Four Therapies in the Field of Clinical Psychology

Therapy in the Field of Clinical Psychology
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Therapy in the Field of Clinical Psychology
Therapy remains a critical aspect of clinical psychology. Clinical psychologists integrate psychology into treating human problems to bring change to patients (Pomerantz, 2019). They utilize psychological techniques like psychodynamic, humanistic, behavioral, and cognitive therapy to address the needs of their patients. This paper will demonstrate the similarities and differences that exist among the four types of therapy
Description of the Therapies
Psychodynamic therapy majors on unconscious processes as they are displayed in the patient’s current behavior. The approach seeks to make clients self-aware and know how the past influences the present behavior (Pilecki, Thoma & McKay, 2015). Sometimes, individuals act or respond in particular ways for reasons beyond their comprehension. Psychodynamic therapy is based on the idea that engaging a professional about issues individuals encounter can assist in finding relief and solutions. The approach is instrumental in helping people express emotions in healthier ways.
Humanistic therapy seeks to help individuals live fuller lives by freeing them from disabling attitudes. The holistic approach focuses on the whole person rather than a single area of their life. Instead of majoring in what is wrong with clients, humanistic therapy concentrates on assisting them to overcome their challenges through personal growth. The approach emphasizes personal growth and self-actualization. The emphasis on the skills and positive characteristics of the client facilitates healing and personal fulfillment.
Behavioral therapy endeavors to change maladaptive behaviors. The approach seeks to eliminate unwanted behaviors while reinforcing desirable ones (Fenn & Byrne, 2013). It is based on the belief that psychological problems are partly based on unhelpful thinking and behavior. Hence, individuals suffering from psychological issues can learn better ways of coping with the problems, hence relieving their symptoms. In other words, behavioral therapy entails efforts to change thinking patterns.
Cognitive therapy is based on how people think about things and affects how they feel emotionally. It focuses on present thinking and behavior instead of past experiences (Pilecki, Thoma & McKay, 2015). The approach aims to assist patients in thinking and to act to minimize or eliminate the problem.
Theoretical Components
Psychodynamic therapy considers human nature from a pessimistic perspective. As a result, the approach indicates that people's current challenges originate from the unconscious. On the contrary, humanistic therapy is more optimistic about human nature. The approach considers human nature as...