Editing Content :: Admin Scraper

Chapter

Content type

Position

Value

explore the nature and causes of her/ oneself, and one’s aspirations, his problems by herself/himself. emotions and motives. 5. What is the chief benefit to the client?6. What is the duration of treatment? Psychodynamic therapy values The duration of classical psycho- emotional insight as the important analysis may continue for several benefit that the client derives from years. However, several recent the treatment. Emotional insight is versions of psychodynamic therapies present when the client understands are completed in 10–15 sessions. her/his conflicts intellectually; is Behaviour and cognitive behaviour therapies as well as existential able to accept the same emotionally; and is able to change her/his therapies are shorter and are emotions towards the conflicts. The completed in a few months. client’s symptoms and distresses Thus, different types of psycho- reduce as a consequence of this therapies differ on multiple parameters. emotional insight. The behaviour However, they all share the common therapy considers changing faulty method of providing treatment for behaviour and thought patterns to psychological distress through psycho- adaptive ones as the chief benefit of logical means. The therapist, the the treatment. Instituting adaptive or therapeutic relationship, and the process healthy behaviour and thought of therapy become the agents of change patterns ensures reduction of in the client leading to the alleviation of distress and removal of symptoms. psychological distress. The process of The humanistic therapy values psychotherapy begins by formulating the personal growth as the chief benefit. client’s problem. Steps involved in the Personal growth is the process of formulation of a client’s problem are gaining increasing understanding of given in Box 5.1. Steps in the Formulation of a Client’s Problem Box Clinical formulation refers to formulating the problem of the client in the therapeutic model being used for the treatment. The clinical formulation has the following advantages: 1. Understanding of the problem : The therapist is able to understand the full implications of the distress being experienced by the client. 2. Identification of the areas to be targetted for treatment in psychotherapy : The theoretical formulation clearly identifies the problem areas to be targetted for therapy. Thus, if a client seeks help for inability to hold a job and reports inability to face superiors, the clinical formulation in behaviour therapy would state it as lack of assertiveness skills and anxiety. The target areas have thus been identified as inability to assert oneself and heightened anxiety. 3. Choice of techniques for treatment : The choice of techniques for treatment depends on the therapeutic system in which the therapist has been trained. However, even within this broad domain, the choice of techniques, timing of the techniques, and expectations of outcome of the therapy depend upon the clinical formulation. The clinical formulation is an ongoing process. Formulations may require reformulations as clinical insights are gained in the process of therapy. Usually the first one or two sessions yield enough clinical material for the initial clinical formulation. It is not advisable to start psychotherapy without a clinical formulation. 93 Chapter 5 • Therapeutic Approaches Reprint 2026-27