Psychotherapeutic Technique A Brief Overview (1) Ch Jonathan Haverkampf

When patients come to see a therapist, they often have a long list of things that do not work for them in their lives. It is easy to overlook that one of the hardest steps towards health has been taken, stepping into the office of a therapist. Psychotherapeutic Technique is then largely about helping the patient find his or her path and to have the courage to follow it. Empathy, common sense, and a good dose of optimism are helpful in this line of work.

Much of what can happen in therapy depends on the expectations of the patient. It determines how much he or she will participate in therapy and contribute to the process in general. This makes it worthwhile to point out early to the basic working in principle in therapy, that the therapist can help patients help themselves, but should under normal circumstances not tell them what to do.

Therapy is about meaning, helping a patient find relevance in things, which also requires looking at values and basic interests. Following one’s values and basic interests makes happy. Many people in today’s busy and increasingly complex world lose their ability to see relevance in the world and in what they do. Helping people to reconnect what they see in the world with what they value is an important aspect of therapy.