Psychotherapeutic Process

Feelings, States, Behaviors

We all experience a range of different feelings and states (i.e., happiness, sadness, anger, fear, disgust) which operate in ways that can be managed (and even enjoyed) most of the time. Under the influence of various factors (e.g., stress, conflict, work overload, change of environment or life circumstances), the intensity of emotional experiences can shift toward extremes (i.e., too high or low), and these can then be difficult to regulate.

Each person’s reason for coming to psychotherapy is unique in its own way. At the same time, given the array of possible reasons, below is a (small) compilation of experiences that are usually addressed in psychotherapy:

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- anxiety (general, overall apprehension; specific places; social situations;  specific objects),

- depression; mixture: anxiety with depression,

- panic attacks (experience which many describe as ‘the feeling closest to dying’),

- lack of motivation or apathy; inability to experience pleasure (to feel joy, or to enjoy life),

- isolation and/or loneliness, 

- persistent fatigue; burnout,

- difficulties with concentration and/or memory,

- insomnia,

- preoccupying, worrying thoughts (about oneself and/or close persons);  these can be followed by actions (e.g., cleaning, (hand)washing, counting, multiple-checking),

- anger outbursts,

- physical complaints with confirmed lack of organic/biological causes  (fast heart beating, pain in the stomach, severe headaches, sensation of skin itching),

- difficulties in interpersonal relationships (partner and/or family, work, environment),

- intimacy concerns; sexuality; promiscuity