Modern Western therapies can be classified into two main categories.
In psychotherapy, a trained therapist uses psychological techniques to assist someone seeking either to overcome difficulties or to achieve personal growth. The therapist may explore a client’s early relationships, encourage the client to adopt new ways of thinking, or coach the client in replacing old behaviors with new ones.
Biomedical therapy offers medications and other biological treatments. For example, a person with severe depression may receive antidepressants, electroconvulsive shock therapy (ECT), or deep-brain stimulation.
The care provider’s training and expertise, as well as the disorder itself, influence the choice of treatment. Psychotherapy and medication are often combined. Kay Redfield Jamison received psychotherapy in her meetings with her psychiatrist, and she took medications to control her wild mood swings.
Let’s look first at some influential psychotherapy options for those treated with “talk therapies.” Each is built on one or more of psychology’s major theories: psychodynamic, humanistic, behavioral, and cognitive. Most of these techniques can be used one-on-one or in groups. Some therapists combine techniques. Indeed, many psychotherapists describe their approach as eclectic, using a blend of therapies. We’ll explore psychodynamic and humanistic therapies in this module, and behavior, cognitive, and group therapies in Module 71.