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Positive Psychology

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Positive Psychology

 

Unlike traditional psychology that focuses more on the causes and symptoms of mental illnesses and emotional disturbances, positive psychology emphasizes traits, thinking patterns, behaviors, and experiences that are forward-thinking and can help improve the quality of a person’s day-to-day life. These may include optimism, spirituality, hopefulness, happiness, creativity, perseverance, justice, and the practice of free will. It is an exploration of one’s strengths, rather than one’s weaknesses. The goal of positive psychology is not to replace those traditional forms of therapy that center on negative experiences, but instead to expand and give more balance to the therapeutic process.

 

When It's Used

Positive psychology can be applied to children and adults in educational settings and mental health facilities, as well as in private counseling practices. There is also a place for positive psychology outside the realm of therapeutic practice, such as in human resource management and business administration.

 

What to Expect

 

Positive psychology is sometimes referred to as “the science of happiness.” One of the questions positive psychologists try to address is: “Can a person be happy and realistic at the same time?” While acknowledging the problems of the world and of the individual, positive psychologists believe one can still lead a productive, meaningful, and satisfying life. The goal is to minimize negativity in one’s thinking and behavior, to develop a more optimistic attitude that will enhance, rather than disrupt one’s social, professional, and spiritual life. Positive therapists and counselors use a variety of exercises and interventions to help their clients become more self-aware and identify their own positive traits and strengths.

 

How It Works

 

To a large degree, the positive psychology movement began back in the 1950s and ’60s, with the introduction of a humanistic approach to therapy. Soon afterwards, psychologists began to realize that looking only at the damage already done to adults was not helping to prevent mental health problems that often begin in childhood. In the late 1990s, psychologist Martin Seligman recognized that, for the sake of prevention, researchers and practitioners had to start looking more closely at human strengths and virtues, not just weaknesses, and figure out how to instill positive traits in younger people who may be at risk of developing the unhealthy emotions and behaviors that signal mental illness. Seligman proposed that successful psychotherapy in the future would not only be a process wherein people talk about their troubles, but also where people examine and learn to use their strengths. He suggested that exercises in happiness can be used to make lasting differences in those who are depressed, anxious, or conflicted.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy

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Psychodynamic psychotherapy is effective for a wide range of mental health symptoms, including depression, anxiety, panic and stress-related physical ailments, and the benefits of the therapy grow after treatment has ended, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.

 

Psychodynamic therapy focuses on the psychological roots of emotional suffering. Its hallmarks are self-reflection and self-examination, and the use of the relationship between therapist and patient as a window into problematic relationship patterns in the patient’s life. Its goal is not only to alleviate the most obvious symptoms but to help people lead healthier lives.

 

 “The actual scientific evidence shows that psychodynamic therapy is highly effective. The benefits are at least as large as those of other psychotherapies, and they last.”

 

To reach these conclusions, eight meta-analyses comprising 160 studies of psychodynamic therapy, plus nine meta-analyses of other psychological treatments and antidepressant medications have been reviewed. Study focused on effect size, which measures the amount of change produced by each treatment. An effect size of 0.80 is considered a large effect in psychological and medical research.

 

One major meta-analysis of psychodynamic therapy included 1,431 patients with a range of mental health problems and found an effect size of 0.97 for overall symptom improvement (the therapy was typically once per week and lasted less than a year). The effect size increased by 50 percent, to 1.51, when patients were re-evaluated nine or more months after therapy ended.

 

The effect size for the most widely used antidepressant medications is a more modest 0.31. The findings are published in the February issue of American Psychologist, the flagship journal of the American Psychological Association.

 

The eight meta-analyses, representing the best available scientific evidence on psychodynamic therapy, all showed substantial treatment benefits.

 

Effect sizes were impressive even for personality disorders—deeply ingrained maladaptive traits that are notoriously difficult to treat, he said. “The consistent trend toward larger effect sizes at follow-up suggests that psychodynamic psychotherapy sets in motion psychological processes that lead to ongoing change, even after therapy has ended,”

 

Four studies of therapy for depression used actual recordings of therapy sessions to study what therapists said and did that was effective or ineffective. The more the therapists acted like psychodynamic therapists, the better the outcome.

 

Psychological Assessment Tools

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Psychological Assessment Tools For Mental Health

 

Mental health professionals use a variety of instruments to assess mental health and wellbeing. Common purposes for psychological testing include: screening for the presence or absence of common mental health conditions; making a formal diagnosis of a mental health condition; assessment of changes in symptom severity; and monitoring client outcomes across the course of therapy.

 

Screening: Brief psychological measures can be used to ‘screen’ individuals for a range of mental health conditions. Screening measures are often questionnaires completed by clients. Screening tends are quick to administer but results are only indicative: if a positive result is found on a screening test then the screening test can be followed up by a more definitive test.

 

Diagnosis: Psychological assessment measures can support a qualified clinician in making a formal diagnosis of a mental health problem. Mental health assessment with the purpose of supporting a diagnosis can include the use of semi-structured diagnostic interviews and validated questionnaires. Items in self-report measures used for diagnosis often bear a close correspondence to criteria specified in the diagnostic manuals (ICD and DSM).

 

Symptom & outcome monitoring: One strand of evidence-based practice requires that therapists use outcome measures to monitor progress and guide the course of therapy. Psychologists, CBT therapists, and other mental health professionals often ask their clients to complete self-report measures regularly to assess changes in symptom severity.

Family Therapy

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Family Therapy and Couple Therapy

 

Family therapy and Couple therapy are forms of therapy in which a couple works with a therapist in order to facilitate change in their relationship. The aim of the therapy is resolve the issues of the couple and facilitate an observation of the relational patterns that might underpin some of the difficulties in the couple’s relationship. Some families might go to therapy in order to change and improve their relationships whereas others might seek couples’ therapy in order to consider a decision to separate.

 

There might be several indications for seeking couples’ therapy such as difficulties with communication, sexual problems, issues of trust, or frequent arguments. The therapeutic approach used by the therapist will depend mainly on the presenting problems of the couple though often a schema therapy approach can be a useful foundation for understanding relational difficulties.

 

Couples’ therapy can be short term if the couple wish to work on a specific concern in their relationship. The therapist will develop a specific and tailor made treatment plan with the couple they are working with following two or three sessions of an initial assessment and the development of a formulation of the couple’s difficulties. Following the development of a formulation therapy will aim to change the nature of the interactions so that the couple’s problems improve.

 

What can I expect if I receive couples’ therapy?

The number of sessions you will need will depend on the nature of the presenting difficulties so your therapist will make a plan with you after the first few sessions.

Exploring painful subjects in couples’ therapy can be challenging for couples but can be extremely helpful in understanding relational dynamics and where things might be stuck.

Your therapist is likely to make concrete suggestions and give you homework tasks to do on your own or with your partner between sessions.

Being open about the difficulties you have with each other and motivated to make changes will improve the speed of improvements in the relationship.

Hypnotherapy

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Hypnosis is a therapeutic technique in which clinicians make suggestions to individuals who have undergone a procedure designed to relax them and focus their minds.

Although hypnosis has been controversial, most clinicians now agree it can be a powerful, effective therapeutic technique for a wide range of conditions, including pain, anxiety and mood disorders. Hypnosis can also help people change their habits, such as quitting smoking.

According to the American Psychological, hypnosis is a procedure during which a health professional or researcher suggests while treating someone, that he or she experience changes in sensations, perceptions, thoughts or behavior. Although some hypnosis is used to make people more alert, most hypnosis includes suggestions for relaxation, calmness and well-being. Instructions to imagine or think about pleasant experiences are also commonly included during hypnosis. People respond to hypnosis in different ways. Some describe hypnosis as a state of focused attention, in which they feel very calm and relaxed. Most people describe the experience as pleasant.

 

Is there evidence that hypnosis works?

Yes. While there are plenty of examples in the scientific literature attesting to the usefulness of clinical hypnosis, a study published in the journal Gut is noteworthy. The study involved 204 people suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Treatment consisted of 12 weekly sessions of hypnosis (lasting about one hour each). Fifty-eight percent of the men and 75 percent of the women reported significant symptom relief immediately after finishing treatment. More than 80 percent of those who reported initial relief were still improved up to six years later. Fewer than 10 percent of the participants tried other treatments after hypnotherapy. (Gut, November 2003).

 

Practical uses for hypnosis:

Hypnosis has been used in the treatment of pain; depression; anxiety and phobias; stress; habit disorders; gastro-intestinal disorders; skin conditions; post-surgical recovery; relief from nausea and vomiting; childbirth; treatment of hemophilia and many other conditions. However, it may not be useful for all psychological and/or medical problems or for all patients or clients. The decision to use hypnosis as an adjunct to treatment should only be made in consultation with a qualified health care provider who has been trained in the use and limitations of clinical hypnosis. In addition to its use in clinical settings, hypnosis is used in research and forensic settings. Researchers study the value of hypnosis in the treatment of physical and psychological problems and examine the impact of hypnosis on sensation, perception, learning and memory.

Cognitive-Behavior Therapy

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What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

 

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) focuses on helping individuals understand how their thinking about a situation affects the way they feel and act. In turn it considers how behaviour can affect thoughts and feelings. In this therapeutic approach, the client and the therapist work together to change the client’s behaviours, or their thinking patterns or both. CBT has a very wide evidence base and is one of the most popular therapeutic approaches.

 

CBT is an effective intervention for individuals suffering from anxiety disorders, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder and eating disorders. It is also often helpful for sleep difficulties, physical symptoms without a medical diagnosis and anger management.

 

CBT is pragmatic, highly structured, tends to focus on current difficulties rather than explore the historical origins of them and relies on a collaborative therapeutic relationship between therapist and client.

 

What can I expect if I receive cognitive-behavioural therapy?

 

In CBT you will work together with your therapist to break down your difficulties into separate parts, the situation, thoughts, emotions, physical feelings and actions.

Your therapist will ask you to keep a diary or write down your thoughts and behaviour patterns.

You and your therapist will analyse your thoughts, feelings and behaviours to work out if they are unrealistic or unhelpful and to determine the effect they have on each other and on you.

After working out what you can change, your therapist will ask you to practice these changes in your everyday life. You will be asked to do homework between sessions.

Confronting fears and anxieties can be very challenging so you and your therapist will need to work out together what pace feels comfortable for you. Your therapist will keep checking out in the sessions how comfortable you are with the progress you are making.

Sometimes exposure sessions can be scheduled if you need help with a particular anxiety or phobia and these can take place outside of the clinic.

The therapeutic relationship in CBT is one in which the therapist takes a psycho-educational approach and facilitates change through being a teacher and a coach.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder

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What is body dysmorphic disorder?

 

Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (formerly known as dysmorphophobia) are preoccupied with one or more perceived defects or flaws in their physical appearance, which they believe look ugly, unattractive, abnormal, or deformed. The perceived flaws are not observable or appear only slight to other individuals.

 

 Concerns range from looking "unattractive" or "not right" to looking "hideous" or "like a monster." Preoccupations can focus on one or many body areas, most commonly the skin (e.g., perceived acne, scars, lines, wrinkles, paleness), hair (e.g., "thinning" hair or "excessive" body or facial hair), or nose (e.g., size or shape). However, any body area can be the focus of concern (e.g., eyes, teeth, weight, stomach, breasts, legs, face size or shape, lips, chin, eyebrows, genitals).

 

Some individuals are concerned about perceived asymmetry of body areas. The preoccupations are intrusive, unwanted, time-consuming (occurring, on average, 3-8 hours per day), and usually difficult to resist or control.

Excessive repetitive behaviors or mental acts (e.g., comparing) are performed in response to the preoccupation. The individual feels driven to perform these behaviors, which are not pleasurable and may increase anxiety and dysphoria.

 

They are typically time-consuming and difficult to resist or control. Common behaviors are comparing one's appearance with that of other individuals;

·       repeatedly checking perceived defects in mirrors or other reflecting surfaces or examining them directly;

·       excessively grooming (e.g., combing, styling, shaving, plucking, or pulling hair);

·       camouflaging (e.g., repeatedly applying makeup or covering disliked areas with such things as a hat, clothing, makeup, or hair);

·       seeking reassurance about how the perceived flaws look;

·       touching disliked areas to check them;

·       excessively exercising or weight lifting;

·       and seeking cosmetic procedures.

 

Some individuals excessively tan (e.g., to darken "pale" skin or diminish perceived acne), repeatedly change their clothes (e.g., to camouflage perceived defects), or compulsively shop (e.g., for beauty products).

 

Compulsive skin picking intended to improve perceived skin defects is common and can cause skin damage, infections, or ruptured blood vessels.

 

Relationship Difficulties

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The ability to establish and maintain loving, healthy relationships – whether that be with family, friends or our partner – is central to our wellbeing.

 

As children, we’re dependent on our care-givers to listen, understand and fulfil our physical and emotional needs. As adults, that dependency transfers from our primary caregivers onto our romantic partners.

 

Difficulty maintaining relationships: what might this mean?

Psychologically speaking, we have a tendency to seek out and repeat what is familiar to us. This is all well and good if we grew up in a warm, supportive household – but less so if our needs were not met sufficiently in childhood.

 

Unfortunately, if we haven’t been provided consistent love and attention from our primary caregivers as children, we might end up having difficulties forming and maintaining healthy attachments as adults.

 

If you find yourself always falling into intense, short-lived flings and find it hard to maintain stable relationships, therapy can help you get to the root of why this is happening and guide you towards choosing healthier partners.

 

Common long term relationship problems

All relationships go through ups and downs, and reaching a mutual place of commitment and trust can take work.

 

Relationship difficulties can happen for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes issues arise following a sudden, unexpected life event: the death of a loved on, a new opportunity at work which involves taking on more hours, infidelity… Other times, difficulties can seep into the relationship gradually and you can grow apart without even realising it.

 

All couples fight, and conflict doesn’t necessarily have to be a negative. In fact, sometimes it can end up strengthening your relationship by improving the way you communicate and connect as a couple. However, when fighting becomes the norm it can feel like you’re stuck in a vicious cycle.

 

The 4 main destructive relationship behaviours are:

 

1.Criticism – usually used as a power tactic to make the partner feel belittled and worthless through verbal attacks.

 

2. Stonewalling – serves as a silent rebellion against resolution, either by ignoring the partner or sulking.

 

3. Defensiveness – a way of avoiding taking on accountability and putting blame on the partner instead.

 

4. Contempt – a build up of negative emotions that are not properly shared with the partner and ultimately turn into resentment.

 

Remember, fighting with your partner doesn’t mean you have an unhealthy relationship. Instead, it’s about the way you manage fights. Learning how to communicate your needs in an assertive, and non-threatening way is an essential component of building a healthy, stable relationship.

 

Signs you’re in an unhealthy relationship

 

We’re all different, which means we all experience difficulties in different ways. If you feel like you’re in an unhealthy relationship – you most likely are, and it’s important to follow your gut instinct.

 

Below we’ve listed some of the common signs and symptoms:

 

Physical Symptoms

 

Feeling unwell / disconnected

Muscle tension around your partner

 

Psychological Symptoms

 

Mistrust

Feeling unloved and unworthy

Loneliness and isolation

Feeling misunderstood

 

Behavioural Symptoms

 

Being controlled or controlling

A sense of bringing out the worst in one another

Acting defensively

Criticism

Constant judgement and blame towards partner

Unequal give and take

Physical, verbal and emotional abuse

Avoiding or clinging

 

How does couples therapy work?

Love is a skill, and as with any skill it needs to be learned and cultivated. Some couples are naturally more aware of their needs and better able to communicate them to their partners. This ability largely rests upon the way in which someone grows up – what kind of childhood they had, whether their emotional needs were met and whether they were given the power to voice them.

 

Being able to form a safe, healthy relationship is vital for our mental and emotional wellbeing. Sometimes bringing an objective voice into the equation can guide you in uncovering and identifying the underlying causes of relational tension. And when that happens, you’ll have greater clarity to make a decision on how you’re going to manage the relationship going forward.

 

Some types of therapies :

Emotion Focused Couples Therapy

 

Emotion Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) is a form of therapy which will help you better understand each partner’s needs in the relationship. It is especially helpful for couples wishing to better connect emotionally with each other, helping them form a deeper bond that has perhaps not yet been established in the relationship. EFT is a short-term therapy and will usually last anywhere from 8 to 20 sessions.

 

Schema Couples Therapy

 

Schema Therapy works on the understanding of schemas. A schema is a “life-trap” or belief about the world (or ourselves) that we adopt in response to the difficulties we experience in life. Our schemas can be traced all the way back to our experiences in childhood, and they develop according to our how our emotional needs were met – or unmet.

 

Schema therapy will help you and your partner identify your core schemas so you can get a better understanding of how they are impacting your relationship. Your therapist will work with you over a longer period of time, using experiential and behavioural interventions, as well as cognitive strategies, in order that you can both get your emotional needs met in the relationship. This therapy works to change how you feel, as well as think and behave. 

 

Behavioural Couples Therapy

 

Behavioural Couples Therapy (BCT) focuses around working on unhelpful behavioural patterns which may be impacting the relationship, particularly in cases where one partner is struggling with depression. It works to help you get a better idea of where you stand in the relationship – and ultimately decide if you both want to work to find a resolution or to exit the relationship. With your therapist, you’ll work to get a better understanding of the relational impact of depression and developing better communication skills. BCT is a solution-focused therapy and will typically last anywhere between 8 to 12 sessions.

 

To find out more about which approach to therapy might be best for you, contact us  for a free phone consultation.

 

Common relationship myths

 

“You need to be at breaking point to go to couples therapy’”

 

The reverse is true: the earlier you start couples therapy, the better your chances for faster and more effective results.

 

“50% of marriages end in divorce”

 

In the UK, 42% of marriages end in divorce. Marrying before the age of 20 is a significant predictor of divorce, while couples who marry after 30 are much less likely to get divorced. As a general trend, divorce rates are decreasing. However, for the older generations it’s actually increasing.

 

 “Once the passion’s gone, it’s gone”

 

Whilst there’s some truth that the initial infatuation that comes with starting a new relationship doesn’t last forever, it doesn’t need to mean that the passion completely disappears. It’s about learning how to balance the comfort of creating a “safe space” together with the desire for mystery and unpredictability. There are always fresh and exciting ways to reignite the passion.

 

“Happily ever after exists”

 

There’s a modern day fantasy that we’re going to find the perfect partner who meets all of our needs. Romantic comedies conveniently end at the start of marriage which means they tend to omit the less sexy parts of being in a relationship, like shared chores and responsibilities. Instead of fooling ourselves with the illusion of a perfect relationship, we’re better to set healthier expectations for love. We can substitute this idea of the “perfect partner” with the “good enough” partner – the one who’s up for working through challenges when times get tough. This allows us to see that we have a choice in who we build a relationship with, and also helps us understand that it takes respect, commitment and investment from both parties to create and nurture the future you want.

 

“If we are having serious problems in our relationship it means we should breakup”

 

Of course, in some cases, when difficulties arise some relationships need to come to an end. But this certainly isn’t the case for all relationships. Recognising something is wrong means you have the opportunity to change it. And if both parties are willing to do the work this can actually end up strengthening a relationship. Seeing challenges as an opportunity to change rather than a diagnosis of failure is key.

 

Self-help tools

Relationship difficulties can have a significant impact on our mental and emotional wellbeing, and if we don’t look after ourselves properly they can lead to mental health issues like depression, anxiety, eating disorders etc. If struggles in your relationship are taking their toll, it’s crucial that you prioritise taking care of yourself. Doing so is going to benefit both you and your partner as it will allow you to engage and work on the relationship from a healthier, stronger standpoint.

 

Self-care comes in all kinds of shapes and sizes – so it’s all about finding what works for you. If you’re still in the process of working out whether therapy is right for you, we’ve included some tips for what you can be doing to take care of yourself in the meantime:

 

·       Take some space (emotionally or physically) – reconnect with yourself as an independent individual rather than simply identifying as your partner’s other half.

 

·       Increase your self-awareness – educate yourself about what it really means to have a healthy relationship. Most importantly, take time to think about your needs, and how they are or are not being met currently.

 

·       Identify triggers (yours and your partner’s) – consider keeping a diary of your fights and reflect on how both you and your partner play a part in reinforcing an unhealthy dynamic. What could you improve? How would you like to see them improve?

 

·       Work on changing the way you communicate – when the gloves are off and you find yourself fighting with your partner, try reframing your thinking and perception. Notice if any of these behaviours are happening and try to change the way you communicate accordingly.

 

Labelling – instead of using you-statements, try using I-statements e.g. Instead of saying “You are horrible,” consider saying “I feel unloved when you do this [behaviour].”

 

Catastrophising – involves instinctively thinking that something is meant in a more vicious way, or has far worse consequences, than it actually does. Try to take some space or call an objective friend before reacting in a way you might regret.

 

Fortune-telling – assuming that you know what’s on your partner’s mind or why they’re acting in a certain way is a sure-fire route to getting the wrong end of the stick. Instead, try having a conversation and ask open-ended questions. That way your partner will feel heard and you can also describe where you are coming from.

 

All-or-nothing speak – making all or nothing statements are not conducive to effective communication as our initial reaction is to prove the other person wrong with a counter-example. Instead, try describing that you feel there is a pattern of behaviour that you would like to work with your partner to overcome.

 

Focusing only on the negative – instead try acknowledging aspects of your partner’s behaviour and efforts that you appreciate, and admit to areas in which you can improve. This way they’re likely to feel like you’re both in a team and more likely to take on your request.

 

Bringing up unrelated past incidents – far-sightedness is likely to increase the chances of feeling like you are stuck in a negative situation. Try to let bygones be bygones, or, if you feel like there may be a deeper issue at hand (eg. you don’t feel safe or heard in the relationship), discuss the deeper issue and work towards a resolution rather than layering past incidents to prove your case.

Addictions

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What is Addiction?

An individual suffers from an addiction when they become physically or psychologically dependent on a substance or a particular activity despite negative consequences on their life. Some of the symptoms of addiction include excess use, inability to manage everyday life without the substance or activity, mood swings, irritability, lying, change in performance and others. There are different types of addiction listed below:

 

Substance misuse – repetitive use of a substance in a way that is damaging for an individual and can lead to dependence in a substance. Dependence involves developing a tolerance for the substance over time and going through withdrawal symptoms without it. Examples of substances that are often misused include:

 

·       Alcohol

·       Cannabis

·       Cocaine

·       Heroin

·       Methamphetamines

·       Club drugs

·       Ecstacy

·       GHB

·       Ketamine

·       LSD

·       PCP

·       Nicotine

 

Behavioural addictions – Behaviours can also become addictive. Similar to substances, behaviours become addictive when used excessively to help the person cope with difficult thoughts and feelings. Examples of addictive behaviours include compulsive shopping, gambling, pornography, internet, eating and others.

 

Treatment for Addiction

If you decide to see a psychologist for your addiction, they will take some time to understand the origins of your difficulties and will help you develop alternative strategies for managing your life and building resilience.

 

The most effective treatments for addictions are motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

personality disorders

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What is personality disorder?

If you are suffering from a personality disorder you are likely to differ significantly from an average person in terms of how you think, feel or relate to other people. Personality disorders typically emerge in adolescence and continue into adulthood. There are different types of personality disorder that present with different sets of symptoms. The different types of personality disorder have been grouped into three clusters, cluster A, B and C. Some of the common symptoms are listed below:

 

Cluster A

Difficulty relating to others, often there is a lack of wish to form relationships

Odd and eccentric behaviours

The types of personality disorder that fall under cluster A are paranoid, schizoid and schizotypal.

 

Cluster B

Difficulty relating to others but often there is a wish to form close relationships

Dramatic, emotional and unpredictable behaviours

The types of personality disorder that fall under cluster B are borderline, antisocial, histrionic and narcissistic.

 

Cluster C

Difficulty relating to others, often there is a wish to form close relationships

Anxious and fearful thinking and behaviour

The types of personality disorder that fall under cluster C are avoidant, dependent and obsessive-compulsive (the latter being a different diagnosis to obsessive-compulsive disorder).