Postmodern Therapy

In the 1940′s, the entire landscape of art was changed forever, when Jackson Pollack began releasing his paintings to the public. In 1965, Cormac McCarthy released his debut novel, The Orchard Keeper, with the unknowing result of transforming the world of literature. In 1989, Cesar Pelli’s vision of a new style of architecture was cemented, with the completion of the Wells Fargo Center. What do all these events have in common? Each one of these pieces of art, renegaded the post modern era, within their respective fields. The definition of the postmodern eras, was to “deconstruct” the existing mold. Although it is not a new phenomenon, postmodern therapy, is a unique and stylistic perspective on the field of psychology. This ideology, “deconstructs” the psychological mold, by highlighting “the given” (the things we take for granted) and attempting to establish a proper use for each. The main belief behind postmodern therapy is that it is impossible for any mental health “expert” to do deceiver what is “psychologically healthy”. The practitioners of this practice of therapy, attempt to minimize authority, while forming a communal relationship, between the patient and therapist. There are three separate styles of postmodern therapy; narrative therapy, solution-focused therapy, collaborative language system.

1. Narrative Therapy: This form of postmodern therapy is vested in two principles; “all human thought and behavior exist in cultural contexts that give them particular meaning and significance” and “people’s view of the world is shaped through a complex, generally unconscious process of sifting through experiences”.

2. Solution Focused Therapy: Solution Focused Therapy, encourages the patient to transform his/her problems to solutions. This unconventional method believes that whatever has worked for the patient in the past, will work now.

3. Collaborative Language System: This form of therapy, is closely related to actually therapy in its in office practice. The therapist and the patient attempt to “dissolve” problems and issues through conversations. This laid back approach, allows the patient to feel more comfortable and open up

Play Therapy

It is often difficult to understand the unknown. How can we understand the thoughts of children, when they do not know how to express themselves? Do we just ask? Will they eventually tell us? These remedies may work, but in the event they do not there is, play therapy. Play therapy is designated for children between 3 and 11. This form of therapy allows children to interact, express themselves, and communicate their feelings and emotions without ever saying a word. Play therapy relates to every other therapy in the way that there is a systematic model of success.

1. The therapists office will schedule an appointment with several children. In one session there can be as many as 2-5 children interacting. This organic interaction, allows the psychologist and psychiatrist, to properly evaluate the child’s emotions and feelings. This form of therapy allows the child to unknowingly reveal his emotion, while playing with other children.

2. Along with children interacting with other children, the therapist will have the child play with certain toys in order to determine his concentration and source of any stress. Each toy and each style of enjoying them represents a different emotion and feeling.

3. It is believed that people will interact with others, in order to work through internal anxieties. In this idea, children should be encouraged to play, in order to develop a healthy child.

4. The therapist will engage in a desensitization exercises, in order to eliminate stress for children. These exercises include teaching the child how to relearn certain behavior through a formal system of tests.

Gestalt Therapy

In 1964, Paul Goodman stated, “The issue is not whether people are ‘good enough’ for a particular type of society; rather it is a matter of developing the kind of social institutions that are most conducive to expanding the potentialities we have for intelligence, grace, sociability and freedom”. The institution, in which he would later help create and endorse, is the institution of Gestalt Psychology and Therapy.

1. GT’s Premise: Gestalt Therapy’s main concern is, the present; present issues, with present solutions. The method of human mental and physical interpretation are different from being aware. These two different forms of interpretation can be distinguished as direct and indirect experience. Once the client becomes aware of their daily process, they can develop a new perspective within their respective interpretation.

2. GT’s Practice: The practice of Gestalt theory can be broken down into four “load bearing walls”; phenomenological method, dialogical relationship, field-theoretical strategies, and experimental freedom.

The phenomenological method is comprised of three different stages; the rule of epoche, the rule of description, the rule of horizontalization. The rule of epoche is an opportunity for the patient to separate his preexisting assumptions, in order to expand their solution possibilities. The rule of description encourages the patient to erase preconceived notions, he/she has built through experience and establish unabashed observations. The last stage implies a non-hierarchical thought process.

Dialogical relationships is a practice where the therapist will build a comfortable atmosphere, and invite the patient to join him/her. In this atmosphere it is imperative that the patient reveal his/her issues.

Field theoretical strategies can be evaluated in two separate ways; ontological dimensions and phenomenological dimensions. The ontological dimensions is the tangible environment around you. This field supports our present existence and the reality of our problems.

Experimental freedom is a practice, in which the therapist will develop different exercises, in order to establish a better understanding of the issues at hand. These routine exercises are also an innovative way for the patient to understand his/her own issue, and develop a solution.

3. GT’s Issues: Although Gestalt therapy is a internationally practiced, it does have fall victim to several criticisms. Individuals who revolt against Gestalt therapy, claim that the idea of self is flawed, because of it is disregarding the idea of relationship. They also proclaim that the Gestalt idea of striving to change who one is, will eventu

Family Marital Therapy

You are born with family, but you choose your friends.” It can be difficult to establish and sustain a relationship with individuals you are you do not “choose”. Family therapy (a.k.a. couples therapy) is a psychotherapy based atmosphere which implores systems of interactions in an intimate atmosphere. Since the tension is deep, it is often difficult to see the solution. However, it is important to remember the solution is always beneficial. It is often believed that these therapy sessions are filled with argumentative forms of conversation based in a anarchical foundation, but family therapy is a systematic dissection of problems.

Methods of Therapy:

1. Communication Theory: It is important to not only reveal information, but to listen to another individual’s problems. This careful exchange of information can conceptualize the main issues and highlight a solution.

2. Psycho Education: Each session is conducted by a well trained therapist. The therapist will use her years of training and education to pinpoint the issues through exercises. Although it may seem like an average conversation; signs of an individual’s personality are laced in the way they conversate.

3. Psycho Therapy: This type of therapy is not for psychos; it is for any individual who must establish a well being. Once an individual, has formed a internal confidence, he/she will have an easier time understanding others issues.

4. Relationship Education: During these exercises, individuals are encouraged to understand each other and their issues. They are not only taught how to respond to certain relationship, but he/she is asked to perform the lessons they have learned.

5. Systemic Coaching: This practice is a new progression in the world of therapy. It allows the therapist to establish more of a coaching role, through constant feed back, positive reinforcement, and solutions through work. Coaching is a method which transcends the therapy office, and gives the patient a sense of familiarity.

6. Systems Theory: This theory investigates the the relationship of a group through nature, society, and science.

7. Reality Therapy: Reality therapy has no regard for the unconscoius or the past, the therapist is focused on the here-and-now quality of the problem. If you are suffering from mental and/or emotional stress; it derives from an issue occurring now; therefore the solution is in the present.

8. Media Psychology: Today more than ever, the media infiltrates our mind on a 24 hour basis. This constant injection of ideals, beliefs, morals, and values from a media stand point can mentally drown an individual. This form of psychology examines the way an individual responds, perceives, and interprets the media. Once their perspective is determined, the issue can be confronted, and the solution can be implemented.

Cognitive Therapy

In 1967, Ulric Neisser coined the term “cognitive psychology” when proclaiming, “The term “cognition” refers to all processes by which the sensory input is transformed, reduced, elaborated, stored, recovered, and used. It is concerned with these processes even when they operate in the absence of relevant stimulation, as in images and hallucinations… Given such a sweeping definition, it is apparent that cognition is involved in everything a human being might possibly do; that every psychological phenomenon is a cognitive phenomenon. But although cognitive psychology is concerned with all human activity rather than some fraction of it, the concern is from a particular point of view”. Through the practice of cognitive psychology, cognitive therapy was born. Each patient’s emotional and behavioral problem lie within a preconceived notion about perception, thinking, reasoning, and judgment. The idea behind, cognitive therapy is to alter those assumptions and attitudes, in order to properly direct the patient to a solution. Below, is a small list of the cognitive therapies offered by, psychologists and psychiatrist of today.

1. Cognitive Therapy: When an individual is suffering from, lets say, depression, cognitive therapy believes that is due to distortions in their perspectives (i.e. all or none thinking, over generalization, selective perception. Initially, the therapist will attempt to highlight these distortions, and then the patient is encouraged to change the attitudes.

2. Rational-Emotive Therapy (RET): The practitioners of this practice, believe that most problems, originate in irrational thought. Perfectionist and pessimists usually suffer from issues related to irrational thinking; for instance, if a perfectionist believes in perfection, and then encounters a small failure; “the world is over”. It is better to establish a reasonable standard emotionally, so the individual can live a balanced life. This form of cognitive therapy, is an opportunity for the patient to learn of his current distortions and successfully eliminate them.

3. Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT): This form of therapy is the most prevalent of practitioners in this field. The practice is cemented in the belief that using both cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy is more of a sufficient solution to success. There are very few therapist that solely believe in one style of therapy for success, anymore.

Behavioral Therapy

What comes to mind, when you think of a therapists office? Perhaps, you are lying on a couch, while the therapists takes notes, between his rhetorical questions (“what do you think the problem is?”); or maybe you are sitting in a white room while you study ink blot tests; well the days of stereotypical therapy are over. The advancement psychology and therapy have made over the past few generations have been incredible. Therapy, has not only made progressive movements in the psychological stand point, but the variations within therapeutic advancements, have enabled patients to recover in all different fashion.

Behavioral therapy uses learning principles to reduce the external distractions, in order to properly focus on the main issues. The method of behavioral therapy, eliminates Freud theory of the unconscious, and establish a perspective of events people can tangibly witness. During this practice, the individual is taught to replace his current fears for future goals (i.e. fear of heights for a goal to overcome that fear). The term behavioral therapy, actually encompasses several different styles of behavioral therapies, ranging from Exposure Therapy to Biofeedback.

1. Biofeedback: An individual has their heart rate or muscle tension monitored through a small machine. This function allows the patient to see the difference in his physical nature, during anger, humiliation, or depression. This information will teach the patients body how to properly react during times of stress.

2. Modeling: This simplistic perspective at recovery has been sweeping the psychological field. The patient will observe another individual performing their desired behavior. Once, the patient understands the simplicity behind his goal, it is intended to inspire their dedication to recovery.

3. Behavioral Activation: When an individual is currently suffering from depression, this is one of the most common forms of therapy. This practice of therapy encourages the patient to establish a list of goals, which would make their life more satisfying. The therapist will then advise the patient, to begin with the easiest and progress after each completion. This form of therapy not only displays responsibility, but a deep sense of independence.

4. Contingency Management: This controversial form of therapy attempts to purely ignore the negative and influence the positive.

5. Exposure Therapy: As opposed to the contingency management, exposure therapy, patients are encouraged to expose their traumatic experiences. This sort of therapy allows an individual to establish closure and peace to past events.

Art Therapy

Ernst Ludwig Kirchsner eloquently, stated, “A painter paints the appearance of things, not their objective correctness, in fact he creates new appearances of things.” A quote that has resonated through the minds of artists, and lies as the cornerstone ideology of art therapy. Since the beginning of psychology, it has been known that any form of art, is a liberating expression; but until recently those expressions were never analyzed. In order to completely understand the foundation of art therapy; the art assessments must be understood.

1. The Diagnostic Drawing Series: The therapist will put the patient through three different steps of drawing. The first step involves the individual drawing any picture they choose, using colored chalk pastels. The patient, is then asked to draw a tree. In the final part of the assessment, the individual is asked to draw how they feel using lines, shapes, and colors. After the test is completed, the therapist will analyze each picture, and attempt to determine the individual’s unconscious issues. As well as, establishing the underlying problems, the assessment is used as a liberating method for the patient.

2. The Mandala Assessment Research Instrument (MARI): The mandalas are designs that are in a geometric shape. This deck of mandalas originated in Buddhism, and is said to be a gateway into an individual’s spirituality and unconscious thought. In this assessment, the patient is asked to choose a mandala from the deck of cards, and then draw the chosen shape. Depending on the color in which they choose to draw a picture, and the style in which they draw; the therapist can attempt to diagnose an issue. This practice is based on the work of Joan Kellog; who believed that reoccurring shapes, can be a portal to an individual’s personality.

3. House-Tree-Person: The therapist encourages the patient to draw a picture in the order of the title (i.e. first, house; second, tree; third, person). Once the individual has drawn the required picture, the therapist will ask the patient several questions like, “What is the weather in this picture”, “What is the house made out of?”, “How old is the person in the house?”, “What is that person’s story?” Each answer an individual gives, is analyzed through previous training and charts, by the therapist.

4. Road Drawing: In this assessment, patient is asked to draw a road. Upon completion, the therapist will analyze the picture, in a “road of life” perspective. Although it seems, auspicous, a single drawing can depict an individual’s thoughts on his future, and his current standing in life.

Therapist

Find-a-Therapist.com

There is an abundance of websites found on the Internet these days that proclaim to be the “be-all and end-all” of mental health resources. The problem is, not many of them can live up to the reputations that they attempt to build for themselves. Find-a-Therapist.com on the other hand, has been designed by actual psychotherapists in the field so that the specific needs of mental health professionals and their clients may be met.

The original Find-a-Therapist Directory was launched in 1996, and has grown a great deal since then. In 2000, Find-a-Therapist.com expanded to include the website eTherapistsOnline.com, which is known to have the top clinicians in the therapy field providing their expert services. This website has made it a point to hand-pick every clinician available to users, and has even gone as far as to require a minimum of ten years post-graduate experience to assure quality. The tools being used by this eTherapistsOnline.com have made billing, scheduling, and claims management more efficient for mental health professionals than it has ever been in the past.

Find-a-Therapist.com is continuing to expand, even now. In November of 2008, another sister-site was developed and launched to fulfill the social networking needs of mental health professionals. The new website, FindHealthPros.com have made it possible for even the most isolated mental health professional to gain national exposure. The site also makes it easy for prospective patients to find a health professional in their area. Whether they are searching for a chiropractor or a physical therapist, FindHealthPros.com will help find a professional from most branches of medicine.

In a time where optimal health services from top professionals can be difficult to find, Find-a-Therapist, Inc. and their websites have made it their duty to offer assistance to everyday citizens. This company is providing high quality, affordable, and accessible services using groundbreaking tools and technology to do so. While other websites may make claims, Find-a-Therapist.com and their sister-sites are delivering superior service to their users and are continuing to grow on a daily basis.

Tim Du
Counselor Network Writer

Gamers

Therapists have said that some massive multiplayer online games, in which millions of people co-exist in video-game worlds, are as addictive as crack cocaine. Some youngsters, and adults, are spending so much time playing these games that they have lost touch with the real world.

A recent report by Sweden’s Youth Care Foundation described World of Warcraft, created by video-game behemoth Blizzard Entertainment, as “more addictive than crack cocaine”. The game attracts almost 12 million players every month, with users taking on the characters of dwarves, elves, wizards, and other fantasy creatures interacting with other players throughout a virtual world.

For some users the addiction to these massive multiplayer online games that they play them for up to 16 hours a day, leading them to neglect social and educational obligations.

Dr. Richard Graham, a consultant psychiatrist at the Tavistock Centre in London, has asked the Blizzard Entertainment, the company that makes Warcraft, to waive costs associated with joining the game so that therapists can more easily communicate with at-risk players. One down side to this, many therapists will have to familiarize themselves with the game to be able to reach out to those afflicted with addiction. In addition, there is no reason to believe that therapists will be received warmly on the game. In fact, simply typing ‘/block ‘username’ will bar therapists from making contact with their target patients until that person chooses otherwise. However, it is worth the try. Video game addiction is linked to ailments such as childhood obesity, cardiovascular disease,  and decreases in eye sight.

The reasoning behind this form of treatment is that those suffering from internet addiction do not show the same outward signs as is the case with other kinds of addiction. This is because those suffering from internet addiction suffer from severe isolation and, as a result, are often out of mind and out of sight. As a result, therapists are searching for alternative ways to reach out to the afflicted group. No one can be sure that therapists will be able to reach out to gamers by joining them, but considering the long-term health and social effects of addiction, it is worth a try.

What is video game addiction?

Because of the severe isolation mentioned before, it’s often easy to overlook those who suffer from severe video game addiction. Oftentimes, the dangers go unnoticed simply because video games, when compared to hard drugs and alcohol, are often seen as ‘not dangerous’. However, like any other addiction, video game addicts exhibit the same psychological addictive behaviors described as an impulse control disorder.

Signs of Addiction

1. Most free time is spent on the computer or video game console.
2. Fatigue.
3. Not keeping up with professional or educational obligations.
4. Choosing the computer or video game console over time with friends and family.
5. Dropping out of activies such as social groups, clubs or sports.
6. irritable cranky or agitated when not playing a video game or on the computer.
7. Lying to others about computer or video game use.
8. So involved in playing video games that you do not eat, sleep, or bathe.
9. Experiencing physical symptoms such as backaches, dry eyes, carpal tunnel or carpal tunnel-like symptoms.

Make no mistake, massive multiplayer online role-playing games are designed to be addictive. If you think your child is becoming a video game addict, it’s time to take control. Let them cry, whine, and complain all they want about placing restrictions on their game use, but be the parent. As with anyone with an addiction, the emotional ‘high’ they feel keeps them from understanding they have a real problem. Create an intervention. Force them to meet with therapists until they find one . They will be able to help in getting the child to recognize their problem and the negative effects of it, such as lack of social life, lack of other interests, poor health, and poor social skills. At the least, it will be 1 to 2 hours that day that is not spent in front of a video game. You can also use the opportunity to take your child out to eat or some other activity that will result in more time spent away from gaming.

Will Lee
Counselor Network Writer

Therapy for Grief

Group therapy is often used for grief because peer counseling and relationships with others who can empathize with one’s loss reduces the feeling of isolation that can result from grief. Group therapy is often moderated by a health professional or counselor. Group therapy for grief is different from many other forms of group therapy. This is because the goal is not to change an unwanted behavior or addiction. Instead, the goal is to ‘be there’ for a person and empathizing with exactly what they are feeling.

For example, when a person loses a loved one, he or she may receive a sudden influx of support and attention from friends and family. However, most friends and family will often move on after a few weeks, especially when the loss has no direct effect on them. Unfortunately, for those of us who have experienced long-term grief, those few weeks are simply not enough. This is where group therapy comes in. Group therapy offers the time and compassion for that person to continue the grieving process that is unavailable from friends and family.

When is grief counseling necessary?

Grief counseling becomes necessary when a person is so disabled by their grief, overwhelmed to the extent that their normal coping processes no longer work. People who have reached this point often feel sadness, anxiety, anger, loneliness, guilt, isolation, confusion, numbness, and feel unable to express their emotions.

Why group therapy?

In group therapy you can:

Learn more about how you are perceived by others
Experience a sense of acceptance and belonging
Discover that you are not alone in the grief you are feeling
Hear ideas from others which enhances your ability to make decisions and solve problems
Benefit from the experience from helping others
Learn to constructively express your feelings and ideas to others
Gain encouragement by observing the successes of others

Group therapy is also beneficial because, oftentimes, some subjects of grief are difficult to bring up to close ones. We worry about how we will be judged and how they will view us. This feeling is amplified by the fact that, oftentimes, we are not ready to move on from our grief, while others feel they have too many problems at hand already to continue listening to ours. Grief can be all-encompassing,

Although the goal of group therapy for grief is not to bring about the healing process quicker, that is often the result. Talking about one’s fears, and receiving constructive feedback and similar experiences, can bring peace to a patient much more quickly than if they are left to struggle on their own. Grief is a multi-faceted, but normal, response to a loss and should be treated as one. It can spiral out of control when limited support is available. These effects can pour over to family, friends, and affect your work performance. While some are able to work their way through grief alone, others may slide into a never-ending cycle unless they get intervention. It is important to remember – You are not alone.

Tim Du
Counselor Network Writer