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Chapter 17: Problem 3

What are the goals of therapy? What is the eclectic approach to therapy?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The goals of therapy are to help individuals improve mental health, manage symptoms of mental illness, cope with daily life stressors, or achieve personal objectives. The eclectic approach to therapy is a flexible method that uses a combination of different therapeutic techniques tailored to suit the client's individual needs.

Step by step solution

01

Definition of therapy's goals

In a broad sense, the main goal of therapy is to help individuals, couples, families, groups, or organizations to take care of mental health issues. These issues can range from coping with daily life stressors, managing symptoms of mental illness, recovering from traumatic events, reducing harmful behaviors or helping the person to reach specific personal growth or development goals.
02

Explanation and Example of therapy's goals

For example, if a person is dealing with major anxiety issues, the goal of therapy might be to manage the anxiety in a way that it doesn’t interfere with the normal routine of the person. Another could be a person dealing with bereavement, here the aim of therapy might be to help the person grieve in a healthier way and finally achieve closure.
03

Definition of Eclectic Approach to Therapy

The 'eclectic' approach in therapy is an integrative approach that brings together elements from different therapeutic techniques. An eclectic therapist is not rigidly committed to and reliant on a single system or technique, but rather adjusts methods and philosophies to best meet the client's unique needs and circumstances.
04

Explanation and Example of eclectic approach

For example, an eclectic therapist working with a client who has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may employ cognitive-behavioral strategies (CBT) to assist with symptom management, along with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to alleviate the distress associated with trauma memories. Psychoanalytic techniques may also be used to understand how past experiences influence current PTSD symptoms.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

When should a person seek psychotherapy? Explain your answer.

Cite and describe two examples of group therapy and how these types of therapy help patients.

Pick something of which you are afraid. Construct a plan for using systematic desensitization to help you overcome this fear.

Cite and describe the techniques involved in client-centered therapy.

Some therapists may view therapy as a process of teaching a client a philosophy of life. Do you think this therapy goal is appropriate? Does this goal assume the therapist has the better philosophy of life? Argue your point in an editorial-type essay.
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