Individual Therapy for
Sustainable Healing.
Individual therapy is a joint process between a therapist and client that allows the person to work through their mental health struggles in a calm, safe, and confidential setting. Also known as individual psychotherapy, this kind of treatment is a unique opportunity to work one-on-one with a therapist to develop healthy coping skills for the long term. The beauty of individual therapy is the opportunity for flexibility, as treatment plans can be easily structured around your needs and background.
When to Seek Help
If stress, anxiety, negative feelings or behavior, and/or a persistent sense of hopelessness have begun to interfere with your daily life, it’s time to seek help. If you or a loved one is reluctant to go to therapy, remember: You are not alone. Reluctance to ask for help can stem from the stigma around mental health, the shame of talking about the past, or a fear of the unknown. But reaching out for support will transform your life for the better.
Individual psychotherapy can be helpful in treating key mental health issues and co-occurring disorders, including eating disorders, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, addictions, personality disorders, and schizophrenia, to name a few. Each person’s experience with individual psychotherapy is unique and can be helpful in addressing various conflicts and stresses in life.
Key benefits of individual therapy are:
- Coping with major life changes
- Relieving stress and anxiety
- Addressing conflict
- Recovering from physical and emotional abuse
- Easing insomnia
- Learning to build healthy relationships and manage unhealthy ones
Know the Facts
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that 1 in 5 adults in the United States may be affected by mental health issues.
Types of Individual Psychotherapy
There are a number of effective types of individual psychotherapy. Some work better than others in treating certain disorders and conditions. In many cases, therapists use a combination of individual therapy techniques. Your therapist will consider your particular situation and preferences to determine which approach may be best tailored to your unique makeup and experience.
Although many types of therapies exist, the following individual therapy techniques are proven to be effective.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
helps residents acknowledge the unhealthy behaviors they are using to cope with deeper underlying issues. Additionally, clients develop ways to modify these behaviors.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
focuses on examining the relationships between thoughts, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, in order to modify patterns of thinking to improve coping skills.
Attachment-Based Family Therapy (ABFT)
is an evidence-based approach for treating depression and anxiety in adolescents. It works by repairing damage in the family system and rebuilding trust within the parent-child relationship, through providing a solid foundation that promotes authentic connection and enhances teen mental health.
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
is a modality that uses alternative holistic methods, including acupuncture, neurolinguistic programming, and energy work, to modify emotions.
Person-Centered or Humanistic Therapy
engages teens with unconditional positive regard, compassion, and empathy. This allows kids to feel accepted and better able to understand their feelings.
Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)
combines acceptance and mindfulness with commitment and behavior-change strategies to increase psychological flexibility.
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
is an evidence-based psychotherapeutic treatment used to alleviate distress from PTSD and traumatic memories. Hence, EMDR adapts the way the brain processes information.
Post-Induction Therapy (PIT)
explores and repairs relational trauma within the family system, through a dynamic approach to individual and group therapy.
What to Expect
If you haven’t been feeling like yourself for quite some time, and nothing seems to ease your stress, it may be time to visit a therapist. Sometimes we need the help of a therapist to strengthen our natural coping skills. The sooner you seek treatment, the faster you can move toward health and well-being.
Your First Therapy Session
During your first therapy session, the therapist will gather information about you, including your history and your goals. You may be asked to fill out forms about your physical and emotional health. Depending on your needs, your therapist will tailor each session to match your personal circumstances and challenges.
A primary aspect of individual psychotherapy is exploring the root cause of painful feelings, which can be difficult to face. Developing a trusting relationship with your therapist will help you gain confidence and self-knowledge.
Think of your first therapy session as an opportunity to assess whether you and the therapist are a good fit, by asking yourself the following questions:
- Do you feel comfortable?
- Is it easy to speak with your therapist?
- Is there a mutual level of respect?
By the end of your first session, you should understand what type of therapeutic modalities will be used and the overarching goals of your treatment plan. Furthermore, is outpatient/weekly therapy sufficient for your needs or do you need a higher level of care, such as an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), partial hospitalization, or residential treatment?
Individual therapy typically takes place once a week or every other week in 45- to 60-minute sessions. Benefits of individual therapy include flexibility, the development of self-awareness and communication skills, understanding how to receive constructive criticism, and the deep level of analysis you will receive from your therapist. Sometimes, individual psychotherapy is coupled with variations on group therapy—either with other clients or your family—in order to push you out of your comfort zone within a safe therapeutic environment.
Through individual therapy techniques, clients receive a more personalized care experience and benefit from a true therapeutic relationship.
Kristin Wilson
MA, LPC, Chief Experience Officer
Questions?
All calls are always confidential.
Individual Therapy at Newport Institute
Individual therapy at Newport Institute aims to inspire change, improve quality of life, and remind you that you are not alone. Contingent upon your level of care, we offer custom-tailored therapeutic treatment plans, with individual psychotherapy as a central or core modality.
Confidentiality
To help you get the most out of individual psychotherapy, the Newport Institute team is committed to making sure you feel comfortable with your individual therapist, so you can be honest without the fear of abandonment or lack of confidentiality. The process doesn’t happen overnight, but we will be here for you every step of the way.
At Newport Institute, we maintain strict standards for confidentiality at all levels of care and within all treatment modalities and therapeutic sessions. However, it’s important to understand that by law, therapists may break confidentiality if someone is in immediate danger of harming themselves or others.
Individual Therapy at Newport Institute: Residential Treatment
Individual therapy at Newport Institute aims to inspire change, improve quality of life, and remind you that you are not alone. Contingent upon your level of care, we offer custom-tailored therapeutic treatment plans, with individual psychotherapy as a central or core modality.
Individual Therapy at Newport Institute: Outpatient Treatment
Our outpatient program treats young adults who might be stepping down from residential care, or facing challenges while acclimating to life at college or starting on a career path.
