A troubled mind is something human beings have known since the beginning of history. Whether it was sublimating our inner turmoil into poetry and art or seeking refuge in community and religion, we have always come up with ways to deal with troubled minds. But the discovery of the science behind it, psychology, came about much later. And the study of modern psychology is commonly associated with Sigmund Freud.
Freud was an Austrian neurologist and later became the founder of psychoanalysis. A therapy type in which the patient and the therapist work closely to transcend the troubles of the mind. The patient and the therapist are in dialogue to better understand the problem. He believed that all problematic behaviors arose from repressed thoughts and desires. Thus, his therapy sought to bring these repressed currents to the surface of consciousness. Thereby in an attempt to resolve them.
We have come a long way in therapy since the days of Freud. Many orthodox techniques and concepts don’t apply in the present time. The ideas of acceptance, gender, sexuality, and individuality have changed. Several neurophysicists, scientists, and researchers have contributed a lot to change the preconceived notion of therapy and therapists. Hence, psychological studies have also progressed with the world’s changing view.
Today, treatment is no longer limited to standard talk therapy, as seen in movies, where you lie on a couch and talk about how you feel. But with advancements in research and science, therapy has taken a distinctive shape. It has diversified into many creative methods of understanding the mind.
Psychotherapy or talk therapy is an effective treatment that mental health professionals implement based on the client’s needs. This therapy type mainly focuses on observing and treating the person‘s condition through talking. And various kinds of psychotherapy are used to treat several conditions. Psychotherapy uses different types of approaches to prove its effectiveness. Here are some examples:
- Psychoanalysis or Psychodynamic Therapy: This therapy type focuses on changing any problematic behavior or emotion. Psychoanalysis-based therapies do so by recognizing unconscious thoughts that serve as a motivation for troubling emotions. This approach to psychotherapy primarily functions through the collective effort of the patient and the therapist. Here, the person is enabled to understand their belief pattern and emotions with the help of the therapeutic relationship. It helps treat conditions like depression, anxiety, panic, and other stress-related disorders.
- Behavioral Therapy: This technique consolidates the theory of how a person‘s thoughts affect their behavior and focuses on both thoughts and behavior. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy are two of the most common psychotherapies you might have encountered. Behavioral therapy can treat several conditions, like, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, OCD, PTSD, schizophrenia, substance use disorder, etc.
- Cognitive Therapy: This psychotherapy approach functions on the belief that a person can bring the change they want by altering their emotions and perceptions. It prioritizes people’s thoughts rather than their actions.
- Humanistic Therapy: As the name suggests, this technique highlights the human potential to make rational choices. It also focuses on the importance of compassion and respect for others. There are three types of humanistic psychotherapy:
Gestalt Therapy focuses on the importance of here-and-now.
Client-Centred Therapy emphasizes the client’s concerns and interests.
Existential therapy prioritizes self-exploration, free will, and self-actualization.
While psychotherapies have significant value in the psychological world, professionals approach the treatment of any individual based on their unique concerns. Different types of therapy serve different solutions, and it is common for a professional to implement an integrative or holistic approach to treatment to help their client better. Let’s explore the most common type of therapy apart from talk therapies practitioners commonly employ:
Hypnosis or Hypnotherapy:
Hypnosis is the technique of guiding an individual to transport to a state of trance or an altered state of awareness. Meanwhile, Hypnotherapy is the use of this technique for therapeutic interventions. In simple terms, Hypnosis is a device, and Hypnotherapy is the application of the said device. The earlier idea believed every illness is the projection of suppressed thoughts. And to maintain good health, it is essential to maintain a balance of energy in both physical and psychological health.
Hypnotherapy allows a person to tap into their subconscious mind and uncover the potential to connect it with their conscious mind. And it is an effective treatment technique for various mental and physical ailments.
There are several myths and conspiracies surrounding Hypnosis. Most of which involve the German physician Franz Anton Mesmer and his love for dramatics. The practice originated in the 18th century when Mesmer established a scientific theory that humans have animal magnetism (internal magnetic forces responsible for their well-being). Mesmer gave his patients medicines with high doses of iron and moved magnets over their bodies, which sent them into a trance-like state. Later his patients would appear to be feeling better. Which is how the word ‘mesmerize’ came into existence. However, today’s practice is much more advance. Another reason for Hypnosis to become such a controversial method is its portrayal in the media. But the truth is far from these false notions. And Hypnosis doesn’t mean that the person loses control over their body. Instead, it lets individuals heighten their senses and uncover their suppressed memories to deal with negative feelings.
Hypnotherapy focuses on resolving underlying issues by enabling individuals to tap into their unconscious minds and untangle their distress with the help of positive suggestions and guided imagery. An individual undergoes Hypnotherapy under a guided session with a professional where the practitioner directs the person to transition to a relaxed yet hyper-focused state of mind. And it is only performed with explicit permission from the client. Here are some examples of disorders and concerns, Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy can help treat:
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- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Migraines
- Anxiety and Stress
- Depression
- Performance Anxiety
- Self-Esteem Issues
- Addictions/Substance Use Disorder
- Eating Disorders
- Body Image Issues
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Grief
- Cancer/ Chronic Pain
- Sleeping Disorders, like Insomnia.
- Dementia
Creative Arts:
The creative arts open a door of possibilities to treat mental nuisances. The therapist plays a moderator’s role in this method and lets the art heal the troubled mind. Creative arts therapy is an expressive therapeutic intervention. Colors, textures, and the visual power of art enable the person to express their emotions without using words. There is a common belief that one might need a creative background to explore this therapy, although that has proved chiefly untrue.
Creative art therapy allows us to be free and move with the flow without any prejudices or judgments. Another positive aspect of art therapy is that it helps treat a variety of concerns. The treatment is also applicable to individual, family, and group therapy.
Creative arts therapy can help several conditions. Art therapy effectively treats children suffering from performance issues to severe disorders like schizophrenia.
Play Therapy:
There is often an overlap between play and creative arts therapy. But in essence, play therapy uses play to resolve children‘s problems and, in some cases, even adults. It uses a variety of playful props like sand, clay, or lego blocks. Through play, the therapist tries to understand the child’s problems, helps them deal with unresolved trauma, and cope with them. The benefits of play therapy include improving fine and gross motor skills like sitting, crawling, walking, or running. It can also help develop empathy, self-respect, and self-expression through verbal and non-verbal communication and overcome anxiety.
Play therapy has mainly two approaches,
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- Directive approach: Here, the professional has a more directive command over the individual‘s actions. They guide the child or the adult through different activities. Generally, the therapist gives detailed instructions and directs the individual to observe them.
- Non-directive approach: Non-directive play therapy focuses on a much more relaxed atmosphere. The therapist lets the child initiate the play activities they are more inclined towards and feel more joy. The professional enables the child to express their thoughts and emotions without intruding on them with instructions.
Music:
Music therapy is a much-preferred mode of therapy that employs harmony and melody to heal any psychological disturbance. In this method, the vibration of instruments reverberates with the cells in our body and brings succor. We know too well that music has a tremendous power to touch the finer chords of our emotions, enriching and elevating our humaneness. The patient undergoes a series of activities such as listening to melodies, writing songs, playing an instrument, and guided imagery, and it is accessible across age groups.
Dance / Movement:
t is only apt that we dance to express joy during celebrations. Dance or movement therapy is an effort to use our body movements to understand our emotions, as our body keeps scores of all our experiences and feelings. The body possesses memories, and dancing is a powerful tool to unravel its secrets. A movement therapist aims to connect with our unaware self and uses guided and free movements to help us better understand ourselves.
Many of us lose touch with this unique language as we grow up. The therapist helps one rediscover this vital sense of direction and movements by expressing themselves. For this kind of therapy, one need not have any prior dance training, and only licensed therapists can administer it.
To Sum it Up:
Ways of soothing the troubled mind are many – they can be fun and help us develop positive habits for a lifetime. More than just treatment, therapy is a vital tool to discover ourselves and find our true passions. Get in touch with one of our experts and explore what might work for you!