What is Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is a formal relationship between a psychotherapist and a client. The client's mental health is improved through an exploration of thoughts and feelings. Typically this involves a series of meetings over the course of weeks, months or sometimes years.

Psychotherapy was originally developed around the turn of the last century by Sigmund Freud, a neurologist from Vienna. Nowadays, it is considered to be an effective and proven treatment for mental ill-health, and has diverged into more than 400 different styles of psychotherapy.

Which Style of Psychotherapy?

With so many styles of psychotherapy, how is anyone supposed to choose the right one for them? It is true that there are some forms of psychotherapy that suit certain forms of mental ill-health, but nearly all research into psychotherapy suggests that the style of psychotherapy has a negligible impact on the outcome. What matters more is that you choose a psychotherapist with whom you can form a strong bond - as a client you should feel that you have a close and trusting relationship with your psychotherapist. If you feel uncomfortable in their sessions purely because of who they are, then maybe you should find another therapist.

For those who want to know more about the theory of my particular work as a psychotherapist, I would invite you to clink on the links below and explore some of the schools of thought that have influence my practice:

Existentialism: While this is not a form of psychotherapy itself, it is the philosophy that underpins my practice.

Existential Psychotherapy: This is the primary style of psychotherapy that I practise, a method adapted from existentialism.

Psychoanalysis: This is Freud's original school of psychotherapy and in many ways the definitive.

CBT: This is a more modern form of psychotherapy, popularized by its increased capacity to be measurable and carried out within a relatively short time frame.

Arrange a Session

Should you decide to begin a course of psychotherapy then please e-mail me at info@counselling-brighton.co.uk or call 07714 324542 to arrange your initial session.

Psychotherapy Articles

How Psychotherapy Works: The APA talk to Dr. Bruce E. Wampold, author of 'The Great Psychotherapy Debate', about the benefits of psychotherapy.

What Really Makes Psychotherapy Work: Ori and Rom Brafman discuss the importance of a strong alliance in effective psychotherapy.

Finding a Therapist who Can Help You Heal: Melinda Smith and Jeanne Segal discuss the client's responsibility in psychotherapy, as well as some advice in finding the right psychotherapist.