1. Approaches to Therapy *
Treating Psychological Disorders

2. Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychoanalysis *
The “talking cure”
Lengthy, expensive
Freud’s techniques include:
Free association
Dream analysis
Transference
Insight and interpretation
Psychoanalysis Video

3. Client (Person) Centered Therapy *
Humanistic Perspective
Focus on Personal Growth
Carl Roger’s Techniques include:
Develop therapeutic alliance:
1) Therapist is genuine
2) Unconditional Positive Regard
3) Empathy with client
Promote congruence between real and ideal self.
Person Centered Therapy Video‬‏

4. Behavior Therapy* Based on principles of learning
Focus on present, specific change desired
Baseline measured; goals established.
Use of associations, reinforcements, punishment, cues, extinction, shaping, etc.
Specific goals include: skills training, anxiety reduction, elimination of problem behavior.
Virtual reality therapy‬‏ video

5. Cognitive Therapy
Includes cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) & Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (RET or REBT)
Clients identify distorted or incorrect beliefs that are causing problems
Learn to think in a new, more logical ways, e.g. “I can survive” v. “I can’t live without him.”
Reframe situations, e.g. “challenges” or “opportunities” instead of crises or disasters
Homework, short term; new patterns of thinking that can be used in future situations.
Cognitive Therapy Video‬‏

6. Evaluating & Comparing Therapies
Research supports the benefits of psychotherapy.
Specific type of therapy doesn’t matter much.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy has the most research support.
Good therapies share several general features:
They give people hope.
They help them think more carefully about themselves and about their relationships with others.
They provide a therapeutic alliance.

7. Biological Therapies *
Medical Model
Drugs (anti-anxiety, anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, stimulants, mood stabilizers)
Often combined with talk therapies
If non-response to talk and drugs, may require:
ECT (electroconvulsive therapy)
Psychosurgery
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Video‬‏

8. What do you think?
Which therapy do you think would best suit your personality?
What would you be willing to consider for a family member if your doctor advised?
Which therapies do you think are appropriate for children?
Which therapies should insurance pay for?