What is psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy addresses personal difficulties you are experiencing. It allows you to talk openly and confidentially about your concerns and feelings with a trained professional.
Why see a psychotherapist?
Psychotherapy may be useful for you if:
- You are experiencing strong feeling of sadness, fear, depression or anger.
- You have experienced a traumatic event such as a serious accident or abuse.
- You’re going through a difficult transition in life such as a divorce or the death of a loved one.
- You are behaving in ways that are problematic to you or others.
- You need help dealing with addiction or an eating disorder.
- You are experiencing any family issues.
Does it work?
There are many studies that prove the effectiveness of psychotherapy. People with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome suffer from extreme fatigue. They generally have a decreased type of brain tissue called grey matter in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. Researchers in the Netherlands provided Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferers with 16 sessions of psychotherapy. The researchers then found a significant increase in grey matter volume in the prefrontal cortex following psychotherapy treatment. Psychotherapy also works incredibly well for depression and anxiety. One specific type of therapy called Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) has been studied over 300 times. It has been found to be just as effective as prescription antidepressants for people with depression and anxiety. Those who participate in CBT are half as likely to have a relapse of symptoms after ending treatment.
How does it affect the brain?
With the use of non-invasive imaging technologies, we can now see the workings of the brain during a psychotherapy session. Using these neuroimaging technologies, studies show hat psychotherapy treatments can change the brain in ways that are similar to SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) such as Paxil, Celexa and Prozac.
Is psychotherapy right for you?
Pursuing psychotherapy is a brave thing to do. It will allow you to work through anything in the way of your happiness. It will enhance your ability to make better decisions and it can help you reverse negative patterns in your life. If this sounds appealing, then psychotherapy is the perfect fit for you.
Until next time,
The Apollo Team
