Psychotherapy
When people seek psychotherapy, they often expect the process to alter the actual problem (that occurs in the world), however, problems in life are not so straightforward. Psychotherapy involves the activity of a therapist’s attempt, to provide new interpersonal experience for another human being. Specifically, experiences obtained in psychotherapy, in which the sessions for the client are structured in a manner as to enhance ability to deal with subjective distress, self-acceptance and to empower the client to develop coping skills aimed at environmental changes. It also allows for an individual to develop adaptive coping skills to cope with a problem by steering them away from behaviours that may further perpetuate ill mental health.
Let’s say for example 1 is the patient 2 is the behaviour or subjective thinking and 5 is the most desired outcome:
1 + 2 = 5
The above sum is incorrect because the addition of one and two is three, and although three is very close to five it isn’t five. In the case of the above sum, therapy would be the following bracket:
1+(2+2) = 5
Within a safe space in therapy both the patient (the one) and the therapist work together to find a solution. All psychotherapy has a structure in a relationship between the patient and the therapist. Depending on the therapeutic modality, the therapist asks carefully guided questions as well as making some connections (defining the pattern at play) from the difficulties and challenges the patient presents with. This is expected to contribute towards insight or provide the patient with different perspectives which naturally assists in finding new ways of solving a problem. Moreover, the patient is prompted (through various therapeutic techniques) to explore unconscious mental activity, enabling them to bring these unconscious mental activities to their awareness, which allows them to deal more sufficiently with the demands of their external reality. The additional two (represented in the sum above) is thus manifested by the process engaged by both the patient and the therapist.
Why It’s Important for Rehabilitation
Upon entering a rehabilitation setting the patient has most likely undergone a severe acute diagnosis (Mental illness, substance abuse, traumatic brain injury, stroke, geriatric fall, cancer treatment, motor vehicle accident etc.). In this context, the therapeutic process provides a place of safety for feelings of vulnerability, fear, and the overwhelming adjustment that is most likely being felt by the patient. Through the therapist integrating themselves into the relationship that the patient is not only having with themselves, their family and other treating clinicians, but also with their diagnosis, this allows for the manifestation of being understood and valued. This space also allows the patient to feel free when talking about themselves in an honest manner which is expected to bring about awareness. Moreover, talking is a form of catharsis (a release of pent-up emotion) and may help the patient to accept and let go of the past, or aspects of healing that they cannot control. Ideally, new awareness initiates the preparation (within the therapy) to bring about the alteration of harmful thinking and behaviours. It also allows for the identification of negative patterns and where they may have developed from. Therapy in rehabilitation provides a space where the two (referring to the math sum) can be reached through bits of progress. It remains significant for those who would like to catalyse their healing process during their rehabilitation journey.