Mental Disorders in today’s world

Recognize early

Conditions in which Psychotherapy helps

Some commonly used Psychotherapies

Psychotherapies developed by Dr S K Sharma

Life Management © therapy

Benefits of Psychotherapy

The Process of Psychotherapy

What is Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is the process of non medicinal intervention by trained therapist (psychotherapist) to treat people suffering from mental illness or psychological disorders of thoughts / feelings / behavior and to help people in improving mental control & functioning for a better life. In short it is the therapy which helps to achieve sound & positive mental health.

There are many methods / techniques which are used by psychotherapists today. (See types of psychotherapies) They have both diagnostic and therapeutic (curative) value. These therapies differ in origin, underlying principle, working methodology, professional training and usefulness in treating disorders.

Mental Disorders in today’s world

Mental disorders are fast becoming very common. The common causes, apart from biological causes, are setbacks in life, grief, poor coping skills, faulty upbringing, high pace & high demands of modern life, complex social structure, rapidly changing human values, lack of role models, poor support system, influence of media etc. The psychological disorders affect people’s ability to think, feel, act and relate in effective manner. They affect the happiness and progress in life. Their early detection and treatment is crucial to save person from long term suffering. (Also see Counseling for early intervention).

Recognize early

It is possible and helpful to recognize the changes early. Look for the following changes / symptoms in yourself or your loved ones.

• Changes in personality
• Problems of behavior
• Inability to function effectively.
• Persistent stress & inability to cope
• Extremes of mood and mood swings
• Unwanted strange / troublesome ideas / thoughts
• Inability to relate and have satisfactory relationships
• Persistent distressing feelings like sadness, anxiety etc
• Marked non specific changes in body functions like sleep or appetite
• Addictions and substance abuse like alcohol / drugs / sex / gambling etc
• Non specific physical complaints like weakness, bodyache, headache etc.

Conditions in which Psychotherapy helps

According to a recent survey for mental illness, approximately 26.2 percent of adults (over 1 in 4) are affected (or likely to be affected) by some type of mental illness.  Here are some of the common mental illnesses that psychotherapist work with:

• Anxiety disorders like stress, non specific anxiety, health anxiety, social anxiety etc.
• Behavior disorders like uncontrolled anger (IED), impulsive gambling / stealing / pyromania / sex & pornography.
• Childhood disorders like attention deficit disorders (ADHD), autism etc.
• Cognitive disorders like amnesia, delirium, dementia etc.
• Dissociative disorders like depersonalization, identity disorder etc.
• Eating disorder like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating etc.
• Factitious disorders like feigning sickness.
• Mental disorders due to medical condition and sickness
• Mental retardation and poor development, specific or general.
• Mood disorders like depression, mania, bipolar disorder etc.
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Panic disorder like cue attacks, situational attacks, spontaneous attacks etc.
• Personality disorders like anti social /avoidant / paranoid personality
• Phobic disorders like phobia of animals, accidents, water, crowded place etc.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Psycho social disorders like isolation, problem with social group or occupation.
• Psychosomatic disorders like psychosomatic pain, conversion disorder, hypochondriasis, body dismorphic disorder etc.
• Schizophrenia with delusions, hallucinations etc
• Sexual & gender identity disorders like exhibitionism, fetishism, disorders of sexual desire / function, painful sex etc.
• Sleep disorders like insomnia, sleep walking, nightmares etc.
• Substance abuse (alcohol/drugs/nicotine)

Some commonly used Psychotherapies

• Adlerian Psychotherapy
• Behavior Therapy
• Cognitive Therapy
• Cognitive Behavior Therapy
• EMDR Therapy
• Emotional Freedom Therapy
• Emotionally Focused Therapy
• Existential Therapy
• Gestalt Therapy
• Hypnotherapy
• Integrative Therapy
• Interpersonal Psychotherapy
• Mind Body Therapy
• Neuro Linguistic Program Therapy
• Person Centred Therapy
• Primal Therapy
• Psychoanalysis
• Rational Emotive Therapy
• Spiritual Therapy
• Transactional Analysis
• Expressive therapy
• Narrative therapy
• Emotionally focused therapy

Psychotherapies developed by Dr S K Sharma

• Life Management Therapy

A comprehensive therapy for better management of life.

• InnerVoice Therapy

A therapy based on ‘Inner Voice’ for diagnosis and treatment of various psycho emotional disorders.

• MasterMind

A unique Mind Development Program to excel in life.

• Bliss Emotional Healing and Happiness Therapy

A therapy for emotional release, freedom from negativity, development of emotional intelligence and attainment of stable inner happiness.

• Symbiosis Dynamic Relational Therapy

A therapy for development of positive & healthy social relations.

• Healthy Sex Therapy

A program to develop healthy and strong sexuality.

• One to One Couple Hypnosis

A very special program for couples to attain true love and strong relationship.

• Three Step Self Hypnosis

Safe simple yet powerful self hypnosis to attain better personality, better performance & results, reduce anger & anxiety, remove conflicts & bad habits and improve relationships.

• Love Therapy

A therapy for development of ability to give and receive love. It helps in attainment of state of abundance, high spirits & joy.

• Real Life Yogic Psychotherapy

A therapy for development of ‘higher inner self’ and harmony between Yogic life and real, practical world.

• Clinical Psychotherapy for psychological diseases

A therapy utilizing different mental mechanism for treatment of various psychological diseases.

• Complete Psychotherapy

A comprehensive therapy for better mental health. It incorporates –

1. Core of reference
2. Consciousness
3. Cognition
4. Emotions
5. Behavior
6. Physical Feedback
7. Life Management

Life Management therapy

It is a holistic psychotherapy which aims to treat mental sickness and strengthen positive mental health for mental calmness and efficient mental functioning. It has following components.

• Free Consciousness of Self, Environment and Life Facts.
• Life Skills Training.
• Positive Living.

Life management therapy has short and long term strategies for both acute and chronic complaints. It removes distress & negativity and promotes mental control & effective mental function. The highlight of life management therapy is the fact that it does not stop at treating mental sickness but continue to promote positive mental health.Read More

MasterMind

It is a unique Mind Development Program for children & adults for development of mind.

• It helps in development of mind & brain.
• It improves functioning of mind like intelligence, concentration, memory, study & learning skills, creativity etc.
• It improves efficiency of mind and helps in multitasking.
• It improves self control & gives emotional stability. It prevents and helps in psycho-emotional complaints.
• It removes mental conflicts and complexes.
• It creates organized, calm, efficient, sharp and powerful mind.
• It helps in achieving confidence, success and in realizing best of self potential.

Benefits of Psychotherapy

• It decreases mental distress and helps in overcoming mental illness.
• It improves mental calmness, control and functioning.
• It improves job stability and helps in growth.
• It reduces socially unwanted behavior.
• It helps in getting freedom from addictions.
• It decreases dependence on psychiatric medicines.
• It reduces suffering and even treats psychosomatic diseases.
• It decreases discords and improves satisfaction in relationships.
• In addition to patient it improves the atmosphere of patient’s family.

The Process of Psychotherapy

Apart from professional skills of therapist, psychotherapy (like counseling) works in an atmosphere of privacy, confidentiality, trust, respect and warmth. It is entirely confidential and it is not necessary for the patient to reveal his / her name, address and place of work. The initial sessions are about information gathering which are crucial for correct assessment and which form the basis of direction of psychotherapy. Patient’s can safely reveal his / her mental anguish and thoughts / feeling / behavior howsoever strange they may seem to be. On the basis of assessment the psychotherapy schedule is mutually decided. The schedule is need based and takes into consideration state of sickness, patient’s life and responsibilities and the effect of sickness on patient’s life and life of those related to him / her.  Through the use of different psychological techniques, patient understands his / her sickness, gains mental control & functioning and learns various strategies to keep mental health positive and strong. In terms of benefits and reduced suffering, psychotherapy is a very cost effective treatment option.

Contact Us for any further question or appointment.

Psychotherapy consists of a series of techniques for treating mental, emotional and some psychiatric disorders. It involves undergoing regular meetings or sessions with a psychotherapist During this process, a trained psychotherapist helps the client tackle a specific or general problem such as a particular mental illness or a source of life stress.
There are many specific types of psychotherapy, each with its own approach. The type of psychotherapy that’s right for you depends on your individual situation

Psychotherapy can be helpful in treating most mental health problems, including:

• Anxiety disorders,such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), phobias, panic disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Mood disorders,such as depression or bipolar disorder
• Addictions,such as alcoholism, drug dependence or compulsive gambling
• Eating disorders,such as anorexia or bulimia
• Personality disorders,such as borderline personality disorder or dependent personality disorder
• Schizophreniaor other disorders that cause detachment from reality (psychotic disorders)

Types of psychotherapy

There are many forms of psychotherapy. Some are:

• Psychodynamic therapy – it focuses on how life events, desires, and past and current relationships affect your feelings and the choices you make.
• Humanistic therapy – This approach emphasizes people’s capacity to make rational choices and develop to their maximum potential. Concern and respect for others are also important themes.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy – it can be used to alter difficult behaviors, such as smoking, procrastination, or phobias, and can also help address conditions such as depression and anxiety.
• Group therapy – it involves one or more therapists working with several people at the same time. This type of therapy is widely available at a variety of locations, including private therapeutic practices, hospitals, mental health clinics and community centers.

Psychotherapy is a form of treatment for emotional problems. Skilled therapists such as psychologists can work with individuals to pinpoint the life circumstances that contribute to their problems, and help them understand which aspects of those problems they may be able to solve or improve.

Talking with a qualified psychotherapist can support you through difficult times and help you create change in your life.

Psychotherapy can be used to treat a wide range of mental health conditions, including:

• Depression
• Anxiety disorders
• Abuse or trauma
• Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Long-term illnesses
• Relationship breakdown
• Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimiaand binge eating
• Drugs misuse

Psychotherapy can help you

• Understand your illness
• Define and reach wellness goals
• Overcome fears or insecurities
• Cope with stress
• Make sense of past traumatic experiences
• Separate your true personality from the mood swings caused by your illness
• Identify triggers that may worsen your symptoms
• Improve relationships with family and friends
• Establish a stable, dependable routine
• Develop a plan for coping with crises
• Understand why things bother you and what you can do about them
• End destructive habits such as drinking, using drugs, overspending or unhealthy sex.

If you have psychotherapy, you will meet your therapist regularly, usually once a week. However, in some cases, more frequent sessions may be needed.

Primary tools for communicating in online therapy include:

• E-mail – It offers the convenience of not having to leave home, the privacy of not being seen or heard and the added advantage that you can choose to write in your own time.
• Instant Messaging (IM) – Instant message software such as Skype and Windows Messenger makes it possible to participate in therapy without being seen or heard.
• Phone – Most common as it is everywhere available and provides direct connect.

Online psychotherapy has the advantages of being convenient to provider and client, user friendly, and utilizing the latest technological procedures to provide confidential. It is usually affordable. When a client does use the modality of e-therapy, it allows for a sense of privacy that may not be capable of attaining through traditional therapeutic means. Also, e-therapy allows the client the ability to get to their point much quicker than traditional therapy. The client does not have to deal with social and non-verbal cues, embarrassment, shyness, and other behavioral barriers that can sometimes impede progress in a traditional counseling atmosphere.

Online psychotherapy is suitable for those with problems like anxiety or depression, relationship issues, sexuality concerns, confidence, shyness, addiction, career problems or burnout or difficulties with life direction and purpose.

Psychotherapy is a very specialized treatment which requires substantial amount of skill, effort and energy on part of psychotherapist. In a very short time psychotherapist has to understand the unique mental functioning of the individual patient in context with his or her circumstances of life and has to design a suitable psychotherapy treatment protocol. All this requires in-depth education, training and experience. In addition, the psychotherapist must have himself or herself grown as a human being, must have integrated personality and must have understood the dynamics of mind and dynamics of life.  His treatment must be based on sound theoretical background of psychotherapy and also practical enough to be easily and effectively applicable in patients every day life.

After completing medical training from Delhi University Dr S K Sharma further obtained post graduate education in human psychology and psychotherapy. Since 1994, he has been helping people with psychoemotional complaints to regain positive mental health. His successful working on mind mechanism has resulted in sustained betterment in people’s life as they come up stronger with better mental harmony and mental abilities.

Understanding psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is not one therapy. It is a broad term used to refer to all such non medicinal therapies which are used to help people in achieving better mental health.  Commonly used psychotherapies are counseling psychotherapy, cognitive behavior psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, gestalt psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, integrative psychotherapy, play psychotherapy, family psychotherapy, narrative psychotherapy, hypnotherapy etc. There are three main aspects of psychotherapy. One is the person who is seeking help for some difficulty, second is the psychotherapist who is qualified and trained to undertake such therapy and thirdly which is the most important is the rapport, the bond or the relationship between the person and the psychotherapist. This relationship is based on trust, confidentiality and mutual regard. This provides the platform on which one can explore one’s deepest difficulties without any fear or inhibition.  Psychotherapist then uses his or her skills to explore solutions and develop better coping skills towards a positive mental health and efficiency.

Conditions successfully managed by Dr S K Sharma using psychotherapy:

• Addictions and Alcoholism
• Anger and violence
• Anxiety
• Behavioral problems
• Depression and Bipolar disorder
• Eating disorders
• Failures and disappointments in life
• Fear and Phobias
• Low self esteem and self confidence
• Marital or Family discords
• Obsessive compulsive disorder OCD
• Personality disorders
• Post traumatic stress disorder PTSD
• Problems from sexual abuse
• Relationship and Emotional crises
• Schizophrenia
• Sexual disorders
• Sleep disorders
• Stress
• Suicidal tendency

Dr S K Sharma helps you to :

• Control and correct involuntary thoughts, feelings and behavior
• Break old and ineffective habitual patterns of thinking and behavior
• Discover creative and effective ways of thinking and behavior
• Find new ways to cope and better coping skills to solve problem
• Unload emotional burden and get “unstuck” from past
• Heal old psychological wounds
• Improve communication skills
• Improve your self esteem self confidence
• Increase your ability to love yourself and love others

You may visit Ethos or opt for phone / online psychotherapy. Contact Us for details.