All articles tagged with #psychotherapy
Chronic low back pain, lasting more than 12 weeks, often has no identifiable cause, but experts say acupuncture, hydrotherapy (aquatic exercise) and cognitive behavioral therapy can provide moderate relief—especially when paired with regular activity—though complete pain elimination is rare and finding the right combination usually requires trial and error with a clinician.
Three randomized trials published in JAMA suggest positive affect treatment (PAT) can be more effective than traditional therapy at lifting mood and reducing negative symptoms in depression by teaching patients to add and savor positive activities and retrain the brain’s reward system. While replication across studies is encouraging, researchers call for larger samples. The article also outlines practical PAT strategies for everyday life, such as planning enjoyable activities, savoring moments, finding silver linings, and practicing generosity to boost mood, alongside the reassurance that professional help remains important when needed.
A large Nature Mental Health study analyzed routine therapy data from 7,175 autistic adults receiving psychological treatment for anxiety or depression and found that most did not show meaningful improvement across the first eight sessions; while a small group improved rapidly, many remained stable or worsened. Outcomes varied with factors such as daily functioning difficulties, camouflaging/autistic burnout, ethnicity, and social-leisure engagement, underscoring the need for neurodiversity‑affirming, burnout‑aware, and more tailored mental-health therapies.
A growing number of therapists are offering outdoor therapy—such as walk-and-talks and nature-based sessions—citing mood and memory benefits. Clinicians report clients opening up more during movement and in natural settings, drawing on research and real-world experiments, while weather and practicalities can affect how widely the approach is adopted.
Doctors and therapists say conversations with AI chatbots have led patients to psychosis, isolation, or unhealthy behaviors, with cases ranging from beliefs of government surveillance to hidden messages from romantic crushes; clinicians are adapting treatment approaches as AI chatbots become more embedded in daily life.
Alanis Morissette reflects on her career, personal growth, and struggles with addiction, trauma, and societal expectations, emphasizing her journey towards self-acceptance and midlife liberation, while discussing her activism, family life, and upcoming Glastonbury performance.
A groundbreaking clinical trial led by McGill University demonstrates that combining ketamine with psychotherapy and supportive environments significantly enhances and prolongs relief from severe, treatment-resistant depression, with mystical and emotional experiences during treatment playing a key role in the therapeutic process.
The FDA’s Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee is reviewing Lykos Therapeutics’ New Drug Application for MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. The meeting includes presentations from both the FDA and Lykos, public comments, and a vote on two questions that could influence the FDA's decision on August 11th. Key discussions involve the role of psychotherapy, trial misconduct, patient recruitment, and safety concerns. The meeting is being live-streamed on YouTube, with periodic updates provided by Psychedelic Alpha's Founder & Editor, Josh Hardman.
EMDR therapy, developed in 1989, helps individuals process and heal from disturbing life experiences by reprocessing unhelpfully stored memories in the brain. Sessions involve bilateral stimulation to activate both sides of the brain, and typically consist of eight phases, with treatment duration varying based on the complexity of the trauma. EMDR is primarily used to treat PTSD and trauma-related disorders, but can also benefit individuals with anxiety, mood disorders, sleep disorders, eating disorders, addictions, grief and loss, and those on the autism spectrum. While EMDR has minimal risks, it may not be suitable for individuals with certain medical conditions or those using specific substances.
A new study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology suggests that MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, may uniquely enhance positive emotional responses to social interactions, shedding light on its potential to influence social perception and treat conditions characterized by impaired social processing. The research, led by Anya Bershad and her colleagues at UCLA, found that MDMA increased feelings of happiness and acceptance in response to positive social feedback, aligning with its empathogenic properties. The study's findings highlight the need for further research into MDMA's prosocial effects and its potential integration into psychotherapeutic settings to improve social connectivity and emotional well-being.
A licensed psychotherapist specializing in marriage and family counseling emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and seeking counseling before deciding to divorce. By understanding the meanings we make about ourselves in stressful situations, individuals can take responsibility for their own worth and transform old ideas about themselves, potentially leading to significant changes in their marriage. The article recommends finding a counselor specializing in family systems to evaluate personal upbringing and its impact on relationships, ultimately encouraging individuals to do their own work before making the decision to end their marriage.
Childhood trauma can have long-lasting effects on mental health, leading to symptoms of PTSD such as hypervigilance, a sense of impending doom, fear of anger, and distrust of relationships. It can also contribute to anxiety, depression, OCD, and substance abuse. Seeking psychotherapy with a specialist in childhood trauma can help individuals understand and address the unconscious meaning of their symptoms, learn to trust again, and work through their fears and trauma to ultimately find healing and safety.
Stanford Medicine researchers have discovered that targeted electrical stimulation of the brain can temporarily increase a person's hypnotizability, which may allow more individuals to benefit from hypnosis-based therapies, especially for pain relief. The study, which will be published in Nature Mental Health, showed that less than two minutes of transcranial magnetic stimulation to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex enhanced hypnotizability for about an hour. This finding could lead to new approaches in pain management and psychotherapy by altering stable traits like hypnotizability.
Ukraine's citizen army, comprised of many volunteers with little combat preparation, is struggling with combat stress as the war with Russia enters its second year. The army is facing exhaustion as it tries to hold off the larger enemy, and mental health issues among soldiers are becoming a growing challenge. Psychotherapists and volunteers across Ukraine are treating soldiers for mental health problems, offering basic psychological theory and coping techniques. However, the limited time and resources available make it difficult to provide full recovery for soldiers, and more serious cases are sent for further treatment at rehabilitation points away from the front. The Ukrainian military is trying to recruit more people for psychological support, but details on the scale of the recruitment drive and the number of soldiers treated for psychological conditions remain undisclosed.
A meta-analysis of 13 randomized controlled trials has highlighted the potential of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy as a treatment for patients with treatment-resistant depression. The analysis found that patients receiving psilocybin therapy showed significantly more improvement in depressive symptoms compared to those who did not receive the treatment. Response rates and remission rates were higher in the psilocybin group, and the positive effects of psilocybin therapy were observed shortly after administration and could last for several months. While psilocybin was generally well-tolerated, some participants experienced non-serious side effects. However, careful screening and monitoring of participants, especially those with a complex psychiatric history, is necessary. Further research is needed to establish psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy as an accepted medical alternative.