Treatment Modalities: Learn It 1—Individual Therapy

  • Define and give examples of individual therapy
  • Describe the various types of group therapy and their benefits
  • Explain why the sociocultural model is important in therapy and what type of cultural barriers prevent some people from receiving mental health services

Once a person seeks treatment, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, they have an intake done to assess their clinical needs.

intake and confidentiality

An intake is the therapist’s first meeting with the client. The therapist gathers specific information to address the client’s immediate needs, such as the presenting problem, the client’s support system, and insurance status. The therapist informs the client about confidentiality, fees, and what to expect in treatment.

 

Confidentiality means the therapist cannot disclose confidential communications to any third party unless mandated or permitted by law to do so.

During the intake, the therapist and client will work together to discuss treatment goals. Then a treatment plan will be formulated, usually with specific measurable objectives. Also, the therapist and client will discuss how treatment success will be measured and the estimated length of treatment. There are several modalities of treatment (Figure 1): Individual therapy, family therapy, couples therapy, and group therapy are the most common.

Two photographs are shown. Photograph A depicts two people in conversation. Photograph B depicts a large group of people sitting in a circle on the beach.
Figure 1. Therapy may occur (a) one-on-one between a therapist and client, or (b) in a group setting. (credit a: modification of work by Connor Ashleigh, AusAID/Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)

individual therapy

In individual therapy, also known as individual psychotherapy or individual counseling, the client and clinician meet one-on-one (usually from 45 minutes to 1 hour). These meetings typically occur weekly or every other week, and sessions are conducted in a confidential and caring environment (Figure 2). The clinician will work with clients to help them explore their feelings, work through life challenges, identify aspects of themselves and their lives that they wish to change, and set goals to help them work towards these changes.

A client might see a clinician for only a few sessions, or the client may attend individual therapy sessions for a year or longer. The amount of time spent in therapy depends on the needs of the client as well as their personal goals.