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Does Therapy Work?
By Bradley Brenner, Ph.D.
Answers to Common Questions about Therapy
If you’ve ever been curious about therapy, continue reading. I’ve developed a list of frequently asked questions (and their answers) about some of the basics of being in therapy. These questions were accumulated over years of working with clients and instructing and supervising psychotherapy students. Here they are.
Does Therapy Work?
In simple and direct terms - yes, it works. Sophisticated research studies on the effectiveness of therapy have shown that it is indeed helpful for the vast majority of people who engage in it. These studies have shown that most people are psychologically healthier at the end of therapy when compared to those who had similar problems, but did not engage in therapy.
I’ve heard about many types of therapy like Psychodynamic or Cognitive Behavioral. What’s with all those different types?
Different schools of thought about how to best conduct therapy have developed over the years, and each talks about why their approach is better or more effective. Bottom line? Most major approaches to therapy have been shown to be equally effective in helping people achieve higher levels of psychological health. I am a strong believer that finding a therapist with whom you feel comfortable with, or "match" with, is critically important to a positive outcome in therapy. In my opinion the “match” is even more important than the type of therapy.
Is therapy right for me?
In my professional opinion everyone – including you – owes it to themselves to explore therapy if they have challenges or difficulties in work or life to address.
I'm new to therapy. What's it like?
TV and movie images are full of therapy "patients" lying on a couch, being asked to free associate, and talk with minimal input from their therapist. Although that type of therapy has its place, therapy with me most often seems like a deep face-to-face conversation with a trusted friend. I strive to create a comfortable and non-judgmental opportunity to be heard and understood. Basically, much of the work of therapy is having an opportunity to explore and make sense of difficulties or patterns in your life.
Therapy with me provides a combination of
• a supportive listening ear,
• the right questions to help understand your situation better, and/or
• targeted feedback.
What are the first few sessions of therapy like?
I’m here to help guide you through talking about your concerns. That's my expertise. So a first meeting with me would be an opportunity for you to tell me your story and struggles in life. If it's hard to put into words, I'll help you figure out how. Of course, there will be the normal paperwork to complete as well, but the most important aspect of the first few sessions is you and I getting a better initial understanding of your current concerns.
I'm nervous to talk about my problems with someone new.
That is completely understandable. It is a big step to talk about what is troubling you and I do all that we can to make it a comfortable process. Speaking about your problems almost always relieves built up stress, and most of my clients talk about feeling better after having had a chance to speak with me.
It may help you to know that under almost all circumstances what you talk about with a psychologist is held in strict confidence. Although there are exceptions to the rules, the ethics and laws governing the practice of psychologists are very strict when it comes to confidentiality.
Bradley Brenner, Ph.D.
Dr. Brad Brenner is a psychologist in private practice in Portsmouth. He is credentialed with the National Register of Health Services Providers in Psychology, an Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland, and board member of the Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, a psychotherapy training institute in Washington, DC.
In his practice he offers long and short term psychotherapy, career counseling, vocational testing and interpretation, and couples counseling. Contact him at 401.369.8951 or visit www.RhodeIslandPsychotherapy.com for more information.
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