A psychotherapist is trained to help patients feel and express their emotions appropriately, change less functional behaviours, solve problems or learn how to cope with emotions such as stress, anxiety, grief, fear, sadness and others. We know different psychotherapy modalities or approaches, the main ones being psychoanalysis, psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioural, systemic family, existential, gestalt, integrative, transactional analysis, and so on. Psychotherapy is used in a variety of settings, from individuals, groups, families to organizations.
At the beginning of psychotherapy, a person's background and the concerns that led him or her to seek help are discussed. Following this preliminary assessment, the patient and the therapist come to an agreement known as the treatment contract. A regular plan for the time, place, and length of their therapy sessions is outlined in the treatment contract, along with the treatment goals and procedures.
