual to develop a vision of the future and to determine the skills and resources needed to achieve the goal. Solution-focused brief therapy assumes that the individual already has the skills to change, but needs help to identify and develop them.
This approach allows people in difficulty to immediately use tools to manage the symptoms and the difficulties of the present. This form of therapy also explores the client’s vision for the future, and the development of the intrinsic capacities to achieve it. This therapeutic approach is suitable for monitoring individuals and couples.
Type of therapy – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR Therapy).
EMDR therapy is used in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and for traumas that do not meet the criteria for PTSD (e.g. repeated humiliations in the past that affect present behavior) . EMDR is an extremely effective therapy that eliminates the symptoms of trauma more quickly than other approaches (such as CBT). The starting postulate suggests that the traumatic events are not properly processed by the brain, leading the traumatic experience to resurface and the individual to produce negative thoughts about himself. He is then condemned to relive the emotions of the trauma which are triggered by the sight, sound, smell or sensation caused by an event sometimes unrelated to the trauma. EMDR makes it possible to complete the complete treatment of the traumatic event. The patient is no longer affected by the traumatic memory, and improves self-perception and self-esteem.
EMDR is also very effective in the treatment of phobias and bereavement.
Type of therapy – The person-centered approach (PCA).
The person-centered approach is a therapy founded by Carl Rogers. It is based on the assumption that the individual has an innate potential for development. The therapy relaunches the spontaneous process of evolution which has been hampered by circumstances (childhood, trauma). The objective is to develop the client’s autonomy by teaching him to trust what he feels. The customer has an active role. It is he who leads his therapeutic approach with the support of the therapist who accompanies him in the work of evolution. Empathy and unconditional positive acceptance of the patient are among the therapist’s tools in PCA.
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