What is psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is an interpersonal, relational intervention used by trained psychotherapists to aid clients in problems of living.

This usually includes increasing individual sense of well-being and reducing subjective discomforting experience.

Psychotherapists employ a range of techniques based on experiential relationship building, dialogue, communication and behavior change and that are designed to improve the mental health of a client or patient, or to improve group relationships (such as in a family).

Psychotherapy may be performed by practitioners with a number of different qualifications, including psychologists, marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers, counselors, psychiatric nurses, music therapists, and psychiatrists.

There are many reasons a person may decide to participate in psychotherapy. Among issues that may be addressed are...

• anger management/conflict resolution
• grief/loss
• substance abuse
• stress management
• problems in a family, relationship or marriage
• need to improve parenting skills
• inability to cope with life problems
• a need to change certain behaviors
• career development and personal growth