By Dr. Srinivas Rajkumar T, Consultant Psychiatrist

💬 What Is Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy (or “talk therapy”) is a structured way of helping people:

• Understand their thoughts and emotions

• Manage stress and mental illness

• Build better habits, relationships, and coping skills

It’s not just “talking things out”—it’s based on scientific models of the mind and behavior.

🌟 7 Popular Types of Psychotherapy (That Actually Work)

1. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

🧠 Change your thoughts, change your life

• Focus: Identifying and challenging negative thought patterns

• Best for: Depression, anxiety, OCD, panic disorder, phobias, insomnia

• Duration: Short-term (6–20 sessions)

• Tools: Thought records, exposure exercises, behaviour experiments

✅ Why it’s popular: It’s goal-oriented, practical, and backed by strong research.

2. Mindfulness-Based Therapies (e.g. MBCT, MBSR)

🧘 Learning to live in the present moment

• Focus: Awareness, acceptance, non-reactivity

• Best for: Stress, chronic pain, depression, relapse prevention

• Duration: 8–12 weeks, group or individual

• Tools: Meditation, breathwork, mindful movement

✅ Great for those who feel overwhelmed, overthinking, or emotionally reactive.

3. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

⚖️ Balance between acceptance and change

• Focus: Managing intense emotions, building life skills

• Best for: Borderline personality disorder, self-harm, emotional dysregulation

• Components: Individual therapy + group skills + crisis coaching

• Key modules: Mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness

✅ Highly structured, especially useful for teens and adults with mood instability.

4. Psychodynamic Therapy

🕰️ Understanding the past to heal the present

• Focus: Unconscious patterns, early experiences, inner conflicts

• Best for: Long-standing emotional issues, identity confusion, relationship patterns

• Duration: Medium to long-term

• Approach: Insight-focused, less structured, relational

✅ Ideal for those seeking deep self-understanding and personality growth.

5. Behaviour Therapy

🔁 Change your actions to change your mind

• Focus: Reinforcement, habit formation, exposure

• Best for: Phobias, tics, ADHD in children, OCD

• Tools: Token economy, reward systems, graded exposure, behavioural activation

✅ Especially useful for children, habits, and performance issues.

6. Family and Couples Therapy

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Healing through communication

• Focus: Relationship patterns, roles, communication styles

• Best for: Marital issues, parenting concerns, family conflict, caregiver burnout

• Tools: Conflict mapping, structured problem-solving, emotional expression

✅ Essential when mental health issues affect the entire household.

7. Supportive Therapy / Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)

🤝 Talk, connect, and find meaning

• Focus: Strengthening coping skills, exploring life roles, managing transitions

• Best for: Grief, life changes, chronic illness, mild-to-moderate depression

• Often combined with other approaches

✅ Gentle and collaborative—often used in elderly mental health and chronic illness.

❓Which Therapy Is Right for Me?

Choosing the right therapy depends on:

• The condition (e.g., OCD vs burnout)

• The person (child, teen, adult, elderly)

• The goals (quick relief vs deep self-work)

• Therapist’s training and style

A psychiatrist or clinical psychologist can help you decide where to begin.

👨‍⚕️ How I Help as a Psychiatrist

As a Consultant Psychiatrist in Chennai (Apollo Clinics, Velachery & Tambaram), I:

• Assess your condition and recommend therapy when needed

• Coordinate with trained clinical psychologists and therapists

• Offer combined plans: medication + psychotherapy where needed

• Respect your pace and preferences

📞 Call 8595155808 to book a consult
🌐 Online sessions available across India

🧾 Final Takeaway

Psychotherapy is not a “last resort.”
It’s often the first and most effective step to lasting mental wellness.

Whether you’re struggling with stress, relationships, overthinking, or trauma—there’s a therapy approach that fits you.

Let’s find it together.