How Do Different Therapy Types Help You?

Feeling lost in a maze? Therapy will help you as a guiding light! This article will help you gain mental health awareness and provide a comprehensive guide on mental health therapy.

Benefits of Various Therapies for South Asians

Close your eyes, now imagine that you are in a maze and there is a dead end. Do you want someone to help navigate your path? When feeling lost or struck in a situation, therapy can help provide the necessary guidelines to help you overcome any predicament. There was a time when mental health was heavily stigmatized in South Asian communities but it is now gaining recognition and acceptance. Seeking therapy is not a sign of weakness but a show of strength and courage.

Either in personal growth or relationship development, therapy works as a safe place for a positive change in life. However, there is still a lack of resources on mental health services, so it becomes difficult for people to select the best therapeutic approach for their treatment.

The following are various kinds of Mental Health Therapy used by South Asian therapists:

Psychodynamic Therapy

The advocates of the psychodynamic perspective, like Carl Jung, emphasise that the past determines the present. In other words, there is an effect of the past on an individual’s present behaviour.

Psychodynamic therapy emphasises the understanding of this influence. It probes the unconscious processes revealed in an individual’s present actions. As many South Asians report intergenerational and historical traumas, this therapy is really helpful in addressing and managing deep-seated traumas. It also helps to integrate the identity of an individual struggling with his identity by providing him with ways to understand his unconsciousness.

Humanistic Therapy

The self-centred approach of Carl Rogers and Maslow’s self-actualization are the concepts that come under humanistic therapy. This therapy focuses on the capacity of an individual for personal growth and self-actualization. It encourages therapeutic relationships, unconditional positive regard, and empathy. In South Asia, there is a high pressure to perform specific roles.

Humanistic therapy advocates self-acceptance by building a sense of self-worth. Due to religious and cultural factors, emotions of shame and guilt are prevalent in South Asians. So, this therapy nurtures a space where there is expression and processing of emotions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

The most common and popular therapy used nowadays is cognitive behavioural therapy which aims to link the triad of thoughts, behaviours, and emotions.

It helps in exploring negative beliefs often associated with emotional disturbance and altering those beliefs leads to a change in emotions. As CBT focuses on everyday problems, it is best for South Asian people as they also prioritise the solutions to everyday problems. For instance, a university student experiences symptoms of social anxiety, having thoughts that “people will negatively evaluate me”.

CBT will help to reattribute negative thought into a more realistic thought “People are more focused on themselves rather than evaluating others”. As academic pressure is high in this region, CBT helps in verbal reattribution of their negative beliefs about their abilities and managing their anxiety. In South Asian families, there is a huge societal pressure, so, CBT helps in equipping people to improve their social communication through challenging their unrealistic fears.

Family Therapy

To resolve conflicts and improve communication, family therapy helps a lot. In family therapy, more than one member of the family is being treated and a therapist plays the role of a facilitator who helps the members of the family to develop healthy relationships by understanding the perspective of each other.

Family therapy is given much importance in South Asian culture as it is a collectivistic society which gives more value to family. Problems like sibling rivalries and communication barriers between parents and children are addressed with the help of this therapy.

This therapy helps families dealing with conflicts in marriages to address their problems and build a healthy marital relationship. Most people in South Asia continue to live in joint family systems which result in multiple conflicts due to differences of opinion and living in close quarters collectively, to address these issues family therapy is best suited.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Instead of struggling to control the thoughts, a unique therapy for the acceptance of challenging emotions and thoughts is ACT. Despite facing challenges, it focuses on core values. As South Asians emphasise family values and community, this therapy will help to guide their family relations.

If a woman finds it difficult to balance her personal and professional life, this therapy will help her to openly communicate with her spouse and effectively manage her time.

Mindfulness-Based Therapy (MBT)

Mindfulness based therapy focuses on the present moment. It involves breathing practices and meditation for emotional regulation. It works best in managing depression, anxiety, and pain. An individual suffering from chronic pain can manage his pain sensations and experience a sense of relaxation through MBT.

As meditation practices are already being utilised in South Asia, it helps in developing an association with MBT.

Group Therapy

In group therapy, one or more therapists facilitate multiple individuals during a collective session. People with shared lived experiences will benefit from such a collective therapy format.

In South Asia, mental health problems lead to social withdrawal and isolation. Group therapy fosters a sense of belongingness and alleviates feelings of helplessness. As there are shared cultural experiences in South Asia, group therapy helps foster connections between people who are facing similar challenges and provides them with the support they need to address their problems.

In a group, when people listen to one another coping with similar problems, they can gain perspective and confidence in their autonomy and agency. It is seen as an empowering experience and can lead to life long friendships among participants.

Art Therapy

In order to improve the physical, mental, and emotional health of an individual, there is a creative way of making art through art therapy.

In South Asian culture, there is no expression of emotions through words, especially in women. So, art therapy is an alternative way of emotional expression. It is stress-relieving and therapeutic to create art, so, it also offers a break from the challenges of life.

Harnessing the Power of Therapy for South Asians

As we have learned there are various kinds of therapies available now that can help address the complexity and nuanced experience of South Asians.

Each therapy has its unique benefits and approach to addressing issues. From Psychodynamic Therapy which can help manage traumas to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy which deals with daily life complexities, Family Therapy improves the connection of family members with each other fostering acceptance and compassion, Group Therapy and Mindfulness-based Therapy assist people in managing their emotions and nurturing a sense of integrity.

There are a lot of qualified South Asian therapists who are trained in various therapies and those who use an integrated approach to psychotherapy combining multiple kinds of therapy into their practice. As the awareness of mental health increases, especially during mental health awareness month, utilising even one of these therapies could immediately help in improving self care.

Online mental health platforms such as Therapy is Brown are offering culturally sensitive therapy services. Investing in psychological well-being is like investing in your future self. Before you choose a specific approach, remember to share your honest expectations of therapy with your therapist. Therapy is a collaborative effort where the therapist is not a judge, but a guide in your healing journey.