What is talk therapy?
Talk therapy – also called conversational psychotherapy, client-centered, person-centered or non-directive psychotherapy – was founded in the mid-20th century by psychologist Carl R. Rogers. It belongs to the so-called humanistic therapies. These are based on the assumption that the human being constantly wants to develop and grow. The therapist supports this so-called actualization tendency by helping the patient to realize himself.
Unlike other forms of therapy, talk therapy does not focus on the patient’s problems, but on his development potential in the here and now.
According to the concept of talk therapy, mental disorders arise when someone has problems accepting and valuing himself. The affected person thus sees himself or herself in a distorted way and not as he or she really is. For example, the person sees himself or herself as courageous, but shies away from challenges. This results in incongruence – a mismatch. This means that the patient has an image of himself or herself that does not match his or her experience. This incongruity creates anxiety and pain. Talk therapy starts from this thesis for the development of mental disorders.
Conditions for talk therapy
- It is necessary for the interaction that there is contact between the therapist and the patient.
- The patient is in an incongruent state, which causes him anxiety and makes him vulnerable.
- The therapist is in a congruent state. This means that he is truthful to the patient and does not pretend.
- The therapist accepts the patient unconditionally.
- The therapist empathizes with the patient without getting lost in the patient’s feelings.
- The patient perceives the therapist as empathetic and feels unconditionally accepted and valued.
When to do talk therapy?
Talk therapy is successfully used in the treatment of mental disorders. Often it is anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorders, depression or dependency disorders.
As stated in the above conditions for talk therapy, this psychotherapeutic procedure is suitable only when a person perceives a discrepancy (incongruity) between his self-image and his experiences. In addition, one should have a certain willingness to explore oneself more closely.
During the first trial sessions, the patient can find out whether this type of therapy suits him. In addition, the therapist pays attention to the above-mentioned conditions and reports back to the patient whether talk therapy is suitable for him or not.
What do you do during talk therapy?
In the first therapy sessions, the therapist establishes the diagnosis and inquires about the patient’s history. The patient then determines what goals he or she would like to achieve in therapy.
The core of talk therapy is the conversation between the patient and the therapist. The patient describes his problems and his views. The therapist strives to understand the patient’s feelings and thoughts as accurately as possible.
Client-centered conversation is based on the therapist repeatedly summarizing the patient’s statements in his or her own words. Through the therapist’s reflection, the patient comes to a better understanding of his or her inner world.
What the therapist does not do in talk therapy is give the patient advice or instructions. In other words, he does not tell the patient how to behave, but rather helps the patient find an individual response within himself.
Basic therapeutic attitude
Change self-image
Many patients suffer because they see the cause of their unhappiness in external conditions that they cannot change. In talk therapy, the therapist directs attention to the internal processes that create suffering.
For example, a common cause of suffering is distorted perceptions. The patient learns to examine blanket judgments (“Nobody likes me”) closely. As a result, in the course of talk therapy he arrives at a more realistic view (“My family and friends like me, even if we have disagreements from time to time”).
The goal of talk psychotherapy is for the patient to treat himself appreciatively and to learn to see and accept himself as he is. He can openly accept the experiences he has and does not have to repress or distort them. The patient is then congruent, which means that his self-image matches his experiences.
What are the risks of talk therapy?
Like any psychotherapy, talk therapy can in some cases lead to a worsening or failure to improve symptoms.
The relationship between the therapist and the patient has a significant influence on the success of the therapy. Therefore, it is important that the patient has trust in the therapist. If this is not the case, a change of therapist is advisable.
What do I need to keep in mind after talk therapy?
In the course of talk therapy, a strong bond often develops between patient and therapist. Many patients feel very comfortable in the warm and appreciative climate of talk therapy and feel anxious when the therapy comes to an end.
Such fears and worries are perfectly normal. However, it is important for the patient to share such negative thoughts and fears with the therapist – and also if he or she feels that he or she is not yet better at the end of therapy. Therapist and patient can then clarify together whether an extension of therapy is necessary or perhaps another therapist or another form of therapy would be a better solution.
To make it easier to end the therapy, the therapist can gradually increase the intervals between sessions – the therapy is “phased out” so that the patient gets used to coping in everyday life without talk therapy.
