A support group universalizes for its members that they are not alone in terms of the problems that the group deals with. It also offers the opportunity for members to experience interpersonal learning. It does so by providing a forum in which to receive feedback from one's peers about things they do that positively or negatively impact their relationships within the group. Support groups also provide its members the opportunity to practice altruism which will positively impact the self-esteem of those group members who feel like they no longer have anything to offer anyone or the world around them. Support groups pay many dividends to be sure. I, however, think the opportunity to practice altruism is the most subtle yet powerful and life affirming of the many things groups have to offer.
Mental Health Therapies
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Amy Colgan-Niemeyer, NASM Elite Trainer , Fitness, answeredSupport groups consist of people dealing with the same problems or issues. In this nurturing environment, members can feel more comfortable opening up and discussing what's on their minds. Members provide encouragement and share resources. There are many types of support groups including cancer survivors, recovering substance abusers, new mothers, as well as exercise and weight loss groups. Consult your local phone directory, newspaper or the Internet to find a support group near you. Your doctor or local hospital may also be able to provide you with information.
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RealAge answeredSee All 2 AnswersProponents of interpersonal therapy (IPT) suggest that experiences in interpersonal relationships may play a role both in the onset and maintenance of depression. IPT is a brief, standardized (15–20 sessions) treatment approach that emphasizes the relationships between mood and experiences in the person's interpersonal relationships.
IPT intervention consists of identifying and ameliorating difficulties in interpersonal functioning associated with the patient's current depression. The therapist helps the patient recognize associations between mood and interpersonal experiences in one of four potential problem areas:- unresolved grief
- interpersonal disputes
- difficult role transitions
- interpersonal deficits (e.g., social isolation or inadequate social skills)
Psychodynamic-interpersonal psychotherapy is similar to IPT but makes more use of the relationship between therapist and client in the therapeutic work. Both IPT and psychodynamic-interpersonal psychotherapy may be as effective as either tricyclic antidepressant medication or cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of major depressive disorder.
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Fredrick Wade , Addiction Medicine, answeredThe main focus of a support group is to provide a forum to practice new behaviors and learn new responses to varying types problems. It may also allow one to practice looking at and role playing accountability for one's actions or inactions in life. In this way the group member begins to garner new and better coping mechanisms for dealing with whatever problems brought them to the group in the first place. -
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Dominion Hospital answeredInterpersonal therapy is a form of psychotherapy, a mental health therapy that emphasizes on interpersonal skills with your social support system including family, colleagues and friends. The therapy concentrates on conflict that arises out of discrepancy in expectations between two individuals. It aims to overcome social isolation and better relationships in society through communication and behavioral change.
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Many patients who are in pain feel the emotional effects of suffering along with the physical aspects of pain. These may include feelings of anger, sadness, hopelessness or despair. In addition, pain can alter one's personality, disrupt sleep, interfere with work and relationships and often have a profound effect on family members. Support and counseling from a psychiatrist or psychologist, combined with a comprehensive pain treatment program, may be needed to help you manage your condition. These trained professionals also can teach you additional self-help therapies such as relaxation training or biofeedback to relieve pain, lessen muscle spasms and reduce stress. -
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See All 3 AnswersIn an inpatient behavioral health facility, licensed psychiatric nurses (RNs with or without degrees) are trained and qualified to provide individual and group mental health therapy 24/7. The give medication as ordered by a physician.
Some also work in outpatient clinics and do the same thing.
Advanced practice master's level psychiatric nurses may be Clinical Nurse Specialists, Nurse Psychotherapists (like myself), or Nurse Practitioners. Depending on the state where they are licensed, they may or may not be able to prescribe medication. They are employed in a variety of settings–hospitals, clinics, and private/independent practice. They are qualified to provide individual, couple, family, and group therapy. They may use many modalities (depending on their education and training) like insight oriented, cognitive-behavioral, EMDR, hypnosis, solution focused therapy and art therapy.
All psychiatric nurses approach mental health therapy in a systematic and holistic manner. They "take into account" not only a person's emotional status, but also their physical well being, spiritual needs, and surrounding support. -
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Paige Latham , Nursing, answeredAdditionally, counselors can be helpful in a variety of situations. Many counselors specialize in family, marriage or relationship counseling. Counseling can also refer to help in a specific area or for a distinct purpose, such as career counseling.
Therapy can be appropriate for a short period of time such as after a major stressor or loss (divorce for example) or over the long term. -
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Dr. Ronald Siegel , Psychology, answeredSee All 3 AnswersAcceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an "acceptance-based" therapy that is increasingly used to treat a remarkable range of psychological difficulties. While it doesn't explicitly teach mindfulness meditation (awareness and acceptance of your present experience), ACT helps people to see that their thoughts are just thoughts, rather than reality, and to see themselves as the observer of the thoughts rather than as the "thinker." It also helps patients to accept their constantly changing kaleidoscope of pleasant and unpleasant experiences and to redirect their lives toward whatever provides meaning. ACT has been shown to lower the need for rehospitalization of psychotic patients, lessen social anxiety, reduce disability due to pain, aid smoking cessation, and reduce high-risk adolescent sexual behavior. -
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Dominion Hospital answered
Mental health therapy does address family and marital problems. Psychotherapy, appropriate for a wide range of problems, offers techniques that help cope with conflict within families, including in marriage. Marriage and family therapists use one or more techniques and can focus on specific problems within a marriage. Typically, these therapy sessions are short-term, though not all are.