Selecting A San Francisco Psychotherapist

By Linda Maynard


Various patients pursue psychotherapy for a broad range of reasons. Numerous techniques are involved with such therapy, but all of them are designed to help the patient to achieve a more stable, positive state of mind. When in need of a San Francisco psychotherapist, clients should make their choice carefully, as one should never take a flippant approach to his or her mental or emotional health.

Most therapy of this type focuses on counseling and behavior modification. It also centers on the communication of feelings and ideas. A psychotherapist can assist a person to understand why he or she behaves in a certain way. In numerous instances, when this is accomplished, patients can better understand themselves, and eventually find relief from specific emotional or mental symptoms.

Each therapist's approach is somewhat unique. For this reason, in certain instances a person may need to speak to more than one professional before finding a psychotherapist with whom he or she has a good rapport. Because communication is vitally important whenever one is seeking mental or emotional treatment, it is essential to feel comfortable with one's practitioner.

Some psychotherapists assist their patients to express their thoughts in a nonverbal way. This type of treatment is indicated in cases where the patient being analyzed has difficulty communicating his or her feelings. In most practices, such programs are based on two distinct types of therapy, which are psychodynamics and cognitive behavioral therapy.

In some cases, patients seeking the aforementioned help have a specific level of subconscious resistance. It is the professional's job to eliminate these barriers, and help the person toward his or her goal of mental health. This may take a handful of sessions, or extensive therapy may be necessary, depending on the specific situation of the patient.

Reputable and trustworthy professionals generally aim to discover all they can about the psychological problems of their patients. As time progresses, the treatments and methods used will be customized as the psychotherapist studies the patient in depth. The final objective of the treatment is to help the person to break destructive cycles by changing his or her thought patterns and behavior.

A person may need psychotherapy for a variety of reasons. Some conditions are emotional in nature, while others are considered mental illnesses. Conditions for which a person may need such treatment include bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, post traumatic stress syndrome, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and panic or anxiety disorders. There are also certain conditions that do not fall under specific category, but with which the patient needs help.

No particular time frame can be established in advance concerning how quickly a patient will start to feel better following his or her therapy sessions. Rather, the time frame will depend on the severity of the person's symptoms, as well as the type of condition from which he or she suffers. Counseling and behavioral therapy are beneficial in certain cases. In others, medicine may need to be prescribed. The mental health practitioner can recommend the appropriate course of treatment. Anyone who thinks that he or she suffers from an illness of the mind or emotions should seek help from a San Francisco psychotherapist as soon as possible.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment