By One type of therapy won’t always work for everyone. The area of therapy has continued to expand and change as time has passed, continuously adding to a listen of different forms of group, individual and alternative therapy that a person may use to help them work through their issues.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy tends to focus on the belief that irrational thinking or skewed perceptions cause dysfunctions. The cognitive-behavioral therapist works with their client to change these negative thought patterns and problematic behavior so that their thoughts, perceptions, and behaviors are more productive and positive. This form of therapy works well in helping those with depression or anxiety.
EMDR Therapy
EMDR therapy, or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, therapy is an intensive form of psychotherapy meant to help a person deal with and process trauma and is very effective in helping those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). EMDR focuses on identifying and processing negative or traumatic memories which may be causing the client’s problems. When accessing these memories, the client focuses on an external stimulus such as eye movement, taps, or tones which can help to form new insights and emotions. EMDR is based on two main ideas: that eye movements improve the efficiency of therapeutic treatment by creating psychological and neurological transformations and that eye movement is a physiological form of internal desensitization.
Equine Therapy
Equine therapy utilizes horses as a way to become more self-aware and work on emotional healing. Working off of the natural bond between animals and human beings, this form of therapy benefits the patient by eliciting nurturing emotions, decreasing stress levels, reducing anger and hostility, improving social interactions, decreasing a person’s heart rate, and improving self-esteem and patience and trust. The key factor in equine therapy is that a patient can see their emotions mirrored in the horse, sometimes without even realizing that this was something that they were feeling in the first place, which allows them a better understanding of the self.
Family therapy
For some people, this may be one of the hardest forms of therapy to endure. Family therapy focuses on helping family members improve communication and resolve conflicts that may act as triggers for an issue or are caused by an issue. Additionally, it can help family members understand the struggles of a loved one with a mental disorder or resolve issues arising from a loved one who struggles with addiction. In most cases, this will not only improve communication and work to resolve these problems, but it will also help family members set the necessary boundaries and support systems that are beneficial to all parties.
There are multiple other forms of therapy that are available to the individual, many of which can help with a specific issue. Therapy is a helpful and oftentimes necessary part of treatment for those trying to overcome an addiction or deal with a mental or behavioral health disorder. Knowing about the different forms of therapy and how they can benefit you can be a useful tool in knowing where to start looking for therapeutic help.
