Psychotherapy is a talking therapy used to treat emotional and mental health problems individually, in couples or in groups. Psychotherapy involves talking about the feelings you have about yourself and about people close to you, both now and in the past. You are likely to meet with your therapist regularly over an extended period (months to years). It can help you to identify troublesome habits or patterns of behaviour and equip you with knowledge, awareness and skills to make helpful changes to your life. Psychotherapists treat a range of mental health problems and aim to alleviate mental distress and build resilience and well-being that will help you to manage the inevitable struggles in life.
Why do people enter longer term psychotherapy rather than shorter treatments such as CBT?
CBT deals with current thought processes and helps patients to actively challenge problematic thoughts that are linked to feelings and behaviour in the here-and-now. It helps people to develop skills that allow them to manage symptoms as they arise. Longer term psychotherapy works at a deeper level, sometimes unconscious, and seeks to link problematic behaviour, emotions and relationship problems with earlier experience (e.g. loss, trauma, neglect). Working through these problems and making links between difficult early experience and problematic patterns of behaviour later in life help us to become more self-aware and allow a space for thinking in order to understand and address emotional problems and to allow change.
How do I get a referral to psychotherapy?
It is important to find a psychotherapist who is properly qualified and accredited. Professional bodies in Ireland to which qualified psychotherapists are accredited include: The Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) and The Irish Council for Psychotherapy (ICP). These are good places to start when looking to begin psychotherapy. It is likely that you will have an initial meeting with the psychotherapist that will last for up to 1.5 hours, after which he/she will make recommendations in terms of what might be suitable. Psychotherapy is likely to continue for a number of months.
Is it expensive?
Psychotherapy takes commitment, both financial and emotional. Sessions usually last for 50 mins-1 hour and can cost between €50-80 per session. If you are unemployed or on low wage many psychotherapists offer a sliding scale fee system (if you earn less you pay less). You need to ask about this at your initial appointment.
Is it difficult?
Psychotherapy is challenging. There is often no quick-fix for emotional problems. During therapy sometimes you will feel upset, disturbed and no better than when you started. However, as you work through your problems with a qualified psychotherapist you will be able to make more sense of problematic patterns of behaviour and functioning in relationships, and ultimately be able to live a more meaningful and productive life in both love and work (Sigmund Freud).
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