Talk Therapy Basics
When people are struggling with emotional problems, feelings of stress or negative thoughts, talk therapy offers a way out of the deadlock. In Chicago, talk therapy is offered by 2SC.
Talk therapy, sometimes referred to by other names such as psychotherapy or counseling, gives people the chance to talk to somebody who is trained to support them through whatever issues they are experiencing, whether they involve that person alone or their relationships with others. Talk therapy is there for anyone, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or social or educational background.
Talk Therapy: A safe space to explore
People often come to talk therapy when they feel unable to communicate effectively with their loved ones. Friends and relatives can be too close to the situation, and talking to someone trained to listen can be a lot easier.
During talk therapy, the therapist will not judge the person but will support and encourage them to fully explore their thoughts and feelings. Regardless of the specific methods of therapy used, the self-understanding gained can help the person reduce stress, take control and change their lives for the better.
Therapeutic techniques often used in talk therapy include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Humanistic Therapy
What can talk therapy help with?
No referral is needed to access talk therapy, and people can access help for a huge range of issues, including:
- Feeling stuck
- Anxiety/Depression
- Eating Disorders (including bulimia and obesity)
- Anger problems
- Phobias
- OCD (Obsessive-compulsive Disorder)
- PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder)
- Addiction
- Bereavement
Even people with complicated mental health issues, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can benefit from a combination of medication and talk therapy.
Talk therapy for couples
Talk therapy is also used to benefit couples and whole families. Relationship counseling can help when communication has broken down and can either bring partners back together or help them through the separation or divorce process.
Families often benefit from talk therapy if there is friction caused by one or more member’s depression, behavioral problems or drug or alcohol addiction. Children often respond well to talk therapy if they are suffering from stress, depression or conditions such as ADHD.
Surviving difficult life events
No matter how strong we think we are, life sometimes throws challenging events our way and we can suffer with mental health problems as a result. Talk therapy can help with traumatic life events such as the death of a loved one, loss of a job, divorce, sexual abuse or domestic violence. All therapists are professionally bound to codes of ethics and anything that happens in a therapy session will always be treated confidentially.
If you are interested in talk therapy and want to explore the potential benefits for you or your relationship, please give us a call at 773-528-1777 or send us a confidential note using our online contact form.