Month: July 2021

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy constitutes a group of treatment procedures aimed at identifying and modifying faulty thought processes, attitudes and attributions, and problem behaviours. CBT focuses on solutions, encouraging patients to challenge distorted cognitions and change destructive patterns of behaviour. The tools deployed in CBT—which include learning to identify and dispute unrealistic or unhelpful thoughts and developing problem-solving skills—have been used to treat a broad range of mental health challenges. CBT is now considered among the most efficacious forms of therapy, especially when clients incorporate strategies into their daily life. This effort to gain insight into one’s cognitive and behavioural processes and modify them in a constructive way often involves ongoing practice but research has proven CBT to be an effective tool in the management of variety of mental health issues viz. depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, phobias, panic, schizophrenia and OCD to name a few.

Relaxation training is a general term that refers to methods that are used to teach and learn specific techniques to help people moderate or control reactivity or arousal that is problematic to them. It includes various arousal control methods, such as muscle relaxation training, biofeedback, meditation, imagery, and paced breathing. Relaxation training often is used in behaviour therapy as a means to reduce anxiety, tension, and stress. Research has shown it to be effective in a variety of disorders and conditions, primarily those related to anxiety, fear, and stress. Training patients to relax typically involves providing a rationale, demonstrating exercises, and practicing relaxation in treatment sessions. In addition, patients almost always are asked to practice (“homework”) between therapy sessions. Often, forms or log books are used for patients to record details about their practice. It also can be used to help facilitate communication during a therapy session with a client who may be too tense or anxious to communicate effectively with the therapist. The goal of relaxation training is to make the person physically relaxed and mentally alert. Relaxation training is different from lazing on once bed, sleeping and just not doing anything. It involves a series of steps which one must follow to achieve a state of lowered physiological arousal. Learning how to relax is beneficial in various situations, this simple technique can increase energy, motivation and productivity.

Supportive psychotherapy is a dyadic treatment that uses direct measures improve symptoms and maintain, restore, or improve self-esteem, ego function, and adaptive skills. This therapy is based on encouragement, optimism and support. Through supportive therapy one might be able to resume one’s daily’s activities and use his ability to cope with them. The aim of this therapy is also to reduce and prevent anxiety along with increasing a person’s awareness of his illness or his problem. The therapist attempts to help patients deal with their emotional distress and problems in living. It includes comforting, advising, encouraging, reassuring, and mostly listening, attentively and sympathetically. The therapist provides an emotional outlet, the chance for patients to express themselves and be themselves. Also, the therapist may inform patients about their illness and about how to manage it and how to adjust to it. Depending on the client’s specific needs, as well as the degree of severity or complexity of the issues at hand, supportive psychotherapy may be a short-term intervention or a longer-term, ongoing form of treatment. It can be a very beneficial treatment for a wide range of psychiatric disorders throughout the life span like Developmental disorders, Psychotic disorders, Mood disorders, Anxiety disorders, Personality disorders, Adjustment disorders, etc. Supportive psychotherapy can help these individuals by reducing their anxiety, providing a nurturing, positive relationship, improving and reinforcing their coping skills, boosting their self-esteem, providing reassurance when appropriate, confronting inappropriate behaviour when necessary, and giving them guidance and advice as needed.

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) assumes that the development and maintenance of some psychiatric illnesses occur in a social and interpersonal context and that the onset, response to treatment, and outcomes are influenced by the interpersonal relations between the patient and significant others. The overall goal is to reduce or eliminate psychiatric symptoms by improving the quality of the patient’s current interpersonal relations and social functioning. The therapy moves through three defined phases: (1) The initial phase is dedicated to identifying the problem area that will be the target for treatment; (2) the intermedi¬ate phase is devoted to working on the target problem area(s); and (3) the termination phase is focused on consolidating gains made during treatment and preparing the patients for future work on their own. IPT is concerned with the ‘interpersonal context’—the relational factors that predispose, precipitate and perpetuate the patient’s distress. In addition, the treatment also aims to assist patients to improve their social support network so that they can better manage their current interpersonal distress.

Behaviour therapy is a direct and active mode of therapeutic intervention that recognizes the importance of behaviour, acknowledges the role of learning, and includes thorough assessment and evaluation. Instead of exploring past traumatic events or inner conflicts, behaviour therapists focus on the presenting problem—the problem or symptom that is causing the patient great distress. A major assumption of behaviour therapy is that abnormal behaviour is acquired in the same way as normal behaviour—that is, by learning. A variety of behavioural techniques have therefore been developed to help patients “unlearn” maladaptive behaviours by one means or another. Techniques used in Behaviour therapy include Exposure therapy, Aversion therapy, Modelling, Systematic use of reinforcement and Token economies. Behaviour therapy ranges wide and is known to be successfully applied in children, adults as well as old age population.

Anger is a fundamental emotion that everyone experiences from time to time. Anger affects your mental and physical health, and may interfere with one’s interpersonal relationships. Learning to recognize and express anger appropriately can make a big difference in your life. Techniques of anger management can help avoid destructive behaviour, communicate with others effectively, solve problems and reach your goals. The goal of anger management is to reduce both your emotional feelings and the physiological arousal that anger causes. You can’t get rid of, or avoid, the things or the people that enrage you, nor can you change them, but you can learn to control your reactions. Anger management begins with understanding the causes and signs of anger, and teaches you ways of monitoring yourself in such circumstances that prevent an anger outburst. Our psychologists and clinical psychologists will help you find out what it is that triggers your anger, and then to develop strategies to keep those triggers from tipping you over the edge.

Nutrition is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Without proper nutrition, one does not have enough energy to make it through the day. Also, health declines without proper nutrition, making one more susceptible to illness and disease. Also, certain problems like Eating Disorders and obesity often lead to malnutrition which, in the long run, can lead to serious diseases. Diet counselling helps the person to create an action plan so as to adopt a healthier lifestyle and diet. Through diet counselling, individuals can learn more about how their food choices affect their health. It is an ongoing process in which the counsellor works with an individual to assess his or her usual dietary intake and identify areas where change is needed. He/she provides information, educational materials, support, and follow-up to help the individual make and maintain the needed dietary changes.

Stress is a normal part of life. In small quantities, stress is good; it can motivate you and help you become more productive. However, too much stress, or a strong response to stress can be harmful. Stress can come from any situation or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or anxious. Everyone sees situations differently and has different coping skills. For this reason, no two people will respond exactly the same way to a given situation. Managing stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems. The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and fun – plus the resilience to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head on. Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. Once you know your potential stressors, you can either (a) change the situation – by avoiding or altering the situation or (b) change your reaction – by accepting or adapting to the stressors. Since everyone has a unique response to stress, there is no “one size fits all” solution to managing it. No single method works for everyone or in every situation, so one has to experiment with different techniques and strategies. Focus on what makes you feel calm and in control. By having a take-charge approach and a positive attitude, you can reduce stress in your life by nurturing yourself.

The family is the foundation on which most societies are built. Family therapy might be necessary where there are disturbances in the family system. Often the problems that a person faces can be understood by going deeper into the interactions between the family members. It must be understood that the exchange between the family members involve a form of communication which can lead to either harmony or disharmony in relationships. Family therapy explicitly focuses on altering the interactions between or among family members and seeks to improve the functioning of the family as a unit, or its subsystems, and the functioning of individual members of the family. By increasing the problem-solving capacity and communication within the family system, the individual client can be helped to recover from his problem. Family therapy is a recognized form of treatment in major psychiatric problems such as schizophrenia, depression, alcohol or drug use, conversion related disorders eating disorders, and bipolar disorder.

MET is a client-centered counselling method that focuses on exploring and resolving ambivalence toward change. The main goal of MET is to evoke and strengthen a person’s intrinsic motivation to make positive changes in their life. It aims to increase an individual’s motivation and commitment to change certain behaviours. It is commonly used in the treatment of substance abuse, but it can also be applied to various other areas, such as health-related behaviours or personal goals.

MET typically involves a structured set of sessions, during which the therapist and the individual collaboratively work together to explore and clarify goals, assess the individual’s readiness to change, and identify potential barriers or challenges. MET consists of four carefully planned and individualized treatment sessions. The first two sessions focus on structured feedback from the initial assessment, future plans, and motivation for change. The final two sessions at the midpoint and end of treatment provide opportunities for the therapist to reinforce progress, encourage reassessment, and provide an objective perspective on the process of change.

Techniques of MET :
• Expressing empathy:
• Developing discrepancy
• Avoiding confrontation
• Rolling with resistance
• Supporting self-efficacy

MET aims to enhance motivation, resolve ambivalence, and increase the likelihood of successful behaviour change by empowering individuals to take ownership of their decisions and actions.