Page 3 - LN 4_Therapuetic Approaches

• The therapist does this by encouraging the client to act out fantasies about feelings
and conflicts.

Biomedical Therapy

➢ Prescription of medicines for treatment of mental disorders is done by qualified
medical professionals known as psychiatrists.
➢ Severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder require anti-
psychotic drugs.
➢ Common mental disorders such as generalised anxiety or reactive depression may
also require milder drugs.
➢ The medicines prescribed to treat mental disorders can cause side-effects which
need to be understood and monitored.
➢ Hence, it is essential that medication is given under proper medical supervision.
➢ Electro-convulsive Therapy (ECT) is another form of biomedical therapy.
✓ Mild electric shock is given via electrodes to the brain of the patient to
induce convulsions.
✓ The shock is given by the psychiatrist only when it is necessary for the
improvement of the patient.
✓ ECT is not a routine treatment and is given only when drugs are not
effective in controlling the symptoms of the patient.

Factors Contributing to Healing in Psychotherapy

Some of these factors are-

1. A major factor in the healing is the techniques adopted by the therapist and the
implementation of the same with the patient/client.
2. The therapeutic alliance, which is formed between the therapist and the
patient/client, has healing properties, because of the regular availability of the
therapist, and the warmth and empathy provided by the therapist.
3. Catharsis, the process of emotional unburdening. when the patient/client is
being interviewed in the initial sessions to understand the nature of the
problem, s/he unburdens the emotional problems being faced which helps in
healing.
4. There are several non-specific factors associated with psychotherapy.
a. These factors are called non-specific because they occur across different
systems of psychotherapy and across different clients/patients and
different therapists.
b. Patient Variables: Non-specific factors attributable to the client/patient
are motivation for change, expectation of improvement due to the
treatment, etc.
c. Therapist Variables: Non-specific factors attributable to the therapist
are positive nature, absence of unresolved emotional conflicts, presence
of good mental health, etc.