What is psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is a group of therapies that help you to understand why you feel, think and act in ways that are distressing and affect your life. Psychotherapy aims to help you work towards changing these.

These therapies are often used to treat mental health conditions. They can also be useful for anyone wanting to change unhelpful thoughts or behaviours.

Psychotherapy is provided by psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals who have specialised training. It is sometimes called 'psychological therapy' or 'talking therapy'.

When would I need psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy can be used to treat:

• depression
• anxiety
• eating disorders
• panic
• substance-use disorders (for example, alcohol and other drugs)
• obsessive compulsive disorder
• borderline personality disorder or dependent personality disorder

If your doctor diagnoses one of these conditions, your doctor may also recommend you take prescription medicines together with psychotherapy.

Not everyone who has psychotherapy will have a mental health condition. These therapies can also be helpful to learn how to deal with stressful and challenging situations using healthy coping skills.

What are the types of psychotherapy?

• Cognitive behaviour therapy — looks at the link between a person's thoughts, feelings and actions and how each may affect their perception (the way they view the world) and wellbeing.
• Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy — a type of CBT that involves learning 'mindfulness meditation'.
• Dialectical behaviour therapy — a type of CBT that teaches positive behavioural skills to manage stress, emotions and develop positive relationships.
• Interpersonal therapy — helps a person deal more effectively with people and situations they find difficult.
• Supportive psychotherapy —a talking-based therapy designed to allow a person with mental health issues to voice their concerns and receive encouragement and help in finding practical solutions.
• Acceptance and commitment therapy — helps a person accept their thoughts and feelings by focusing on the present moment and to 'just notice' their thoughts and feelings.
• Psychodynamic psychotherapy — increases awareness of how distressing thoughts and feelings came to be and how they might play a role in their problems.

Your therapist may combine exercises or practices from different types of psychotherapy to tailor a therapy for you.

What are the benefits of psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy aims to help people with or without mental health issues to understand their feelings, thoughts and actions better and to discover their own resilience.

While psychotherapy can't stop stressful events, it can give you the power to cope in a healthy way. It can also help you understand yourself and learn new ways of thinking, behaving and feeling.

Psychotherapy takes time to show results. It usually will take a few months, but positive effects are often long lasting.

How can you get the most out of psychotherapy?

Here are some tips to get the most out of psychotherapy:

• Choose a therapist that is right for you. Think about what you want to achieve and what type of psychotherapy may benefit you.
• Be honest with your therapist. You need to share your thoughts, feelings and experiences honestly.
• Be an active participant in the therapy. Therapy works best as a partnership: you need to do the work.
• Put in the time. If you have homework, make this part of your daily routine. It may be difficult in the beginning, but a new habit takes time to become routine.
• If it's not working, consider a different approach. Talk to your therapist about whether a different psychotherapy approach may be more beneficial for you. A good therapist will welcome feedback.

How can I find a psychotherapist?

To find a psychotherapist see your doctor for a referral. You may be eligible for a mental health treatment plan. This helps you claim up to 10 sessions with a mental health professional. You can also access some psychotherapies online.

The Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia and Good Therapy Australia have search tools to find local psychotherapists and the types of therapy they specialise in.

The Australian Counselling Association has a search tool to find a registered Counsellor in your area.

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency can verify whether psychologists and psychiatrists are registered.

Resources and support

If you have further questions or are interested in psychotherapy speak to your doctor and they can refer you to a therapist who specialises in psychotherapy.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are many organisations that offer further resources and support such as:

• Head to Health has advice and information to get connected to local mental health services, you can call for free on 1800 595 212. Check the operating times.
• Eheadspace online and telephone service support for young people ages 12 to 25 years and their families who are going through a tough time. You can call on 1800 650 890 or online.
• Beyond Blue has a counsellor service you can call on 1300 224 636 or chat to them online.
• SANE offers a range of support services, including counselling, peer support and online groups, online information and resources.
• ReachOut has further information on cognitive behavioural therapy.

Looking for information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people?

• 13Yarn who operate a free and confidential service run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.