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Short-term psychotherapy offers various methods to help patients manage their mental health conditions within a limited time frame.

About Short-Term Psychotherapy

Short-term psychotherapy is a concise therapeutic approach, usually spanning 10-20 sessions. This form of therapy aims to meet specific objectives within a set timeframe. It aims to help patients change harmful behaviors and adopt healthier ones by addressing present-day issues.

However, short-term therapy may not be effective for mental health disorders with recurring symptoms, such as depression, or severe conditions like schizophrenia. It primarily concentrates on present circumstances and goals that can be accomplished in a few months, leveraging the patient's current strengths and resources.

3 Types of Short-Term Psychotherapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a structured, goal-oriented therapy that generally spans 12-16 sessions over three to four months. It is particularly effective for treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In CBT, patients identify the thoughts, feelings, physical responses, and behaviors linked to their condition. They then rank triggering situations or objects and undergo exposure to these stimuli in therapy. This process helps patients confront and manage their triggers with the therapist's support.

Short-Term Psychodynamic Therapy

Short-term psychodynamic therapy combines psychodynamic exploration with addressing acute pain caused by mental health challenges. This therapy focuses on the patient's defense mechanisms and relationships, aiming to understand which defenses are beneficial and which hinder emotional experiences. It also examines how current relationships repeat or avoid threatening situations. This therapy is effective for treating emotional phobias and typically lasts 20-30 sessions over six to eight months.

Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt therapy emphasizes the uniqueness of each person's experience and integrates fragmented parts of the self. It aims to create a sense of security within the therapeutic setting, fostering a strong bond of trust between the patient and therapist. This therapy helps patients become more self-aware, process real-time emotions, and recognize incongruencies between verbal and nonverbal communication. Gestalt therapy addresses how past interactions influence the present and focuses on replacing maladaptive reactions with adaptive ones. Treatment duration varies from a few months to two years, depending on personal needs. It effectively treats anxiety-based disorders and relationship difficulties.