Discuss integration therapy using the psychological biological and sociocultural approach to therapy
There are more than 400 types of psychotherapy, differentiated by their approach, the clients they best serve, and how long and how often the therapist and client will meet. Research shows that even as these approaches vary, many or all can result in similar, and similarly successful, outcomes. But because a single approach to therapy does not always deliver the best benefit to the client, therapists who may have been trained in one particular model will often use tools, language, techniques, or exercises borrowed from other therapies to come up with a distinct, and hopefully effective, form of treatment suitable for a particular client. An integrative therapist will regularly evaluate a client’s progress with whatever modality is currently being tried, and be ready to pivot to a different approach when it becomes clear that they are not benefiting, or no longer benefiting, from it. Typically, though, such shifts are discussed by client and provider before being put into action. Show An integrative therapist may introduce strategies and techniques from cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, EMDR, motivational interviewing, mindfulness, art or music therapy, psychodynamic therapy, humanistic therapy, psychodrama, meditation, breathwork, yoga, family systems therapy, gestalt therapy, or trauma-informed therapy. How they go about it is likely to differ from practice to practice: A provider may initially follow one primary approach but introduce elements of other techniques as the therapeutic relationship progresses or when predetermined targets or goals have been met. For example, on realizing that a client struggles with social anxiety, a therapist who takes a humanistic approach to a client's long-term goals and concerns may share techniques from CBT that specifically target the individual's situational anxiety. In this module, you learned the following:
This module covered a lot of ground. You learned that overly simplistic unidimensional explanations of mental disorders, like saying that they are caused by a “chemical imbalance” or by how your mother treated you when you were little, are not only inadequate to explain how these disorders occur, but they are also mostly inaccurate on their own. Mental disorders are the outcome of systemic effects that occur inside our body and brain and that interact with the external environment including social and cultural forces. There is evidence that epigenetic processes are also involved meaning that the environment actually influences which genes in our DNA are turned on or off. A systemic model that gives a better understanding of the complexity involved is the biopsychosocial model that integrates biological (including genetics, neural transmission, and other aspects), psychological (thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, emotions, behaviors, learning), and sociocultural elements (prejudice, discrimination, stress, abuse, poverty, healthcare, etc.) to help us better understand how disorders arise. Remember that these elements are interdependent, meaning that they influence each other—there is no one-way street here. You also learned about the diathesis-stress model, an older explanation that describes how a person may have a genetic vulnerability or predisposition towards developing a disorder, and that if that person experiences sufficient stress (from any of the biopsychosocial elements) to exceed a threshold, they will develop the disorder. The more modern version of this is the gene-environment-correlation model (rGE) that describes how a person’s genome (set of genes in their DNA) may not only make someone vulnerable to developing a disorder, but may actually contribute to generating the environmental stress that exceeds a threshold and triggers the disorder. You then reviewed the various theoretical models that developed to explain the separate parts of the biopsychosocial model and that emerged either independently or in reaction to one another as scientists and clinicians tried to figure out how mental disorders arise. You started with the biological model that explained how mental disorders are polygenic, arising through the interactions of multiple genes. You found out about heritability and concordance rates that are used by scientists to estimate how much genetic variables contribute to a disorder versus the environment. You also learned about the structure of neurons, our primary brain cells, and how they communicate through producing neurotransmitters and releasing those into the synapse between neurons when they receive a signal of sufficient strength and how action potentials are all or none. You learned about receptor binding and reuptake when the presynaptic neurons “recycle” or repackage neurotransmitters for use again in a future signal. You also learned about the major neurotransmitters that are related to mental disorders: dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, GABA, and glutamate. You also learned about brain structures and the relationships between the brain and the endocrine system. You learned about biomedical treatment approaches. These include the use of psychotropic medications for different mental disorders, an approach that is widely used today and that can be helpful for some, but not all, individuals. Most medications can create side effects that can be problematic and patients often relapse if medications are stopped. You also learned that combined therapy (medications and psychotherapy) can be helpful, especially when symptoms are more severe. For example, an individual with schizophrenia who is bombarded with visual or auditory hallucinations may find it difficult to focus in psychotherapy; with medication, the individual’s hallucinations can be eliminated or reduced to a level that allows the individual to benefit from psychotherapy. Other biomedical treatment included various forms of brain stimulation treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation; some of these therapies are still experimental and are being tested. We then reviewed a wide range of psychotherapeutic models or theoretical explanations for how symptoms develop. These were paired with the treatment approaches or orientations that were developed based on these theories. These explanations included the following:
Figure 1. Group therapy is a great way for individuals to connect with others who may share similar experiences. We also explored different treatment modalities or treatment environments where psychotherapy models and techniques are used. All these involve, at minimum, an intake session where the clinician assesses the client’s background and concerns and comes up with a treatment plan; this often involves a referral to another therapist who will carry out the actual treatment. These modalities include the following:
Last, we explored the significant impact of sociocultural influences on a person’s functioning. This included understanding that each person’s identity consists of individual, group, and universal characteristics and how effective treatment must be grounded in the therapist understanding their own identity and biases as well as seeking to understand the client’s identity and how cultural variables might shape their decisions, emotions, and behaviors. This includes recognizing individualist and collectivist elements of culture and requires specialized training for therapists to be culturally competent. Expectations of professional cultural competence now are part of the ethical codes of clinical disciplines. It is also important to understand and seek to reduce structural social barriers to treatment including racism, discrimination, access to care, health insurance, and the impact of social stigma on people’s desire to seek treatment. Having completed this module, you now have a much better understanding of the complexity of how mental disorders develop as well as the variety of theories and their connected treatment methods that exist today. You have an understanding of where those treatments are given and the importance of cultural competence. You are ready to start learning about specific disorders. What is sociocultural approach to therapy?The sociocultural perspective looks at you, your behaviors, and your symptoms in the context of your culture and background. Clinicians using this approach integrate cultural and religious beliefs into the therapeutic process.
What is the sociocultural approach in psychology?What is Sociocultural Theory? Sociocultural theory stresses the role that social interaction plays in psychological development. It suggests that human learning is largely a social process, and that our cognitive functions are formed based on our interactions with those around us who are "more skilled."
What is sociocultural approach IB psychology?The sociocultural approach to behaviour investigates the role of social and cultural influences in shaping thinking and human behaviour.
What is the psychological approach to treatment?Psychological treatment is sometimes called 'psychotherapy' or 'talking therapy'. It involves talking about your thoughts with a professional to: better understand your own thinking and behaviour. understand and resolve your problems.
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