What is Therapy?

Psychotherapy, sometimes called counseling or talk therapy, is an effective form of treatment for mental disorders, emotional issues, behavioral difficulties, life transitions and relationship problems.  There are many different styles of counseling  and psychotherapy techniques.

When it first began, pscyhotherapy was done by psychiatrists.  Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in treating mental health problems.  Over time, the field of counseling evolved and people began to seek services for other issues, not just mental disorders.  As the field expanded, trained and licensed professionals (other than psychiatrists began to practice psychotherapy.  Today, psychiatrists primarily prescribe medication only and therapy is done by psychotherapists

Types of Issues and Problems Psychotherapy Helps with:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Postpartum Depression and Adjustment
• Bipolar Disorder
• Mood Swings
• Addiction
• Drug Abuse
• Alcoholism
• Family Problems
• Relationship Problems
• Marital Problems
• Self Esteem & Self Confidence
• Bereavement
• Grief & Loss
• Coping Skills
• Emotion Regulation Skills
• Anger Management
• Stress Management
• Work Stress
• Parenting
• Personal Growth
• Spirituality & Spiritual Concerns
• Communication Skills
• Personality Disorders
• Child Disorders
• Adolescent Disorders
• Emotional Eating
• Eating Disorders
• PTSD
• Trauma
• Life Skills

 

Does Therapy Help?

Yes! It generally does!  Therapy has be shown in research to be very effective for most people.  There are a number of factors that affect the success of therapy.  These can include:

• The problems you are seeking help for;
• How much you participate in your therapy;
• The length of time your stay in treatment;
• The techniques used by the therapist;
• The quality of the relationship (called “therapeutic alliance“) the therapist forms with you.

 

In most cases, people begin to see good results in about 12 sessions, and people who stay in therapy for 6 months tend to feel more satisfied with their treatment.  This is just a general estimate and can vary of course.

Types of Therapy Dr. Gagnon Offers in her Plantation FL Office

 

Individual Therapy

Individual Therapy refers to counseling where one person attends alone and works with the therapist to resolve problems and issues or improve some aspect of their life.  To learn more about Individual Therapy, visit our Individual Counseling page.

 

Couples Therapy

Couples Therapy is relationship counseling where both partners see the same therapist, sometimes together (couples therapy session), sometimes separately (individual therapy session).  Each therapist has a different method of working with couples.  To learn more about couples counseling, visit our couples therapy page.

 

Family Therapy

Family Therapy is counseling for families.  Similar to couples therapy, sometimes the family members attend a session together, sometimes they attend separately.  It all depends on the situation and the therapist’s approach to family therapy.  To learn more about Dr. Gagnon’s family therapy services, visit our family counseling page or read Dr. Gagnon’s blog post on Family Therapy.

 

Child & Adolescent Therapy

Therapy for children and counseling for adolescents is a form of individual therapy, but utilizes age-appropriate techniques and (for children) play therapy techniques.  You can learn more about Dr. Gagnon’s counseling services for teenagers and children on our Children & Teen Counseling page.

 

Don’t feel you need therapy, but want to take your life and career to the next level?  

Try Coaching!