At Fairfield Healthcare Professionals Psychiatry & Health Psychology, we understand that health goes beyond the physical body. Individual therapy is just one way our team of experts work to get you back to feeling your best.
What is individual therapy?
Individual therapy is one-on-one mental health treatment between a therapist and an individual that is personalized to suit an individual’s unique needs. This involves setting therapeutic goals, processing significant experiences and learning how to manage one’s symptoms or triggers. Common goals of therapy can be to inspire change or improve quality of life. Individual therapy is also called therapy, psychotherapy, psychosocial therapy, talk therapy and counseling.
Individual therapy is almost always conducted with one client and one provider in a one-on-one setting, but it can include another person on occasion — only when it is relevant to an individual’s treatment plan and goals.
Why would someone want individual therapy?
People may seek therapy for help with issues that they find hard to face alone. Individual therapy is also called therapy, psychotherapy, psychosocial therapy, talk therapy and/or counseling. Therapy can help people overcome obstacles in their mental health. It can increase positive feelings, such as compassion and self-esteem. People in therapy can learn skills for handling difficult situations, making decisions, self-growth and reaching goals.
When is the best time to seek care?
If an individual feels an issue is causing them distress or is interfering with their daily life, it could be time to consider individual therapy. Distress can mean having negative thoughts, feelings, behaviors, feeling overwhelmed and hopeless, or even a bodily sensation such as pain or fatigue. It is important not to wait until symptoms become severe before seeking therapy. Therapy can also help if you cannot focus on work or school, experience addiction, or feel like hurting yourself or someone else.
Several issues can cause someone to not seek therapy. Some worry about the stigma that can come with mental health treatment. They may feel ashamed or embarrassed to speak about their past. Others are fearful that things they discuss will not stay confidential. Some do not want to acknowledge anything is wrong.
How can I make my treatment the most effective?
Even if therapy cannot cure a condition, it can help you develop healthy coping skills. To be successful in individual therapy and gain self-acceptance and self-knowledge, you must be open with your therapist. Commitment and determination to be honest, active and accountable in your therapy is essential for meeting therapeutic goals. If you make the commitment to therapy you will experience the trickle-down effect in your life. You will see improvement of relationships, compassion, coping skills, mental health issues, maladaptive behaviors and many more benefits of self-growth.
What can I expect during my first therapy session?
The first session of therapy often focuses on gathering information from the individual. Your therapist will speak with you about your past physical, mental and emotional health. They will also discuss the concerns that have brought you to therapy. It can take a few sessions for your therapist to have a good understanding of your situation. Once your therapist is able to fully see your specific needs, they will be able to address concerns and determine the best treatment plan.
You will also use the first session to decide if your therapist’s style is a good fit for your needs. Finding a therapist you are comfortable with is vital to successful treatment. It is important to talk about the type of therapy to be used, treatment goals, session length and how many sessions are needed.
You will be encouraged to do most of the talking. At first, it may be hard to talk about your past experiences or current concerns. Sessions may stir up intense emotions and this is okay. It is possible that you may become upset, angry or sad during treatment. However, your therapist can help you build confidence and become more comfortable as sessions progress.
You can expect confidentiality during therapy sessions. However, a therapist may break confidentiality if someone is in immediate danger of harming themselves or others. Therapists may also do this if required to by federal or state law. Your therapist will explain the limits of confidentiality and provide written guidelines during the first therapy session.
On your first visit, you will be asked to name a goal. What do you want to accomplish in your life that you want therapy to help you reach? This can be a very minor goal or something that you feel you may never reach. Are you seeking therapy to manage a specific incident in your life, or are you seeking therapy to help with something that has affected you for a long time?
Our psychiatry and health psychology team is dedicated to helping you get back to feeling your best by conducting thorough evaluations in order to diagnose, treat and manage numerous mental health conditions. To learn more about FHP Psychiatry & Health Psychology, click here or call the office at 740-689-6600.
