Harley Street Psychotherapist
Counselling and Psychotherapy in Harley Street, central London

As human beings, we all develop our own coping strategies to help us interact with and make sense of the world around us and of our own lives. In many cases, these mechanisms appear to serve us well for many years until suddenly we find ourselves feeling lost, stuck or behaving irrationally. Often we know that our behaviour is counter-productive or even directly harmful, but we feel unable to change it on our own, and that is when psychotherapy can help.

What is psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is a term which is used to describe a treatment for emotional and psychological disorders which generally have a significant and often debilitating effect on our lives and often emanate from the past. It is a talk-based treatment during which the thoughts, feelings and behaviour patterns of the patient are explored and more healthy coping strategies are learned. By discussing current and past experiences, patients develop an understanding of how they themselves contribute to the successful and unsuccessful outcomes in their lives and so acquire the tools to make lasting change. Unlike drug therapy, therefore, which can only treat the symptoms of psychological or emotional illness and is only effective whilst the medication is being taken, psychotherapy offers the opportunity to make a positive and life-long impact on behaviour and thought patterns.

Although psychotherapy is essentially a talk-based treatment, therapists will sometimes employ music, art or different forms of occupational therapy which are designed to draw out feelings, emotions and memories which are rooted in the past and may have been deeply buried. Depending upon the individual circumstances, they may also recommend that psychotherapy sessions take place on an individual basis or as part of a group.

What type of conditions is psychotherapy used to treat?

Emotional or psychological distress, the thoughts, feelings and behaviours which develop as a result of such distress and the unhealthy coping mechanisms which are often adopted by sufferers can lead to a variety of conditions for which psychotherapy is a highly effective treatment. These include:

• Depression
  
• Anxiety
  
• Childhood and adult trauma
  
• Phobias
  
• Drug and alcohol dependence
  
• Eating disorders
  
• Obsessive-compulsive disorders
  
• Compulsive promiscuity
  
• Abusive behaviour
  
• Bereavement issues
  
• Relationship problems

The effects of emotional or psychological distress can be felt by anyone, regardless of age, gender or any other factor. Even those who otherwise appear to be strong and capable individuals can find themselves struggling to cope at certain times in their lives. Psychotherapy, which is carried out in an atmosphere offering confidentiality, trust and support, and in which patients are not made to feel judged, is a safe treatment from which most people can derive high levels of long-lasting benefit.