Pfor many people, go to the psychologist is synonymous with being a weak person, but in reality undergoing a psychological therapy can transform you into a stronger emotional person and can provide you with the right tools to be able to better adapt to difficult situations that may arise in life. Read on to find out what the point of going to a psychotherapist is.
What is psychotherapy?
First, you need to understand what is psychotherapy e what does a psychotherapist do. The psychotherapy It is a scientific treatment of a psychological nature that, based on the psychic or physical manifestations of human discomfort, promotes the achievement of changes or modifications in behavior, physical and mental health, as well as the integration of the psychological identity and well-being of individuals or groups, such as a couple or a family.
What is a psychotherapist?
a mental health professional, mainly a psychologist or doctor, who may address various psychopathological disorders. In particular, it specializes in the cognitive (thought), affective (emotions) and behavioral (behaviors) areas; for these reasons it can help you empower yourself in the face of daily circumstances and improve the quality of your life.
Lo psychotherapist, before practicing his profession, he carried out specific training in the area of psychotherapy in a recognized institution, through accredited training programs that meet the parameters of rigor and quality.
When to go to a psychotherapist?
First of all, it is good to reiterate that going to the psychotherapist is an act of intelligence and courage, because in many cases the person who needs help is not aware of having the problem or of avoiding facing reality.
Many people still do not know when they should undergo such a session, mainly because of false beliefs about what psychotherapy is and who it is intended for. Usually, you should go when indicated by a health, educational, social or other professional.
In this regard, here are some reasons why you should go to a psychotherapist.
It helps you feel better. When faced with a problem that causes pain or disturbance, you will definitely need someone to talk to freely of yourself without fear of being judged on your feelings and repressions.
Since the psychotherapist is a person you do not know and who does not know your relatives and friends, you can express your most hidden thoughts and feelings, which is very positive for your well-being.
When you express how you feel and release your emotional charge, you will feel much more relieved. This is known as “catarsi“, a Greek word that refers to purification and is used in psychology to explain the process of liberation from negative emotions.
It teaches you the tools to manage your internal conflicts. Conflicts are normal in people's lives and in many cases are necessary for personal growth. Psychotherapy sessions teach you new (more adaptive) ways to solve problems.
In addition, it can help you perceive conflicts differently, so that they can affect you much less, and allow you to put into perspective the importance of tense situations. In this way, your way of adapting to new everyday circumstances will be different, improving the quality of life and having fewer difficulties in your personal and professional relationships.
It helps you change limiting beliefs. Due to certain beliefs and values, a lot of sense and coherence is given to the world model, but the same situation can be experienced differently by each individual person. Beliefs ultimately help you simplify the world around you and are interpretations of reality and not real facts.
Some beliefs are maladaptive or limiting and need to be corrected, because they are not innate, but are acquired throughout life. Therefore, the psychotherapist can help you identify, analyze, test and modify them.
It helps you live in harmony with yourself and others. Theintrospection which is carried out when participating in therapy allows you to know yourself better and overcome, for example, an existential crisis.
In addition, psychotherapy is effective for problems at work or with your partner; therefore, psychological therapy can help you solve all these problems, allowing you to relate to others in a more serene and effective way. This will positively influence your mental health and allow you to find peace and inner well-being.
Session confidentiality. The relationship with the psychotherapist is confidential and strictly professional. As expressed in the code of ethics and deontology of the Official College of Psychologists, the professional must guarantee the secrecy and confidentiality of everything that is reported to him by anyone who consults him. Therefore, everything you say in a therapeutic session will be a secret between you and your therapist. This allows for a relational framework in which very intimate fears can be treated.
Relationship of trust and empathy. In addition to the knowledge and professionalism that the psychologist must show, the environment of trust that is created between you will allow you to express the problems and feelings that you consider most sensitive (and that perhaps you would not tell anyone else).
The psychologist will not judge you and will also have the necessary training to create a good environment of trust and empathy, so that you can express yourself without any fear.
Professional counseling. The psychotherapist is an expert in psychological therapy and has a broad knowledge of human behavior, since he studied psychology at a regulated university. For work as a psychotherapist, it is likely that he has obtained a specialist degree (for example, in sexology, marriage counseling or clinical psychology), from which he will certainly have acquired everything necessary to put his knowledge to the service of the patient.
Psychotherapy, therefore, is not like confessing problems to a friend or relative, because there is a solid basis (both theoretical and practical) approved by science. There are many psychology and psychotherapy studies in Italy, both private and collective, such as that of www.psicologa-psicoterapeuta-padova.it.
It empowers you in the face of life. One of the goals of psychotherapy is that the relationship between therapist and patient is not dependent. Therefore, the psychologist helps you to be the owner of yourself and acquire new skills that will be useful to you on a daily basis.
However, participating in psychotherapy does not mean waiting for the psychologist to solve your problems, but rather learning to accept and love what you are and putting in the necessary will to change what causes discomfort and prevents you from growing.
Psychotherapy changes your brain. Neurological studies are finding increasing empirical evidence of psychotherapy's ability to modify brain structures and improve them, thus obtaining a better attitude to face daily life.
Article published on 13 June 2019 - 09:49
