Psychotherapy
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When a person struggles with a substance use disorder (SUD) and/or mental health challenges, psychotherapy offers a way forward towards healing. Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, refers to a variety of therapeutic modalities. The aim of psychotherapy is to help clients identify, change, and heal from challenging emotions, thoughts, and behaviours. As a result, at PCP – The Perry Clayman Project, we offer multiple different types of psychotherapy in order to provide clients with the opportunity to learn and heal from SUD or mental health conditions.
Elements of Psychotherapy
Every type of psychotherapy is unique. However, there are certain elements that span psychotherapy as a whole. The first is awareness. In psychotherapy, clients learn to become more aware of their feelings, thoughts, actions, and more. Specific psychotherapies have different goals that are reflected by the way awareness is taught. However, the increase of awareness is seen throughout each type.
In addition to awareness, planning is also a common element found in psychotherapy. Again, the specifics of planning are unique to each type of therapy and each person. However, in talk therapy, clients spend time figuring out a strategy that will address a challenge they are facing. The therapist works as a guide to help clients create an appropriate plan for them to heal.
Types of Psychotherapy
At PCP – The Perry Clayman Project, we offer multiple different types of talk therapy. These included dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), and individual therapy. Each offers different methodologies that help clients take steps towards healing.
DBT
Historically, DBT is commonly used to treat borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, it can also be used to help clients heal from other mental health challenges and substance abuse. It is a comprehensive programme of treatment that helps clients through individual therapy, group therapy, and exercises outside of sessions.
Through DBT, clients learn to manage strong emotions. They first learn to improve awareness of their strong emotions. Then, over time, they learn techniques that provide them with the skills to regulate emotions, reduce impulsive behaviours, and improve their interpersonal skills. As a result, individuals with SUD or mental health challenges can improve relationships and their experience of challenges they face in daily life.
CBT
Similar to DBT, CBT is a type of psychotherapy that helps clients to improve their awareness. However, while DBT tends to last longer, CBT is a short-term therapy that is focused on identifying thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that are negative. This includes helping clients understand the connections between thoughts, feelings, and actions, as they are commonly intertwined and lead to one another.
Then, in CBT, clients learn to make changes to the negative patterns that they discover. Each client is working with a different and unique landscape and therefore will address the specific issues they face. However, each is guided through the process of building new patterns that help them to heal from both addiction and mental health challenges.
Individual Therapy
Psychotherapy can be practiced with an individual and a therapist, or in a group setting. Individual therapy is a type of talk therapy that combines many different techniques and is practised with a client and a therapist.
The goal of individual therapy is to help clients address the unique challenges they face. For those with SUD or mental health challenges, these topics can include:
- Trauma
- Family history
- Social interactions
- Family support or lack of
- Self-care
- Emotional well-being
- Reactions
- Priorities
- Behaviours related to challenges
Healing Through Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy offers a wide array of benefits for individuals. It is common for a person to seek help from a therapist when they are struggling with their mental health. However, it is also highly beneficial for clients with SUD in need of support.
Addiction
There are many different types of addiction, including drug or alcohol addiction, that benefit from psychotherapy. While each person’s experience of psychotherapy will vary, sessions address those things in their lives that contribute to their history of and current challenges with substance abuse. This may include addressing trauma. However, it may also include looking at what thoughts, emotions, or behaviours are continuing to put them in situations that will make it difficult to heal from addiction.
Mental Health
Addiction and mental health are closely tied. Many individuals with SUD, also have mental health challenges. As a result, at PCP – The Perry Clayman Project, we address mental health through psychotherapy and other treatment modalities. This process helps clients with a combination of both to heal their mental health and learn how they can live their lives free from addiction.
Psychotherapy for mental health looks different for each client we see. However, overall, it helps clients to improve their awareness of their mental health. This gives them a more clear picture of what specific issues they are experiencing with their mental health.
Then, through therapy, clients learn a variety of different skills. The skills they learn in therapy help them to have better and more supportive relationships in their lives, which supports their mental health. However, it also helps them to care for their needs by practising self-care. Again, this small skill adds up and improves their mental health in a significant way.
Psychotherapy at PCP – The Perry Clayman Project plays an important role in the treatment of a variety of different addictions and mental health challenges. If you are interested in learning more about our treatment programmes and how we can help, call us today at 08000 380 480.