Individual therapy

what is Individual therapy?

Modern day psychotherapy, talk therapy, or individual therapy is a form of mental health treatment between a mental health professional, and a single client.

Although the aim of an individual therapy session depends on a client’s condition, therapy as a whole is meant to improve a person’s emotional, mental, social, and even physical wellbeing through self-reflection, the identification of potentially disordered or harmful thinking, and the establishment of healthy outlets for stress and frustration.

Therapy can also be exploratory, discussing a client’s personal and family histories to help establish a diagnosis.

The mature adult woman has a serious look on her face as she listens to the unrecognizable female counselor.

While many cite Sigmund Freud as the creator of psychoanalysis, the concept of discussing your emotional and social health with someone as a means to get something off your chest or delve into the causes for your anxiety (worry) or depression (sadness) is ancient.

Psychological thinkers and philosophers have advocated for self-reflection and meditation throughout ancient India, Greece, Persia, and the Islamic world . Even some of today’s most popular evidence-based individual therapy treatments – such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy – draw inspiration from and make clear allusions to concepts such as Zen Buddhism and meditation.

We've come a long way from the past. Today, the most common individual therapy programs are developed through peer-reviewed processes, tested against control groups, and rigorously scrutinized through decades of research.

Benefits of Individual Therapy

At its core, individual therapy is a guided conversation between a mental health professional and their client. No two conversations are exactly the same. While doctors utilize frameworks, diagnostic criteria, and worksheets to help categorize certain thoughts and behaviors, and differentiate between the rational and irrational with a client’s help, every individual therapy session is entirely unique and bespoke to a client’s needs, and their own personal journey.

Therapists take into account a person’s social, physical, mental, and behavioral history and feelings to help contextualize their words, their actions, and their underlying thoughts. They establish a foundation of trust to develop a more complete picture based on a client’s true self-reporting, and help them work through examples of poor coping, miscommunication, self-loathing, or even potential psychosis.

Individual therapy isn’t exclusive to people with diagnosed mental health problems. Busy professionals, overworked parents, or people who have gone through recent tragedies – whether it’s the loss of a friend or loved one, or a different life-changing event – can benefit from talking to someone who can help them sort their thoughts, move on from traumatic or overwhelming experiences, and step unto tomorrow with feelings of hope.

Individual Therapy at Resolutions

Individual therapy at Resolutions is designed to be a wholly bespoke experience, beginning with an introductory conversation, discussions about a client’s needs,wants, and their goals in therapy.

When individual therapy is part of a larger treatment process, it also gives clients an opportunity to discuss or review personal breakthroughs made through other treatment modalities.

There are many forms of individual therapy offered at Resolutions, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and exposure therapy. Get in touch with us to learn more about treatment at Resolutions.