INSIGHT THERAPY

What is Insight Therapy?

One of the problems faced by  many people with regard to  mental health conditions is understanding how the past influences present state of mind.  Insight therapy is One of the therapies that have successfully helped therapists to help people make positive changes.

So the goal of insight-oriented therapy is to help clients understand how past experiences can affect their current behavior.

It is the role of the therapist to help clients to understand how their current life problems may be connected with this internal conflict, often by exploring the client’s past experiences and identifying certain patterns or themes. The process can be speedy—occurring over a matter of days or months—or extremely lengthy depending on the patient’s willingness to explore their emotions and Memories.

A person’s childhood can significantly impact their quality of life as an adult, as these events often set a precedent for future thinking,feeling and behaviour in any relationships. The conflicts we experience as children can shape us and open the door for subsequent related experiences. A client’s childhood can also impact their emotions, thoughts, and beliefs as an adult. For instance, a child who lacks close relationships with relatives and peers may grow up to harbor negative views about connecting with others.

Adverse childhood experiences can lead to high-stress levels and may change how the human brain develops. However, these negative experiences do not necessarily predetermine that a person’s adulthood will be full of challenges and pain. Similarly, an ideal childhood does not necessarily mean that someone will grow into a productive and successful adult. 

While the specific nature of circumstances may vary, childhood could impact adulthood, whether for better or worse or even the worst. Therefore, talking to clients about their childhood is often a central aspect of insight therapy.

Who Developed Insight Therapy? 

Insight therapy may be traced back to Sigmund Freud. Freud used psychoanalysis on clients to help them discover what was happening in their unconscious minds. Psychoanalysis is not a popular practice in 2022, but therapists still use many forms of insight therapy.

What Is Insight Therapy Used For?

• Understanding negative thoughts 
• Breaking free from or identifying biases
• Identifying negative patterns of behavior
• Managing symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Managing symptoms of PTSD 
• Uncovering past memories
• Processing grief or trauma
• Moving through large life changes 
• Facing fears
• Setting goals and boundaries

Types of Insight Therapy

Psychoanalysis

One of the primary reasons therapy might fail is that you may have no insight into your problem.

Every day, your deliberate and non-deliberate thoughts may be in constant conflict. The goal of psychoanalysis is to balance the two and help you discover the roots of your problems. This therapy also helps establish a balance between your pleasure needs, your reality, and your morality. 

In one of the techniques, the therapist encourages you to say whatever comes to your mind without censoring to further understand the cause of the conflict or issues.

Humanistic therapy

Humanistic therapy emphasizes your capacity to grow and change. For example, the therapist provides you with empathy and emotional support to understand the roots of your problem. Unlike psychoanalysis, where the therapist takes the lead, you are the one leading the conversation in this therapy.

A technique primarily used in humanistic therapy is active listening, where the therapist reflects your feelings by mirroring statements and body language. This helps the therapist understand your unique view of the world.

Gestalt therapy

In this therapy, the therapist encourages you to focus on what’s presently occurring in your life without focusing on past events in order to improve self-awareness. For example, a therapist may role-play a previously upsetting experience with you and then discuss how the experience makes you feel right now. You can then understand how your reactions shape what happens to you.

Compared to psychoanalysis and humanistic therapy, Gestalt therapy uses more active exercises rather than focusing solely on the talk itself.

Integrative therapy

Sometimes, your counselor may choose several models of counseling and psychotherapy together.  A blend of appropriate techniques and approaches can provide you with the necessary support and guidance to overcome your problems.

Using the Integrative therapy will help the  therapist to empower the client more easily.