A Comprehensive Guide to Individual Therapy: Benefits & Types

Individual Therapy is a type of talk therapy in which a person works with a counselor or psychologist to overcome stress, anxiety and depression and helps create positive feelings. There are many types of individual therapy techniques and every therapist has their areas of expertise. Depending on their condition, different forms of individual treatment may be advantageous to different people.

How Does It Work?

The counselor has the chance to collaborate closely, establish a rapport of trust and effectively handle any concerns that may arise during treatment sessions. 

individual therapy types

The several methods used in individual therapy provide a person with multiple modalities to address problems, develop understanding and create new coping strategies. You can identify your challenges and develop fresh ideas and approaches by working with a therapist. A counselor is on your side and a solid foundation of trust underpins the partnership. Individual treatment sessions give the relationship time to develop and grow.

According to the report of NCBI, the number of individuals experiencing stress and anxiety eventually rose from 49% (2019) to 60% (2020) due to the Coronavirus outbreak.  However, many people found individual therapy helpful to offset the devastating effects of depression caused by social isolation.

Benefits of Individual Therapy

Individual treatment has a wide range of benefits; however, the advantages of different kinds of individual therapy may vary. The following are a few that have been well studied:

  • It can be effective for people of all ages, including youngsters, adults and senior citizens.
  • Therapy may assist people with anxiety and depression in regaining the same level of functioning as someone without a mood disorder.
  • Individual psychotherapy may generally result in less need for and cost of medical care.
  • It can alleviate the degree of impairment and morbidity so that those with mental health difficulties may perform better at work and in their interpersonal relationships.
  • Has less adverse effects compared to several pharmaceutical therapy options.
  • Enhances happiness and well-being in those with chronic illnesses.
  • Very effective in treating a wide range of difficulties, especially in children and adolescents.

Different Types of Individual Therapies

There are many distinct kinds of individual therapy and different situations require different modalities and techniques. Individual treatment strategies vary in effectiveness with different people and no one method works well for everyone. The most typical forms of individual therapy used by professionals in Chicago and other cities of the U.S. are listed below:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

CBT is a psychological therapy that teaches patients how to recognize and alter the harmful or distressing thinking patterns that have an adverse impact on their behavior and emotions. The therapist helps determine spontaneous negative thoughts and strives to replace them with more positive ones. In addition, individuals are taught new skills that can be used in real-time circumstances.

Cognitive therapy aims to help you recover from mental illness and improve your overall well-being. It is the best treatment for individuals with substance abuse disorder, sleep disorder and mood disorder.

Solution-Focused Therapy

Solution-focused therapy is a broad category of psychotherapy, as its name implies. It is based on a solution-building approach in lieu of problem-solving.

The therapist in SFBT is an adept dialogue facilitator. They do not show themselves as experts; rather, they speak from a perspective of “not knowing.” 

The therapist uses several strategies to help clients display their abilities, resources and objectives.

Focusing on what is already happening in a client’s life and what things will look like when they get better opens up more room for effective solutions.

This form of individual therapy is excellent for individuals who have a particular goal in mind and simply need a little assistance achieving it since less time is spent digging into past wounds and more time is devoted to getting resolutions.

Psychodynamic Therapy

The primary focus of psychodynamic therapy is on unconscious processes that appear in the client’s current behavior. Psychodynamic treatment aims to increase the client’s self-awareness and comprehension of how the past affects current behavior. Simply put, a psychodynamic method allows the client to look at unresolved issues and signs resulting from dysfunctional relationships. Dealing with mental or emotional stress can be easier with this form of individual therapy. It can encourage self-awareness and emotional development.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

A modified form of cognitive behavioral therapy is dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). Its major objectives are to educate individuals on how to be present, create healthy coping mechanisms for stress, control their emotions, and enhance interpersonal connections.

DBT has been modified to treat various mental health issues, even though it was developed to address borderline personality disorder (BPD). It can benefit those who have trouble controlling their emotions or engage in self-destructive behavior.

A Final Word-:

Communication is essential in every therapeutic engagement. Trust is a prerequisite for effective communication, but it can take time to develop. Individual therapy sessions might be intimidating to begin, but a skilled counselor will work with you, listen to you without judgment, and help you gain insight into yourself.