Can Psychotherapy Really Help?

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Therapy in this case means behaviour change or at least behaviour modification, which can be achieved in a number of ways. Psychotherapy all started with Freudian psychoanalysis, but protracted therapy sessions with an analysis slowly grew less popular as people looked for quicker ways to solve their problems.



More recently CBT or Cognitive Behaviour Therapy which has evolved from behaviour Modification Therapy has become increasingly more popular. It is now in common usage as a treatment option and is widely accepted as an empirically based and cost effective treatment alternative by the medical establishment. Thus it is used to address many disorders and psychological problems. If for instance somebody is suffering from an anxiety state such as the fear of flying the person will set up a number of protective behaviours that will guard them from the belief that flying is inherently dangerous. Overall they will probably avoid flying in an aeroplane at all. If forced some people will travel by air but in great discomfort and under a lot of stress. In some cases anti-anxiety drugs may alleviate this. However, if the individual avoids flying altogether they will find that the behaviour inhibits them in many avenues of life. For instance it will be difficult to travel on overseas holidays which might result in family pressures. More likely the real crunch will come when the person is required to travel abroad for work reasons. A refusal or inability to fly could have huge repercussions on work prospects and could lead to the loss of a job. However, we all have feelings about flying which can range on one hand to an exhilarating adventure and to the other to something that is dreaded, I think all will agree it would be nice to have a choice in the matter. CBT is able to help in situations like this by getting the subject to examine the beliefs that came into being that designated flying as something dangerous. Frequently the cause events go back to childhood. However, CBT is unable to deal with a problem like fear of flying quickly. It will take several months to come to a place where the subject is able to take a plane and travel to a destination with acceptably reduced stress levels. Unfortunately people in need of this treatment to offset the fear of flying usually do not have the luxury of this elongated time frame. Very often business executives are notified of overseas business trips just a few short weeks before departure date. Moreover treatment requires severall therapy sessions and this can work out costly. However, it must be said that treatment techniques like CBT are considerably better than those that preceded them, so it seems we are on a gradually improving learning curve.

However, when we go outside the empirically proven techniques that fit within the belief structures of the scientific principals favoured by the medical profession we do come to therapies that are quick and effective, Hypnosis or more precisely hypnotherapy has gained favour over the years because it can be effective and it can be quick. Some people are afraid because there are so many misconceptions about hypnosis. Many people think that a cloaked Svengali figure will take possession of their minds whilst waving a pocket watch in front of their eyes. This is nonsensical but stereotyped images like this get in the way of the true effectiveness of hypnosis.

More recently the Meridian Energy Therapies have gained some popularity. The best known of these therapies is EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique. There is no hypnosis involved merely the tapping of the end points of the acupuncture meridians in a form of acupressure. EFT has had some amazing results from ridding people of life long phobias in a matter of minutes to curing Dengue Fever! It can be effective and is worth checking out because psychotherapy in the expert hands of a capable practitioner can result in truly amazing long-term benefits.


Alister Bredee is a therapist and trainer. He is the author of "Full Circle, Dancing the Meridians" and "Energy Essence and Attractor Fields" both are available as an e-books from Banishing Fears and Phobias Where you can download the first chapter for free.