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Psychiatrist

A medical doctor who can prescribe medication and perform surgery for mental health problems.

Clinical Psychologist

Has a Ph.D. or Psy.D., completes an internship, and uses various therapies.

Counseling Psychologist

Holds a Ph.D., Ed.D., or M.A. in counseling; helps with less severe issues.

Psychoanalyst

Follows Freud’s ideas, explores unconscious feelings; may or may not be a medical doctor.

Marriage and Family Therapist

Has a master’s degree; focuses on family and environmental influences.

Insight Therapy

Helps people understand the cause of problems to create change.

Psychoanalysis

Freud’s therapy; uses free association, dream analysis, hypnosis.

Resistance

Avoiding topics due to discomfort, signaling important issues.

Interpersonal Psychotherapy

Focuses on present-day relationships and emotions.

Humanistic Therapies

Help people grow by creating a safe, accepting space.

Client-Centered Therapy

Nonjudgmental, supportive, uses active listening.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Total acceptance by the therapist.

Genuineness & Congruence

Therapist is honest and consistent.

Empathy

Deep understanding of the client’s feelings.

Gestalt Therapy

Confronts past issues to gain present control.

Behavior Therapy

Based on learning theory; uses rewards and practice to change habits.

Systematic Desensitization

Gradually facing fears while staying calm.

Anxiety Hierarchy

Ranking fears from least to most scary.

In Vivo

Facing fears in real life.

Virtual Reality Therapy

Simulated fear exposure.

Flooding

Immediate exposure to intense fear.

Aversive Conditioning

Pairs bad habits with unpleasant experiences.

Behavior Modification / Token Economy

Rewards for small steps and good behavior.

Social Skills Training

Teaches interaction through role-playing and practice.

Counterconditioning

Replaces fear response with calm response.

Cognitive Therapy

Fixes harmful thinking patterns.

Cognitive Restructuring

Replacing negative thoughts with realistic ones.

Overgeneralization

Viewing one bad event as a pattern; common in depression.

CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)

Combines cognitive and behavioral strategies.

REBT (Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy)

Ellis’ ABC model: A = Activating event, B = Belief, C = Consequence.

Beck’s Cognitive Therapy

Changes negative thinking about self, world, future.

Biological Approach

Mental illness is linked to brain chemicals, structure, or genes.

Antianxiety Drugs

Increase GABA to calm the brain (e.g., Xanax, Valium, BuSpar).

Antidepressants

Boost serotonin/norepinephrine.

MAOIs

Stop the breakdown of mood chemicals.

Tricyclics

Block reuptake of serotonin/norepinephrine.

SSRIs

Block serotonin reuptake (e.g., Prozac, Zoloft).

SNRIs

Block serotonin & norepinephrine (e.g., Effexor).

Bupropion

Affects dopamine.

Mood Stabilizers

For bipolar disorder.

Lithium

Effective but has risks.

Anticonvulsants

Originally for seizures (e.g., Depakote).

Atypical Antipsychotics

Sometimes used (e.g., Abilify).

Stimulants

Raise dopamine/serotonin; for ADHD (e.g., Ritalin, Adderall).

Antipsychotics (Neuroleptics)

Reduce dopamine.

Typical Antipsychotics

(e.g., Thorazine, Haldol) with risk of tardive dyskinesia.

Atypical Antipsychotics

(e.g., Risperdal, Seroquel, Abilify).

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

Controlled seizures used for severe depression; patient is under anesthesia.

Psychosurgery

Rare procedure involving brain tissue removal (e.g., lobotomy).

Deinstitutionalization

Shift from hospitals to outpatient care in the community.

Community Mental Health Centers

Provide therapy, support, and medication.

Community Psychology

Studies how social environments affect mental health and focuses on prevention.