Psychotherapy, also known as psychological therapy, talk therapy, or talking therapy, is the application of psychological techniques to aid in behavior change, happiness enhancement and problem resolution, particularly when they are based on regular personal interaction. Psychotherapy aims to improve a person's mental health and well-being, resolve or lessen problematic thoughts, feelings, behaviors, beliefs, or compulsions, as well as relationships and social skills. Psychotherapy has been designed for individuals, families, and children and adolescents of all ages. Particular sorts of psychotherapy are viewed as proof based for treating a few analyzed mental issues; Pseudoscience has been criticized for other types. There are hundreds of methods for psychotherapy, some of which are minor variations; others are based on completely different psychological theories. The majority involve one-on-one sessions between the client and the therapist, though some involve groups, such as families.

Psychotherapists can be psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health nurses, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, or professional counselors, among other mental health professionals. Psychotherapists can come from a variety of other backgrounds and they may be regulated by law, voluntarily regulated or unregulated, depending on the jurisdiction and the term may or may not be protected. The term psychotherapy comes from the Greek word psyche, which means breath; spirit; soul as well as therapeia healing; health care treatment it is defined as the treatment of disorders of the mind or personality by psychological means in the Oxford English Dictionary, but in earlier usage, it was used to mean the treatment of disease through hypnotic suggestion. Even though not all forms of psychotherapy rely on verbal communication, psychotherapy is frequently referred to as talking therapy or talk therapy, particularly for a general audience. Psychotherapy is open to adults and children alike who do not communicate verbally (or in the usual manner); indeed, some varieties are made for such circumstances. Based on a definition developed by American psychologist Norcross, a resolution on the effectiveness of psychotherapy was approved in 2012 by the American Psychological Association: The purpose of psychotherapy is to assist individuals in modifying their behaviors, thoughts, feelings, and/or other personal characteristics in ways that the participants deem desirable through the informed and deliberate application of clinical methods and interpersonal stances derived from established psychological principles. Psychotherapy, according to influential editions of a book by psychiatrist Jerome Frank, is a healing relationship that involves socially authorized methods in a series of contacts primarily involving words, acts, and rituals, which Frank considered to be forms of persuasion and rhetoric. In contrast to other approaches to the treatment of psychiatric disorders, such as behavior modification, psychotherapy has historically sometimes meant interpretative (i.e., Freudian) methods, such as psychoanalysis. Counseling and psychotherapy have some definitions that overlap, especially in non-directive client-centered approaches. Counseling may also refer to guidance for everyday problems in particular areas, usually for shorter periods of time and with less of a medical or "professional" focus. Somatotherapy is the use of physical changes like injuries and illnesses, whereas sociotherapy is the use of a person's social environment to make changes in therapy. Some forms of psychotherapy are derived from spiritual philosophies, but practices based on treating the spiritual as a separate dimension are not necessarily considered traditional or legitimate forms of psychotherapy. Psychotherapy may address spirituality as a significant part of someone's mental and psychological life. It is possible to receive psychotherapy in person (one-on-one, in groups or with couples) over the phone, through telephone counseling, or online.

With Regards,
Joseph Kent
Journal Manager
Journal of Brain, Behaviour & Cognitive Sciences