Module 13: Therapy and Treatment

• Asylum: Institution created to house people with psychological disorders.

• Aversive Conditioning: Counterconditioning technique pairing an unpleasant stimulus with an undesirable behavior.

• Behavior Therapy: Therapeutic approach using principles of learning to help clients change undesirable behaviors.

• Biomedical Therapy: Treatment involving medication and/or medical procedures to address psychological disorders.

• Cognitive Therapy: Form of psychotherapy focusing on how thoughts lead to distress and aiming to change irrational thoughts.

• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Psychotherapy aimed at changing cognitive distortions and self-defeating behaviors.

• Comorbid Disorder: When an individual has two or more diagnoses, often including substance abuse and another psychiatric disorder.

• Confidentiality: Ethical principle where therapists cannot disclose private communications unless mandated or permitted by law.

• Counterconditioning: Classical conditioning technique teaching a new response to a stimulus that previously elicited undesirable behavior.

• Couples Therapy: Therapy for two people in an intimate relationship working to resolve conflicts.

• Cultural Competence: Therapist’s understanding and attention to race, culture, and ethnicity in treatment.

• Deinstitutionalization: Process of closing large asylums and integrating individuals into local community-based care.

• Dream Analysis: Psychoanalytic technique where dreams are interpreted to uncover unconscious desires or struggles.

• Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT): Biomedical therapy using electrical currents to induce seizures and alleviate severe depression.

• Exposure Therapy: Counterconditioning technique presenting a feared object or situation to reduce fear through habituation.

• Family Therapy: Group therapy involving one or more families working together.

• Free Association: Psychoanalytic technique where patients say whatever comes to mind to uncover unconscious thoughts.

• Group Therapy: Therapy where 5-10 individuals with similar issues meet with a clinician.

• Humanistic Therapy: Therapeutic approach helping individuals become more self-aware and accepting.

• Individual Therapy: One-on-one therapy sessions between client and clinician.

• Intake: Initial meeting where the therapist gathers information to address the client’s immediate needs.

• Involuntary Treatment: Therapy mandated by the courts or other systems.

• Nondirective Therapy: Therapy where the clinician helps the client identify conflicts and feelings without giving advice.

• Play Therapy: Process often used with children involving toys to resolve psychological issues.

• Psychoanalysis: Therapy developed by Freud using techniques like free association, dream analysis, and transference.

• Psychotherapy: Psychological treatment employing various methods to overcome personal problems or achieve growth.

• Rational Emotive Therapy (RET): A form of cognitive-behavioral therapy focusing on replacing irrational beliefs.

• Relapse: Resumption of drug or alcohol use after a period of improvement.

• Rogerian (Client-Centered) Therapy: Humanistic therapy developed by Carl Rogers emphasizing unconditional positive regard and self-acceptance.

• Strategic Family Therapy: Therapist guides sessions with treatment plans addressing specific family issues in a short timeframe.

• Structural Family Therapy: Therapy examining family boundaries and structures, such as decision-making and relationships.

• Systematic Desensitization: Exposure therapy treating phobias by gradually exposing individuals to fear-inducing stimuli through a hierarchy.

• Token Economy: Controlled setting reinforcing desirable behaviors with tokens exchangeable for privileges or items.

• Transference: Psychoanalytic process where patients transfer emotions from other relationships to the therapist.

• Unconditional Positive Regard: Fundamental acceptance of a person regardless of their actions or words, central to humanistic therapy.

• Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy: Use of simulations to help individuals confront and overcome fears.

• Voluntary Treatment: Therapy chosen willingly to alleviate symptoms.

What is psychotherapy? Biomedical therapy? What kind of practitioner provides each?

• Psychotherapy: A psychological treatment involving talking to a therapist to explore and resolve issues. It is often provided by psychologists, counselors, or clinical social workers.

• Biomedical Therapy: Involves medical interventions, such as medication or surgery, to address psychological disorders. It is provided by psychiatrists or other medical professionals.

2. What is psychoanalysis?

• A therapy developed by Freud that aims to uncover unconscious conflicts and feelings influencing behavior.

3. What are the main techniques of psychoanalysis?

• Techniques include free association, dream analysis, transference, and interpretation of resistance.

4. What are the strengths and weaknesses of psychoanalysis?

• Strengths: Provides deep insight into unconscious motives.

• Weaknesses: Time-consuming, expensive, and lacks scientific validation.

5. What is humanistic/client-centered therapy? What are the characteristics of this type of therapy?

• Focuses on fostering self-growth and self-acceptance by providing a supportive and nonjudgmental environment. Key characteristics include empathy, unconditional positive regard, and active listening.

6. What are the techniques of humanistic therapy?

• Techniques include reflective listening, focusing on the client’s feelings, and providing unconditional positive regard to encourage self-exploration.

7. What are the strengths and weaknesses of humanistic therapies?

• Strengths: Encourages personal growth and a positive self-concept.

• Weaknesses: May not address severe mental health issues or be structured enough for some clients.

8. What is behavioral therapy? What is cognitive therapy?

• Behavioral Therapy: Focuses on modifying maladaptive behaviors using principles of learning (e.g., classical and operant conditioning).

• Cognitive Therapy: Aims to change negative thought patterns to improve emotional well-being.

9. What is REBT?

• Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy: A form of cognitive therapy developed by Albert Ellis that challenges and replaces irrational beliefs with rational ones.

10. What is Beck’s CBT?

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Developed by Aaron Beck, it focuses on identifying and changing distorted thought patterns and behaviors contributing to mental health issues.

11. What are the techniques of behavioral/cognitive therapies?

• Behavioral Techniques: Exposure therapy, systematic desensitization, and reinforcement.

• Cognitive Techniques: Cognitive restructuring, thought tracking, and challenging automatic negative thoughts.

12. What are the strengths and weaknesses of behavioral/cognitive therapies?

• Strengths: Effective for a wide range of disorders, such as anxiety and depression.

• Weaknesses: May not address underlying emotional issues or root causes.

13. What factors make therapy effective?

• A strong therapeutic alliance, client motivation, appropriate therapeutic approach, and consistency in treatment contribute to therapy’s effectiveness.

14. What is psychopharmacology?

• The study of how medications affect mental health and behavior. It involves the use of drugs to treat psychological disorders.

15. What types of drugs are used to treat psychosis, anxiety, bipolar symptoms, and depression?

• Psychosis: Antipsychotics (e.g., haloperidol, risperidone).

• Anxiety: Anxiolytics (e.g., benzodiazepines, SSRIs).

• Bipolar Symptoms: Mood stabilizers (e.g., lithium, valproate).

• Depression: Antidepressants (e.g., SSRIs, MAOIs, tricyclics).

16. What are the neurotransmitters targeted by each type of drug?

• Antipsychotics: Dopamine.

• Anxiolytics: GABA and serotonin.

• Mood Stabilizers: Glutamate.

• Antidepressants: Serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.

17. What are the pros/cons of each type of medication?

• Pros: Can effectively manage severe symptoms, allowing individuals to function.

• Cons: May cause side effects, dependency, and require trial-and-error for efficacy.

18. What is Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)? What is psychosurgery?

• ECT: A procedure where electrical currents are passed through the brain to treat severe depression and other conditions.

• Psychosurgery: Surgical intervention on the brain, such as lobotomies (rarely used today), to alleviate severe mental disorders.

19. What are the pros/cons of biotherapies?

• Pros: Effective for treatment-resistant cases and can significantly alleviate severe symptoms.

• Cons: Risks of side effects, ethical concerns (e.g., psychosurgery), and potential stigma associated with medical interventions.