Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a well-researched and highly effective behavioral therapy for young children (ages 2-8) with behavioral problems, such as noncompliance, opposition, defiance, and aggression. PCIT includes the child as well as the parents/guardians in treatment. The treatment is conducted in two phases. The first phase focuses on improving the parent-child interaction through various positive reinforcement techniques. The second phase of treatment teaches the parents/guardians specific skills to improve their child’s compliance and effectively and consistently manage behavioral difficulties. By learning specific techniques, caregivers can build a better relationship with their child, and the child may start to demonstrate improved behavior. Overall, PCIT can help improve family dynamics…
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What Are the Different Types of Anxiety Disorders?
There are different types of anxiety disorders that are important to understand. They vary depending on the specific situations or objects that cause anxiety or fear. Anxiety disorders are highly comorbid with each other, which means that one individual can have more than one type of anxiety disorder at the same time. Most anxiety disorders develop during childhood and may persist into adulthood if left untreated. Having a general idea of which situations cause you anxiety, based on the distinctions below, can be helpful when seeking treatment. Like anxiety disorders, not all clinicians are the same. Therefore, if you have a specific anxiety disorder, then it is important to find…
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How Teletherapy Could Improve your Life
Teletherapy (also known as online therapy, video therapy, telepsychology, telehealth, e-therapy, web therapy, distance therapy, virtual therapy, or e-counseling) was unheard of years ago. But a revolution has taken place in the realm of psychotherapy: individuals are now able to access psychological services online and from the comfort of their homes. After all, if we are able to pay bills and take college classes online, why not go online and obtain treatment for mental health problems that cause you significant distress in your life? Imagine how drastically your life could change and improve if you’re simply able to log onto your computer or smartphone and get help for the problems…
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What is Psychodynamic Therapy?
This therapeutic approach aims to delve beneath the surface of a client’s current symptoms or problems, such as ongoing conflict with a partner or general sadness about one’s present life situation, to uncover the deeper underlying issues and events that may contribute to those problems. It is the belief among psychodynamic therapists that a client’s current problems are, at least in part, a reflection of some unconscious drives (e.g., desires or fears). These unconscious drives are presumed to be related to an individual’s early life experiences, and they continue to affect present-day functioning. Psychodynamic therapy utilizes talk therapy to identify the origins of the client’s difficulties. There are several techniques…
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What is Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?
Cognitive-behavioral therapy, or CBT for short, is a type of therapy that has been extensively researched and shown to be effective for treating a number of psychological problems, such as anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and insomnia. Treatment with CBT tends to be short-term—lasting several months or as quickly as the client improves and feels well enough to use the acquired skills outside of the therapy sessions. The therapist essentially works with the client to become his or her own therapist. The therapist provides the client with information about his or her diagnosis or problem and how to treat it, which is referred to as…
