INTRODUCTION OF PSYCHOTHERAPY

It often happens in many of our day-to-day lives that we hear from friends or family that someone close to us is going to begin therapy of one sort or another. In order to understand what this implies, we must first establish a proper definition of what therapy is. For instance, one simple definition of psychotherapy is described as "the treatment of mental or emotional illness by talking about problems rather than by using medicine or drugs" (2017). On the other hand, others may define it as a treatment of mental, emotional or even physical disorders by psychological means. However, the most common medical defines it as "any alteration in an individual's interpersonal environment, relationships, or life situation brought about especially by a qualified therapist and intended to have the effect of alleviating symptoms of mental or emotional disturbance" (Merriam-Webster's Learner's Dictionary, 2016). It is also commonly known as therapy through conversation.

Different people have different opinions of psychotherapy, and many of us may wonder whether it is really efficient, or if it even works at all. Most experts in health-related fields will agree that it helps to a certain extent. There are enough resources out there to help individuals feel better and improve their overall health.

However, bettering oneself cannot solely come from external sources; it must come from within. One needs to accept that there will always be some days that are better than others. No one is ever one hundred percent healthy, and here are many factors that can affect health. Drops in overall health are normal and happen to everyone. Flus, fevers, colds, coughs, or other small illnesses are events in life that are to be taken in stride. However, some people may develop concern by some of these symptoms and may choose to undergo psychotherapy as a result.

In the following paragraphs and pages, I will describe and talk about psychotherapy in more depth. My hope in writing this book is that you, as the reader, will develop a better sense of understanding of what psychotherapy is, and consequently use this book as a source of knowledge in your life and in the life of those around you.

What is psychology?

Psychology – from the Greek word meaning "breath, spirit, and soul" - is the scientific study of human and animal mind and behavior. In psychology, we study the thought process, mental process, the brain, emotions, feelings, memories, reasoning, language, dreams, evolution of species, life development, biology, criminal investigation, and the way we think through different methods of research. Humans study such areas as human development, sports, health, clinical, social behavior and cognitive processes.

What is psychiatry?

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has specialized in mental health and mental disorders. Oftentimes a psychiatrist is an expert in addiction, anxiety, behaviour, cognition, depression, emotion, mania, mood, psychosis, perceptions, and various other fields. Their practice often focuses on the diagnoses and treatment of mental illnesses.

What is Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is a practice performed by psychologists that is used to assist patients with mental issues. Both psychologists and registered, qualified counselors, practice psychotherapy, which uses various approaches in healing including: cognitive-behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy, among others, to treat individual patients based on their unique backgrounds and concerns. The treatment is based on the ground relationship between clients or patients with psychologists or counselors, and helps one to be free of discussion in an open dialogue with someone that can provide an environment that helps you to communicate openly with one who is objective, nonjudgmental, and neutral. By analyzing your mental states, thoughts, and behavior, one can help you solve the very issues that prompted you to begin a session in the first place. One will help you develop with skills and challenges that were in the past, from present to future.

"Psychotherapy is a professional practice regulated by laws in Quebec. The Bill 21 gives an accurate definition of psychotherapy. It is a "psychological treatment for a mental disorder, behavioral disturbance or other problem resulting in psychological suffering or distress, and has as its purpose to foster significant changes in the client's cognitive, emotional or behavioral functioning, interpersonal relations, personality or health. Such treatment goes beyond help aimed at dealing with everyday difficulties and beyond a support or counselling role." (2017)." There are many types of psychotherapy: for individuals, couples, and families. Anyone can benefit from ps psy·cho·ther·a·py and it pronounce as n. pl. psy·cho·ther·a·pies.

Where does psychotherapy come from?

According to Tyrrell., M. (2003)., the origins of psychotherapy date from 3,500 years ago in ancient Egyptian and Greek writing. The terminology "Counselling" or "Psychotherapy" simply mean "helping someone using psychological means". The word counselling was used as early as 1386 in Chaucer's Wife of Bath's Tale (Tyrrell, 2003). In the Western domains, Orientalists have noted that "Sufi literature is full of evidence of profound psychological insight and sophisticated psychotherapeutic procedures. Historical Sufis such as Jalaludin Rumi of Afghanistan and El Ghazali of Persia display psychological understandings which have only recently been paralleled in the West". This practice has existed has since for many years through verbal communication, in one form or another.

Branches of psychotherapy

There are many distinctions between branches of psychotherapy, but these may not be so blatant to people unfamiliar with the topic as it is for health professionals. There are many different branches of psychotherapy in the world. This is why I will only discuss a select few in this book.

For example, the following is an alphabetically ordered list of a variety of types of therapy practiced today: art therapy, attack therapy, behavior therapy, chess therapy, child therapy, dance therapy, drama therapy, emotional focus therapy, expressive therapy, family therapy, feminist therapy, Freudian psychotherapy, Gestalt therapy, group therapy, hypnotherapy, interpersonal therapy, Jungian psychotherapy, logo therapy, marriage therapy, music therapy, narrative therapy, nude psychotherapy, parent-child therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, reality therapy, relationship counselling, sex therapy, social therapy, and many more. Surprisingly enough, each country has their own types of therapy, but some popular ones are recurring in many countries. The following paragraphs will go into more detail about the different types of therapy.

Art therapy

Art therapy can be understood as a way of expressing oneself mentally, emotionally, and physically when going through a difficult time. It is a type of therapy that is used to explore oneself creatively. Doing something artistic can be beneficial to developing one's skills and thus helping one achieve their goals by reducing stress, overcoming self-esteem issues, and controlling their own behavior and feelings.

Some people enjoy drawing or panting while others enjoy activities such as sculpting, all depending on their own qualities and talents. For some, coloring books are great stress reducers. Being a professional artist is definitely not a requirement for undergoing art therapy.

Of course, different people will have different talents, and these are explored in this type of therapy. That said, everyone can benefit in some way or other from this type of therapy. It has different outcomes depending on the person in question. However, most people will find that it helps them heal, treat, and rehabilitate themselves.

Usually, art therapists have knowledge in a wide array of psychological theories; some may have clinical practice, while others may take a more spiritual approach to therapy. There are therapists who focus on certain age groups, while others cater to all ages, and with entirely different circumstances. Art therapists usually work in wellness centers, schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, medical institutions, nursing homes, or in private practices. One of the main advantages of art therapy is that anyone can express themselves in various ways.

Behavior therapy

According to Kristeen Cherney (2013), behavior therapy is defined as "a treatment that helps change potentially self-destructing behaviors. It is also called behavioral modification or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Medical professionals use this type of therapy to replace bad habits with good ones. The therapy also helps people cope with difficult situations. It is most often used to treat anxiety disorders. However, one does not need to be diagnosed with a mental health disorder to benefit from this kind of therapy". Behavior therapy can be used to treat illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, social phobia, and to help those who have to live alongside people with these disorders. This therapy can be also very useful for someone who has autism, substance abuse, a personality disorder or an eating disorder. Behavior therapy is a really important type of therapy in our society. Many different techniques can be recommended to patients to help them cope with a variety of situations. For example, some such techniques include breathing exercises, journal writing, or meditation. Some medical professionals also suggest positive thinking and positive reinforcement, as well as daily exercise. Feelings of pain, fear, and anger are often targeted by these recommendations. One of the great benefits of this kind of therapy is developing an increased ability to cope with the stresses of life. The main goal of behavior therapy is to acquire a better understanding of oneself and the available treatments. Behavior therapy is a learning process that helps patients deal more effectively with their moods and their emotions. The greater investment one puts into therapy, the greater reward they receive. There is nothing to lose when undergoing behavior therapy, there is only knowledge to be gained. The most important is that the patient finds ways of healing themselves and feeling better overall.

My advice to you is to boost your motivation. Attend all the sessions that the medical expert schedules. Greater involvement leads to greater recovery. After all, everything will depend on you. The healing system is there for you, and you need to use it. How fast you heal will depend on if you really want to feel better and continue your journey all the way through. Using this therapy will help you in your daily life. It is not a cure but a way for each individual to get better gradually.

Chess therapy

What can be said about chess therapy? It is quite common to see people playing chess, but chess therapy is less well-known. Chess is a fun game that was created in Asia. According to Wikipedia, Chess History "the most commonly held belief is that chess originated in India, where it was called Chaturanga, which appears to have been invented in the 6th century AD. Although this is commonly believed, it is thought that Persians created a more modern version of the game after the Indians" (2016).

It is one of the most famous games around the world that people play. It is a game that requires two players. The game can last anywhere from a few minutes to many hours. Some players even choose to play each move once a day, others once a week, and some even once a month. Some chess games can go on for years. Depending on your opponent, chess can be fun and entertaining or long and tiring. It is a game that requires deep thinking, calm emotions, patience, and acceptance. The game requires thinking out each move to achieve the ultimate goal of putting your opponent in a "check mate", where he or she can no longer play.

In order to think clearly, emotions need to be controlled and balanced, otherwise performance can be easily affected. Therefore, this game could take many hours to play, depending on the players. Nowadays, there are chess clocks that time each player's turn to ensure that moves are played in a timely manner. If one player exceeds the time, then the other player wins automatically. This game is very strategic and helps develop your mind.

Today in Quebec, Canada, chess is introduced to elementary and high school. The main goal of this introduction is to get students to think differently and interact with others from different cultural backgrounds.

The game of chess is simple in theory. It is played between two opponents on opposite sides of a board containing 64 squares of alternating colors. Each player has 16 pieces: 1 king, 1 queen, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, 2 knights, and 8 pawns. The goal of the game is to checkmate the other king.

According to Dr. Angelo Subida (2014), a psychotherapist who has a private clinic in the Philippines, chess therapy can help people overcome certain mental health issues. According to him "chess therapy is now used by numerous psychotherapists and doctors. It has become a popular creative psychotherapy technique in the past 20 years. This therapy has been known to produce positive results with children who have bipolar disorders, depression, ADHD, and neuro-behavioral disorders." This type of therapy is great for people with certain kinds of mental illness. Chess therapy is a creative form of therapy used to develop bonds between the psychotherapist and his/her clients. According to Dr. Angelo Subida, (2014), "chess therapy was founded as early as AD 852-932 by a certain Dr. Rhazes who was chief physician at Baghdad Hospital. Dr. Rhazes uses chess strategies and tactics as metaphors in real life to help patients think clearer".

Child therapy

Being a child can be very difficult. Some children have a hard time just being a child, whereas, it is also difficult to be a good parent. What happens when some children need more attention than others, or what happens when parents need more attention than others? Parenting is important and most of all, parents want the best for their children. One way to know if children need more attention is to observe their behaviour when they start to go to school. Parents usually want their children to have the best education. Teachers can usually help detect a child who has a disability.

A child may show signs of learning difficulties early on while others may develop problems over time. Early detection is best. Your child might have dyslexia, learning disability or ADHD or others types of illness. A child may be seen as intelligent to some, but not to others.

Does your child need to work very hard to get better grades in school? Is he or she struggling a lot to get the passing grade or is the child taking a lot of your time to do their homework? Do you help them daily with their extra work at home? Do teachers call often or complain about having a hard time completing their tasks at school? Can you see that your child does not put enough effort at school or spend more time playing rather than doing homework? There are many questions that can be asked but you need to find the time to figure out the answers. Child therapy is one way of getting answers. Teachers can evaluate each child with various types of tests. Your child's academic level and cognitive development can be examined in order for your child to be helped during his years at school. Strengths and weaknesses can be revealed through these tests and recommendations can be made to improve the situation as well as the grades of the child. Some children may show signs of struggles while developing their language skills. Regular assessments help psychotherapists monitor educational progress. It is wise to see a psychologist or a therapist when your child is not listening to you, or when your child seeks negative attention. Sometimes, your child may even disrupt other children by using force or screaming, developing negative bonds with other children around. You do not know what to do or how to behave with your child? You need to find a solution and maybe contact a therapist. Having problems with your child can also damage your relationship with your spouse and sometimes your surroundings. It is possible to change your child's behavior without punishing him or her. Therapists can guide you to better manage your stress and find solutions to cope with your suffering child. What happens when your child has anxiety? Your child may cry often or scream, feel sad, be angry, be afraid or may even be unable to sleep at night. In order to help your child overcome his or her problems, you will need to better manage your own behavior. Having problems with low self-esteem can cause brain damage in children. They may give up very quickly and have trouble understanding daily routine or tasks. He or she may feel shy and need to be pushed to do any activities. Children need to believe in themselves and a parent needs to help them thrive in that area. You can do this by reminding them of things they have already accomplished and succeeded at before. Do this often and gradually they will become more and more confident to undertake projects and set goals on their own. When children feel pride in what they do, their sense of self-worth is strengthened. Eventually, this habit helps children lead productive lives.