What is psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy involves seeing a trained professional, usually once a week for an hour, to discuss and explore problems you may be having in your life.

Psychotherapy focuses on both change and understanding. It can help to change unhelpful behaviours in our lives as well as helping us to understand where these patterns originated.

People come to see a psychotherapist for many reasons. These commonly include:
Individual psychotherapy

  • Depression and/ or anxiety.
  • Concerns about alcohol and drug use.
  • Relationship difficulties.
  • Grief or loss.
  • Childhood trauma or sexual abuse.
  • Difficulties managing emotions or distress.
  • Self improvement or seeking self understanding

Individual Psychotherapy and counselling

This is what most people think of when they think of therapy. It involves seeing a therapist usually weekly, for an hour at at time.

What is referred to as counselling is usually shorter-term, and focussed on solving specific problems.  It should involve learning specific skills or strategies to assist with problems for example; communication, managing emotions or changing habits.

Psychotherapy, on the other hand is usually longer term and most often focussed on understanding and changing long standing patterns of behaviour.  Sometimes it may involve having appointments twice a week.  The focus of longer term psychotherapy is often past or childhood trauma or difficulties that cause present day problems.  Psychotherapy is also very effective for any mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety or post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD.)

All of the psychotherapists and psychologists at Robert Street Clinic are trained in short and long term psychotherapy.  If you’re not sure who to see please click here for more information on the difference between counsellors, psychologists, psychotherapists and psychiatrists.

Please contact us for more information, or to discuss how we can help.