The therapy process Each
session lasts 50 minutes.
Initial
consultation
The initial consultation takes place in the first session (interview
session). The therapist will ask questions in order to understand
why the person is seeking therapy and what goals s/he wants to achieve.
During this interview, the psychologist aims to gather information
about the patient's history, and it is common to be asked questions
about family life, social relationships, work, school and physical
health.
The
patient can also ask questions about the treatment.
The
therapist can then provide some information about how CBT can help
and suggest a frequency for sessions (usually once a week).
Nevertheless,
it is important to highlight that each person’s history is
complex, rich, unique and intricate. It takes more than a few sessions
for the psychologist to understand the current difficulties in depth,
their sources and what they may be related to.
Treatment
If the patient decides to invest in psychotherapy, a specific day
and time of the week is set for the sessions. These usually occur
once a week, but may be more frequent, depending on the case.
It
is difficult to predict the exact duration of treatment, as this
depends on several factors: the severity of the symptoms, the duration
of the disorder or problem (chronicity), the development of the
therapeutic relationship, the degree of patient involvement in the
treatment and the speed of change, which is very particular.
The
therapeutic relationship (also called therapeutic alliance) is the
bond that forms between psychologist and patient. It is expected
that some sessions may be necessary before the patient feels comfortable
and confident to open up completely. However, as in any psychotherapeutic
treatment, it is important for the patient to empathize with the
professional and trust his/her qualifications.
The
treatment usually finishes when both psychologist and client identify
and agree that the patient already has enough tools to deal with
their difficulties and life circumstances. Sessions may be extended
to 15 days intervals or stop altogether. It depends on each case
and this is evaluated together with the patient.
As
CBT is an approach in which both therapist and patient are very
active and work together, treatment is continually re-evaluated.
Thus, the psychologist may raise new hypotheses and formulations
during the treatment as the patient provides new information.
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