4 Different Types of Therapy and Their Benefits

When you refer to therapy, most people will think of psychotherapy, the general term for seeking professional medical advice from a psychiatrist, therapist, or another qualified physician to treat a mental health concern. Patients turn to psychotherapy for a wide range of reasons, from coping with trauma to better understanding their emotions. More broadly, though, therapy comes in many forms, considering mental health and many other sorts of treatment. From taking conventional psychotherapy into the digital world to finding alternative methods for getting through hard times, therapy of all shapes and sizes can positively affect your life and well-being.

1. Teletherapy

During the height of COVID-19, a majority of our day-to-day activities transitioned to online platforms, from workdays to happy hours. It should hardly come as a surprise that therapy (and, for that matter, other medical treatment and appointments) moved to the web as well. With resources like berkshiretherapists.com, patients can get medical advice and guidance from the comfort of their own homes. 

Naturally, this comes with several benefits. In pandemic times, the most notable, of course, was teletherapy’s inherent social distancing, reducing the risk of infection. As the world grows safer, other advantages stand out as well. For one, teletherapy options forgo the need for a commute and time spent in the waiting room—you only need to be online for your session itself. Often, you can find lower rates for teletherapy, too, particularly if you’d be paying for treatment out-of-pocket either way. There’s no dress code–you can wear the most casual attire you’d like for a virtual visit. And, as a special bonus, you can attend appointments with a supportive family member, friend, or fur child close by. You might have a prescribed emotional support animal (which lack the public access rights of a trained service dog), or you might welcome your spouse’s shoulder to cry on if your emotions get particularly intense. With online mental health treatment, you can embrace these benefits and more—so much so that you might just prefer it to in-person psychotherapy. 

2. Drug Therapy

drug

In the simplest sense, drug therapy, or pharmacotherapy, is the treatment of a medical condition (be it mental or physical) through pharmaceutical medications. This might come in the form of a prescription you pick up from the pharmacy or through a more intensive process, such as chemotherapy. In either case, this treatment relies on science’s long-time efforts to ease syptoms and promote wellness.

Drug therapy’s most notable benefit is that it often works when other options haven’t. Someone struggling with anxiety or depression, for example, might talk to their healthcare provider about prescription medication options to supplement psychotherapy. For many patients, the efficacy may be benefit enough. For others, more flexible pricing might be a more remarkable selling point for pharmacotherapy. Your pharmacist can work through price comparisons, opting for generic versions of medications, or patients can utilize resources like USA Rx (www.usarx.com) to find a discounted drug cost for a specific prescription drug. 

3. Physical Therapy

physical

Besides psychotherapy, physical therapy is likely the most well-known form of therapy, particularly in athletic circles. A patient will most often undergo physical therapy following an injury that impacts their functional mobility, such as a stroke, amputation, arthritis, or carpal tunnel syndrome. 

Perhaps the most significant benefit of physical therapy, of course, is its ability to improve your quality of life. Still, beyond that, physical therapy sessions can hasten healing and even save you money on other treatments along the way. In the process, you’ll find yourself with decreased pain, more effective recovery, lessened risk of further complications, and better management of various health concerns. You may even be able to avoid certain surgical procedures by utilizing physical therapy!

4. Retail Therapy

retail

Not all sorts of therapy consist of formal medical treatment, at least in a colloquial sense. Retail therapy might not be included in a list of conventional interventions, but it can positively impact mental health and wellness. Used in moderation, shopping can increase dopamine, stimulating happiness, and offer a healthy outlet for depression or negative emotions. 

Of course, retail therapy can be problematic when used in excess. Still, used responsibly, the benefits of this “therapy” can have a significant positive effect. One example may be a person struggling after job loss and working to recover their confidence as it applies to their career. Browsing women’s business casual clothes won’t get her a new job or cure any mental illnesses. By visualizing herself in these new work clothes, however, she will feel better—and she might just come closer to realizing that goal. 

Traditional psychotherapy might be the most well-recognized version, but therapies come in many different forms. From your preferred telehealth service to your local pharmacy, medical professionals promote healing and general wellness in a myriad of ways. And sometimes, we supplement those treatments with happiness-boosting habits or lifestyle change—even if it’s as simple as buying a new blouse or blazer. 


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