Therapies

Question 1

Psychotherapy

Answer 1

-process in which a therapist tries to treat psychological problems using a variety of specialized techniques

Common goals:

• try to reduce emotional distress
• try to increase patients understanding of problem
• provide new ways of dealing with problem

Dominant Problems:
-depression, alcohol/drug abuse

Gender/SE Differences:

• more women
• used to be more SE divided

Length of Treatment
-varies, about 15-20 sessions

Question 2

Psychodynamic Therapy

Answer 2

-today’s emotional disorder is result of yesterdays emotional trauma

Goals:

• find conflicts between id, ego, superego
• uncover past trauma
• make what is unconscious, conscious

Length:
-2 to 3 times a week

Two Specific Methods:

1. Free Association
   - patient says whatever comes to mind regardless of importance
2. Interpretation of Dreams
   - dreams aren’t random, but carefully constructed, and contain meaning
   - manifest content: what you remember from dream shouldn’t be taken at FV
   - latent content: underlying meaning of dreams

Three Important Processes:

1. Transference- allowing client to project attitudes and feelings into therapist as they were important person
2. Counter-Transference- feelings the analyst has towards the client
3. Insight- clients awareness of the unconscious thoughts that are coasting problem; a ha moment

Question 3

Client-Centered Therapy

Answer 3

• first major alternative to Freud
• Carl Rogers

Three Key Ingredients:

• empathy: accuracy perceive clients thoughts and feelings without judgement
• unconditional positive regard
• genuineness

-conveys support through active listening; doesn’t give direct advice

Question 4

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Answer 4

• believes disorders are caused by inappropriate learning and maladaptive thinking
• interrelations between thoughts, moods, feelings
• therapists attitude is teacher, not healer
• four types

Question 5

4 Specific Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Answer 5

1. Systematic Desensitization
   - used to anxiety
   - can’t feel relaxed and anxious at same time
   - learn relaxation techniques
   - create an anxiety hierarchy
   - exposure to feared stimulus
2. Token Economy
   - based on operant conditioning
   - have control of what’s going on around you
   - tokens are conditioned reinforcers; get tokens if you behave the way you’re supposed to
3. Exposure with Response Prevention
   - used for OCD, panic disorders
   - ex: expose dirty podium, then prevent client from washing hands
   - try bringing anxiety down by using other factors
4. Beck’s Cognitive Theory
   - his theory is we have negative ideas about ourselves, future, world
   - negative automatic thoughts: magnification/minimization (overestimate/underestimate the importance of an event), selective abstraction (focus on only negative aspects of a situation), dichotomous thinking (thinking in very black and white)
   - engage in cognitive restructuring: identify automatic thoughts, challenge them, and then replace them
   - very effective

Question 6

Benefits of Group Therapy

Answer 6

• cost effective
• realization that others have similar problems
• members in group can help raise self esteem
• learn to express feelings, take risks, accept criticism

Question 7

Family and Marital Therapy

Answer 7

Assumptions:

• logical and economical to get treated as a unit
• problems of the “identified patient” are only symptoms
• goal is to modify relationship in the family

Question 8

Biomedical Treatments

Answer 8

1. Anti-anxiety disorders (xanax, Valium)
   - minor tranquilizers
   - act quickly, don’t last long
   - side effects: drowsiness, memory disturbance
   - can produce psychological and physical dependence
2. Antipsychotic drugs (Thorazine, haldol, risperdal)
   - helps reduce symptoms of schizophrenia
   - helps 2/3 of patients
   - usually permanent
   - side effects: constipation, motor tremors, muscle stiffness, drowsiness
   - involuntary, repetitive movements
3. Antidepressants (Prozac, Wellbutrin, serzone)
   - treat symptoms p of depression
   - helps about 2/3
   - need several weeks for bipolar

Question 9

Electroconvulsive Therapy

Answer 9

• used for Sever depression
• use electronic current to create a seizure
• very effective
• mild memory loss

Question 10

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Answer 10

• stimulating brain with magnetic impulses

- also helps reduce symptoms of depression

Question 11

Basic Ingredients for Therapy

Answer 11

• individual attention
• credible rationale for the problem
• empathetic therapist
• optimistic, mature, positive patient
• therapeutic alliance

Question 12

Short Term Dynamic Therapies

Answer 12

• based on psychoanalytic
• short, have specific goals
• interpretations used to aid patient recognition of hidden feelings
• interpersonal problems are seen as core of problems
• Interpersonal Therapy

Question 13

Rational Emotive Therapy

Answer 13

• Albert Ellis
• people’s difficulties are caused by their faulty expectations and irrational beliefs
• ABC model: activating event triggers belief triggers consequence
• irrational beliefs lead to self defeating behavior, disorders

Question 14

Increasing Access Of Mental Health Care

Answer 14

• Increase use of clinicians without traditional training
• Increase use of technology driven solutions
• effectiveness is not guaranteed