History of psychotherapy

Although modern, scientific psychology is frequently dated at the 1879 starting of the first psychological medical center by Wilhelm Wundt, efforts to create methods for treating and evaluating mental distress existed long before. The earliest recorded approaches were a combination of religious, or and mystical medical perspectives. The earliest recorded approaches were a combination of or, magical and religious medical viewpoints. Early examples of such early psychotherapists included Avicenna, Padmasambhava, Patanjali and Rhazes and Rumi (see Islamic psychology).

Inside the 1800s, one could have their head examined, literally, utilizing phrenology, the study of the shape in the skull developed by respected anatomist Franz Joseph Gall. Other popular treatments included physiognomy-the study of the shape from the face-and mesmerism, developed by Franz Anton Mesmer-designed to relieve psychological distress by the use of magnets. Spiritualism and Phineas Quimby's "mental healing" approach that was very like contemporary concept of "positive visualization" were also well-liked.

While the scientific community eventually came to reject all of these techniques, academic psychologists also had been not concerned with serious types of mental illness. That location was already being dealt with by the developing fields of psychiatry and neurology in the asylum movement and using moral therapy. It wasn't until the end of the 19th century, around the time when Sigmund Freud was first developing his "talking cure" in Vienna, that the first scientifically clinical application of psychology started out-at the University of Pennsylvania, to help children with learning disabilities.

Although clinical psychologists originally focused on psychological evaluation, the practice of psychotherapy, once the only domain of psychiatrists, grew to be integrated into the profession after the Second World War. Psychotherapy began with the practice of psychoanalysis, the "talking cure" created by Sigmund Freud. Soon later on, theorists such as Alfred Adler and Carl Jung begun to introduce new conceptions about psychological functioning and change. These and many other theorists assisted to develop the general orientation now called psychodynamic therapy, which include the various therapies based on Freud's essential principle of making the unconscious conscious.

In the 1920s, behaviorism became the dominant paradigm, and remained so up until the 1950s. Behaviorism used strategies based on theories of operant conditioning, classical conditioning and social learning theory. Significant contributors included Joseph Wolpe, Hans Eysenck, and B.F. Skinner. This period represents a general slowing of advancement within the field of psychotherapy, because behaviorism denied or ignored internal mental action.

Starting in the 1950s, two main orientations evolved individually in response to behaviorism-cognitivism and existential-humanistic therapy.[6] The humanistic movement largely developed from both Existential theories of freelance writers like Rollo Viktor and May Frankl and the Person-focused psychotherapy of Carl Rogers. These orientations all concentrated less on the unconscious and a lot more on promoting positive, holistic change through the development of a supportive, genuine, and empathic therapeutic relationship.

During the 1950s, Albert Ellis developed Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) and few years later Aaron T. Beck developed cognitive therapy. Both of these included therapy aimed at changing a person's distorted thinking, by contrast with the insight-based approach of psychodynamic therapies or the newer relational approach of humanistic therapies. Cognitive and behavioral approaches were put together during the 1970s, resulting in Intellectual behavioral therapy (CBT). Getting oriented towards symptom-relief, collaborative empiricism and modifying core beliefs, this method has gained widespread recognition as a primary treatment for several disorders.

Since the 1970s, other major perspectives have been produced and adopted within the area. Perhaps the two biggest have already been Systems Therapy-which focuses on family and group of people dynamics-and Transpersonal mindset, which focuses on the religious facet of human experience. Other important orientations developed in the last three decades include Feminist treatment method, Somatic Psychology, Expressive therapy, and applied Positive psychology. Clinical psychology in China developed towards a more integrative socially-orientated guidance methodology. Practice in India developed from both conventional metaphysical and ayurvedic methods and Western methodologies.

With all the advent of more robust study findings regarding psychotherapy, there is certainly growing evidence that the majority of the major therapies are about of equal effectiveness, with the key common element as being a strong therapeutic alliance. More instruction programs and psychologists are now adopting an eclectic orientation, because of this. This integrative activity attempts to combine the most effective elements of all the schools of practice.