Therapy is an effective treatment for many psychological disorders, but you don’t have to have a diagnosed psychological disorder or mental illness to get a lot of benefit out of psychotherapy. Therapy with a professional mental healthcare provider can help people learn to manage stress, communicate more effectively, get more out of their relationships, and lead a more satisfying life.

Many of the hurdles people encounter in life are caused by the ingrained, habitual ways they think about themselves, the world, what’s right and wrong and how their lives might, or should be. These thoughts become automatic, even reflexive, and when reality doesn’t live up to their expectations, people suffer from a loss of interest, disappointment, and apathy. The way people solve problems in their lives can also paradoxically cause hard to solve challenges.

As well, many of us have trouble coping with stress. For some, it’s the stress caused at work that’s a pain, and for others, it’s interpersonal or intimate relationships. The list of stressors is unending; here are a few of the most common.

  • Problems in relationships
  • Problems like stress, worry, and rumination
  • Adjustment to new or challenging life situations, like divorce, loss of a job, a move, and so forth
  • Difficulty communicating or connecting in a meaningful way with others
  • Social anxiety, trouble making friends
  • Everyday problems that seem to have no solution or feeling unable to changes one’s life
  • Worry, anxiety
  • Family or marital problems
  • Psychological conditions like depressive disorders and anxiety disorders, PTSD, and eating disorders

There are many techniques that help a therapist and client promote helpful changes in a person’s life. One of these is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, a short-term therapy that’s aimed at problem-solving. There’s no dream analysis or years -long process in CBT.[1] It’s a practical, goal-oriented therapy lasting from eight to sixteen weeks that’s useful for helping people learn adaptive ways of thinking that bring out positive changes in behavior. CBT can help a person identify the roadblocks that hold them back.

CBT is based on the idea that the way we think controls how we behave:

  • The way we habitually think affects our behaviors to such a degree that our behaviors are totally controlled by our perceptions
  • Changing the ways we interpret situations can help us consider new solutions.
  • Making new habits of thought can help us develop new and more helpful ways of solving problems and challenges in our lives

Everyone faces challenges that are unique and everyone deserves to be treated as an individual in pursuit of a better life. Damaris Aragon, ARNP, BC provides a full spectrum of mental health care to people in Spokane, Washington, and surrounding areas. She focuses on providing personalized, compassionate care that adheres to current evidence-based standards. Reach out to Damaris through her contact page or calling 509-342-6592.

 

 

 

[1] https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cognitive-behavioral-therapy/about/pac-20384610