Psychotherapy

by Alessio Faggioli - MA, BS(H), BA

Individual psychotherapy is mostly based on talking therapy and can help you to deal with difficult events, especially when they are hard to be faced alone. Therapy can help to:

• to overcome obstacles and challenging times in your life, 
• to increase positive feelings, such as self-esteem and compassion,
• to build social and emotional skills,
• to strengthen coping mechanisms,
• to overcome fears and anxieties,
• to treat more persistent mental conditions.

Psychotherapy offers a unique relationship, which is strictly confidential and provides an opportunity to be completely honest with yourself. It is almost inevitable for a new client to fear judgment or rejection, but it’s not the therapist’s role to criticize or lecture you.

Individual therapy has been shown to improve mood and self-esteem. Working through emotions, thoughts, disappointments, and experiences can be even more effective than medication in treating depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem.

Clients in therapy can learn skills for handling difficult situations, how to build resilience and learn how to make healthy decisions. One of the main goals of therapy is to help clients becoming more self-aware and getting in touch with deeper emotions. The client’s motivation plays a big role in the therapeutic journey. This will help the person to connect with a deeper ‘Self’ while being in a safe and non-judgmental environment. The therapeutic relationship built with the therapist supports the client to gain deep insights into unproductive behavioural and relational patterns that might be preventing them from enjoying fulfilling relationships and satisfying lives.

When to go to psychotherapy

As a psychotherapist, it is difficult to answer this question. Many times we are not fully aware of what is going on in our life as if we are constantly chasing it. There are several signs that can help you or people around you to understand that it is time to talk to a professional. If you are experiencing distress or some issues that interfere with daily life functioning. Also, in case friends and family are concerned about your general mental state. If you have unhealthy coping mechanisms and you can’t get away from them, it is worth to seek for help. All those situations can cause many symptoms, which some of them are: 

• negative thoughts,
• rumination,
• negative feelings,
• confusion,
• feeling out of control,
• feeling pain or fatigue.

It is important not to wait until symptoms become severe before seeking a therapist ideally if you are often unhappy or feel overwhelmed and hopeless.

Some people may avoid going to a therapist, and there are many reasons for this. Some of them can be worried about the stigma that can come with mental health care. There can also be some feelings of shame when speaking about the past, especially touching on difficult memories. It can be challenging and overwhelming to acknowledge that something is not “properly functioning” within us. We may feel that things would get out of our control and it could push us out of our comfort zone. Another reason for not going to treatment could be a lack of finances and whether our mental health is a priority to us. Nowadays we underestimate how important it is to have a good mental state. If we neglect it, with time we will find ourselves functioning in a survival mode rather than living our lives meaningfully.

What can psychotherapy help you with

Therapy can help treat mental, emotional, physical, and behavioural issues. It can help treat:

• Anxiety,
• Depression,
• Grief & loss,
• Panic attacks and Stress Management,
• Separation & Relationships,
• Cultural Issues,
• Family Issues,
• Anger management,
• Low Self Esteem,
• Trauma,
• Spiritual confusion,
• Personal development,
• Sexuality,
• Relationship and marriage challenges,
• Addiction,
• Abuse,
• Insomnia.

Benefits of psychotherapy

Tangible benefits after several sessions can be:

• capacity to understand your life and your needs,
• improving communication skills,
• improving the emotional and social functioning,
• enhancing awareness and capacity to be in the present moment,
• improving personal relationships,
• facilitate personal transformation,
• general healthier thinking about yourself and others.

Those benefits can vary in relation to the person’s situation.

What to expect during individual therapy

The first session of therapy often focuses on gathering information about physical, mental, and emotional health. This helps the therapist attune to the client’s needs. It can take a few sessions for a therapist to have a good understanding of the client’s situation, before making a therapeutic plan. The first session can help the client to understand and decide if the therapist’s style is a good fit for his/her needs, and to talk about the type of therapy used, treatment goals, ethics, confidentiality, and how many sessions are needed.

Sessions may stir up intense emotions. It is possible to become upset, angry, or sad during treatment. Despite this all may sound challenging, in order to get an understanding of what we hold inside, we have to help it to emerge into our consciousness/awareness. The role of the therapist is to help you to build your confidence, and become more comfortable and attuned with yourself, as sessions progress.

How long does individual therapy last

Individual therapy sessions usually last 60 minutes. The length of the therapeutic plan and how often sessions occur depend on:

• The client’s mental health condition and its severity,
• How long has the client been dealing with the issue/s,
• What is the issue’s impact on the client’s life,
• How quickly the person in therapy improves,
• Financial limitations.

Some concerns can be addressed through short-term therapy, usually over 6-12 weeks. However, chronic and more complex traumas can require long-term treatment and sometimes even years.

Psychotherapist, Psychologist in Prague

As a registered Psychotherapist and Psychologist based in Prague with over 9 years of experience in clinical mental health, substance use, trauma, and counseling, I have developed a diverse skill set to support my clients.

My approach is integrative, drawing on techniques and theories such as Transpersonal psychology, Person-Centered, Jungian, Gestalt, Existential, Transactional Analysis, Attachment theory, Complex Trauma, Somatic approach, Character styles, Internal Family System, Mentalization, Meditation, and Mindfulness. I am a member of the Irish Association of Humanistic & Integrative Psychotherapy (IAHIP) and the Czech Psychotherapist Association (CZAP), adhering to their code of ethics.

If you’re interested in starting therapy with me, the first step is to schedule a free initial consultation call or send me an email.

Psychotherapy prices

The cost of psychotherapy depends on the client’s financial situation and there is no difference between for face to face and/or online therapy. You can have a look at the prices by visiting my website page here.