Mental health issues are universal and require understanding from the community. As an individual, we need to understand the mental health issues that exist in our community, and it may be something that you can relate to in your life. It may happen to yourself, your family, or friends with some sort of mental issue, but without knowing how it affects your wellbeing and state of mind. The importance of knowing what and how through a psychotherapy sharing session conducted by our psychology lecturer, Grace Tan, and moderated by Mr. Khor,Head of the American Degree Psychology programme. Throughout the webinar, Grace Tan shared the types of mental issues and how psychotherapy can help address them. Our moderator has listed a few questions on the general stereotypes or stigma of psychotherapy and how both the speaker and moderator share their knowledge and personal experience of mental issues with the audience.
Psychotherapy, commonly known as talk therapy, is a method of treatment for mental health issues. There are different types of psychotherapy such as Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Interpersonal therapy (IPT) Psychodynamic therapy, and other additional therapies that may be used in combination with psychotherapy like Animal-assisted therapy, Play therapy, and Creative arts therapy.
It’s frequently used to treat mental health issues, either alone or in combination with other drugs. You consult with a psychologist, counsellor, therapist, or other qualified mental health care professional during a psychotherapy session to identify and alter troublesome thoughts.
Psychotherapy enables a person to learn how to change the actions, emotions, and thoughts that are affecting their mental health.
Through therapy, it helps the individual to understand and identify the life issues or events that contribute to their mental health, such as a significant illness, a family death, a job loss, or a divorce, and assists them in determining which portions of those issues they may be able to improve further. It enables a person to regain control of their lives and move forward from a better mental state than they had previously. Psychotherapy enables the client to employ effective problem-solving and coping practices. Different types of psychotherapy are applied according to the types of mental issues or disorders of an individual person. The sharing session also touched on the importance of an individual seeking help and how to approach a mental health professional. They can also seek different psychologists or counsellors, and the charges vary between private and government agencies. Furthermore, it explores different therapies and approaches for a particular individual. In addition to that, the webinar provides an insight into the duration of a particular therapy and how long it takes to assist an individual in their recovery.
Individuals who want to learn more about helping professions, particularly those related to mental health and well-being, should consider studying psychology through an American degree programme or a SEGi Diploma in Psychology program. The journey into the study enables an individual to explore and get connected with the opportunity of working in NGOs and the community in the mental health industry related to psychology.
