Psychotherapy at Our Aberdeen Counselling & Psychology Centre

Psychotherapy is a deep process that allows clients to explore their difficulties and motivations by talking with a trained psychotherapist. Often these difficulties may have been around for some time. Psychotherapy takes a more in-depth approach than counselling, often exploring relevant life events, sometimes from childhood and personal history, to examine the link between these and difficulties the client is currently experiencing.

Can it help me?

Psychotherapy can benefit clients who experience recurrent and persistent difficulties throughout their lives, which may be triggered by past experiences. It is suitable for clients who are interested in understanding the development of their problems rather than just wanting to rid their symptoms in the ‘here and now’ and often requires extensive exploration. Some people choose to undertake psychotherapy after counselling (and with the same therapist) as the issues they had originally identified in counselling were not as easy to address or improve as they had first hoped.

How does it work?

Psychotherapy offers clients a regular time to discuss whatever issues they feel are important. Together the client and therapist work to examine these difficulties and the practitioner helps the client to understand and explore what may be underlying these problems. Psychotherapy encourages self-understanding, particularly how past experiences can affect our current behaviour, and this enables clients to change their thinking/behaviour and find appropriate ways to cope.

Is psychotherapy effective?

As change itself is a defining concept of psychotherapy, it is difficult to isolate research on its effectiveness. However, studies have shown clients find it helpful in making sense of and feeling better about their lives and it can be greatly beneficial.