Did you know that one in three South Africans experiences a mental health condition, which translates to 27% of the population? Despite the alarming rate, seeking therapy still comes with its share of embarrassment and judgment, and is often stigmatized as something only people with “mental disorders” need. But this is far from the reality.
Seeing a therapist, whether you are diagnosed with a mental illness or not, is a part of nurturing your cognitive and overall well-being. Therapy can help you recognize your trigger points and develop unique coping mechanisms for living better. A trained, licensed therapist uses evidence-based practices to evaluate different symptoms and conditions and provide guidance to get through them. So, if you are considering consulting a clinical psychologist in Johannesburg, Durban, or Cape Town, do it without inhibitions to give your brain the attention it needs.
Types of Psychotherapy and Their Effectiveness
Psychotherapy is generally tailored to fit your specific condition and needs. Some of the common types include:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): A structured, goal-oriented type of therapy that encourages you to dig deeper into your thoughts and emotions and their effects on you. CBT teaches you to let go of negative thoughts and adopt healthier thinking patterns. Many therapists also integrate AI and emerging technologies with CBT to improve the treatment’s accessibility, efficiency, and performance.
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): It’s a form of talk therapy specially designed for people dealing with extreme emotions. The therapist helps you balance accepting yourself and the benefits and challenges of changes. They also help you develop new skills through individual and group therapy sessions to improve emotional regulation.
- Interpersonal therapy (IPT): A short-term treatment that helps you identify unresolved grief or conflicts and develop healthy habits to regulate your emotions and improve communication.
- Psychodynamic therapy: This therapy is designed to identify problematic childhood experiences or thoughts and break old patterns to improve self-awareness and take charge of one’s well-being.
Therapists sometimes combine creative arts therapy, animal-assisted therapy, and play therapy with psychotherapy to improve the outcome.
Who Benefits From Psychotherapy?
A Harvard study suggests that half of the world’s population will experience mental health issues and mood disorders. Thankfully, severe mental health concerns like depression, specific phobia, substance abuse, and PTSD can be treated with psychotherapy. Based on the situation’s complexity, the sessions can range from a few weeks to several months.
Here are some signs suggesting that you might need psychotherapy:
- You can’t control your emotions.
- You lose interest in things that you once loved.
- You get overwhelmed by daily activities.
- You are becoming dependent on substances.
- You have experienced childhood trauma.
- You are a victim of physical or sexual assault.
- You have lost a loved one.
- You have behavioral conditions like ODD and ADHD.
- You have low self-confidence and self-esteem.
- You struggle to maintain healthy relationships.
- You withdraw yourself from social gatherings.
- You cannot deal with stress.
If you are unsure of your condition, consult a reliable therapist. Let them guide you in managing your condition.
How Will I Benefit From Therapy?
Overstressed or struggling with complex emotions or not, everyone of all ages and backgrounds should seek therapy because it helps you to:
- Understand and address underlying issues to prevent the development of a mental health condition.
- Deal with intense feelings of helplessness or sadness to avoid depression and anxiety.
- Overcome suicidal or self-harming thoughts.
- Deal with eating disorders.
- Learn how to deal with toxic or aggressive people.
- Manage stress and anger issues to build healthier relationships.
- Improve your ability to communicate effectively and confidently.
- Gain a better understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, leading to increased self-awareness.
- Manage and reduce symptoms for improved productivity.
Get Started With Psychotherapy Today
When you are experiencing complex emotions, psychotherapy can help you process whatever is going on in your life. Therapists typically use a combination of different techniques and strategies to help you let go of self-harming thoughts and negativity and set boundaries positively. So, research and get the help you need to stay happy.