Ever since Sigmund Freud began defining the field of psychoanalysis, people have been wondering about the costs and benefits of psychotherapy. Psychiatry, psychoanalysis, psychotherapy — we have expanded and explored the boundaries of the study of the behavior of animals (and people) and its therapeutic uses. We have defined mental conditions and disorders and attributed many types of behaviors to the influences of moods, experiences, physical conditions, and external stimuli.
Doctors and researchers and therapists have applied their knowgledge and experience to a wide range of needs, from counseling veterans to analyzing the benefits of psychotherapy for PTSD among adolescents. In fact, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a far more common ailment than once believed because we now understand that traumatic events of many types (not merely war) can lead to the syndrome that debilitates otherwise healthy minds and spirits.
Psychotherapy has been addressed both spiritually and clinically. It has been refined to assist with individuals and groups, couples, and families. There are even pet therapists who use psychology to help animals adjust to new or stressful situations. In large cities like New York, Chicago, Miami, and Seattle marriage counseling has become a commonplace practice because the stress of modern urban lifestyles takes a heavy toll on many relationships.
People have always needed to “unload” their fears and other harsh emotions during stressful times. In primitive societies where family groups remain together and form strong bonds the need for psychotherapy is diminished. But as industrial society has caused families to move apart the separation and isolation of family members helps break down the naturally reinforcing structures that help us cope with stress and trauma.
We necessarily developed psychotherapy as a response to the need to rebalance the individual in a world that strips the individual of the natural mental and emotional support primitive human experience developed.