Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of adults referred to community mental health services in the UK has increased by almost 20%. Whether you’re considering starting therapy or offering a service to patients, it’s crucial to understand the key features of conventional approaches.

In this quick guide, we’ll outline the difference between short-term counselling and more specialist psychotherapy programmes and initiatives.

Counselling and psychotherapy

Even though counselling and psychotherapy are often considered interchangeable, the key difference lies in just how long it takes patients to see and feel improvements, especially when seeking professional services at cfhp.com.au.  Both are frequently used to help people suffering from mental health conditions, which might include:

• Anxiety
• Bipolar disorder
• Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
• Depression
• Eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

What are the different types of psychotherapy?

Generally, psychotherapy is a longer-lasting treatment that focuses on investigating and understanding chronic physical and emotional problems. By unpicking a person’s thought processes alongside their past and present circumstances, psychotherapists can determine exactly how to address individual situations and improve lives.

If you’re thinking about providing a private psychotherapy service to your community, it’s integral to secure the appropriate counsellors’ insurance before you start. A couple of the most common types of psychotherapy used in treatment settings in the UK include:

• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

CBT is proven to be one of the most effective methods of psychotherapy for patients suffering from anxiety and depression.  It centres around the principle that thoughts and feelings directly impact behaviours and experiences, so individuals must make a proactive effort alongside their therapist to make a positive, lasting change.

• Hypnotherapy

There are various types of hypnotherapies and most involve a therapist helping each patient reach a relaxed, trance-like state. Hypnotherapy isn’t usually available on the NHS, so it might be necessary to find a private provider if you think it could be right for you.

Who might be better suited to counselling?

Counselling is often used as the first step in an individual’s treatment; for instance, it might be used to intervene and reverse the first signs of deteriorating mental health. It’s also usually action and behaviour-focused and primarily serves as proactive guidance.

It’s commonplace for secondary schools to work alongside a counsellor to help support pupils. With 420,000 children being treated for mental health problems every month in the UK, the highest number on record, it’s crucial to ensure that the correct resources are put in place for young people.

How do I know which type I need?

If you’ve been struggling with long-term trauma or you’re in a period of crisis in your life, it’s important to seek help. A period of counselling might be suitable if you need present-moment intervention and guidance.

However, psychotherapy could be more suitable if you’re concerned about how your past affects your life now, or if you’d like to unpick deep-rooted unhealthy thoughts and behaviours.