A SUMMARY OF THE MAIN APPROACHES TO PSYCHOTHERAPY
Average Therapy Best Suited For: Duration[*] Cost[**]
--------------------------------------------------------------
Client's Personality (not all traits may apply to a Problems or Goals single person) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[*] 1 = Brief therapies, frequently 12 weekly sessions or less; 2 = 3-6 months;
3 = long-term therapies, 6 months to several years
[**] = initially expensive, then $10-25/hr.; ++ = expensive $50-100+/hr.;
+ = moderate, $25-50/hr.; 0 = inexpensive, $10-25/hr.;
# = often available on a sliding scale basis (see Chapter 4) through
county clinics, agencies etc
A. Psychoanalysis self-development: broad-spectrum self-disciplined 3 ++ #
improvements committed
suffering from childhood traumas patient
fear of withdrawal of affection tolerant to frustration
and of abandonment introverted
interpersonal problems articulate
phobias analytical
compulsions reflective
sexual disorders
depression
mania
manic depression
psychoses
B. Client-centered self-development: broad-spectrum inhibited 2 + #
improvements possessing initiative
low self-worth needing acceptance,
crisis intervention human warmth, and
gentle encouragement
C. Gestalt behavior problems in children tolerant to frustration 1-2 + to 0
shyness/passivity rigid
coping with persons in authority inhibited
psychosomatic disorders able to work in a group
adjustment problems: minorities setting
and the poor
family conflicts
crisis intervention
D. Transactional shyness/passivity interested in effective 1-2 0 #
analysis loneliness/emptiness communication
hostility/overbearing personality
fear of withdrawal of affection
and of abandonment
improving effectiveness of
communication
coping with persons in authority
phobias
adjustment problems
marital problems, especially
those involving communication
difficulties
family conflicts
drug abuse
E. Rational- hostility/overbearing self-disciplined 2 +
emotive personality rigid
interpersonal problems
anxiety disorders
post-traumatic stress
phobias
compulsions
sexual disorders
impulse control disorders
depression
mania and manic depression
adjustment problems
marital problems
delinquency and criminal behavior
F. Existential- loneliness/emptiness introverted 2 +
humanistic loss of faith in yourself, sensitive to existential
in others, or in life's purpose issues
inability to accept life's
limitations
crisis intervention
G. Logotherapy estrangement/alienation from reflective 2 +
others sensitive to values
loss of faith in yourself, in
others, or in life's purpose
noögenic neuroses
depression due to value conflicts
inability to accept life's
limitations
emotional problems in facing
old age
problems of the recently widowed
stuttering
shaking and motor tic disorders
crisis intervention
H. Reality desire for a success-identity self-disciplined 1-2 +
anxiety disorders committed
post-traumatic stress patient
adjustment problems rigid
marital problems
problems of the recently widowed
vocational problems
delinquency and criminal behavior
psychoses
I. Adlerian deep discouragement with life self-disciplined 1-2 + #
marital problems inhibited
family conflicts
stuttering
shaking and motor tic disorders
vocational problems
delinquency and criminal behavior
J. Bioenergetics self-development: broad-spectrum inhibited 1-2 +
improvements motivated and able to
suffering from childhood pain undertake physical
exercise
K. Primal anxiety disorders pent-up feelings 1-2 =
post-traumatic stress
phobias
compulsions
drug abuse
L. Implosive phobias (nonspecific) 1 +
M. Direct decision desire for a success-identity self-disciplined 1 +
compulsions committed
impulse control disorders patient
vocational problems
adjustment problems
psychoses
drug abuse