What Mental Health Treatments are Available?
Judaism values life and health above all else, so we all need to know how to take care of ourselves. Maintaining our health is even codified as a full-fledged commandment by physician and philosopher Moses Maimonides (1135-1204). In his collection of Jewish laws called the Mishneh Torah, he wrote: “It is a positive commandment to remove any obstacle that could pose a danger to life, and to be very careful regarding these matters, as the Torah teaches, ‘Take utmost care for yourself; and guard yourself scrupulously’” (Deut. 4:9). (Hilchot Rotzeach, Chapters 11)
Knowing how to take care of yourself means knowing what options you have in a crisis. However, with the plethora of choices now available to most people, deciding which one is best for you can be overwhelming. We hope this short guide to some of the options you have for mental health care gives you some clarity about the different types of therapies and treatments that are out there and allows you to fulfill the commandment to care for your health presented by Maimonides.
Quick Definitions
In the textbook Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship (4th ed.), Landreth (2023) defined Child-Centered Play Therapy: As a dynamic interpersonal relationship between a child (or person of any age) and a therapist trained in play therapy procedures who provides selected play materials and facilitates the development of a safe relationship for the child (or person of any age) to fully express and explore self (feelings, thoughts, experiences, and behaviors) through play, the child's natural medium of communication, for optimal growth and development.
Psychoanalytic or Psychodynamic Psychotherapy is a form of clinical practice that is based on psychoanalytic theory and principles. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy uses psychoanalytic theories as the frame for formulation and understanding of the therapy process. These multiple theories apply to the psychotherapy situation, with a focus on increasing self understanding and deepening insight into emotional issues and conflicts which underlie the presenting difficulties. Typically therapists make use of exploration of unconscious thoughts and feelings, understanding aspects of the relationship between therapist and patient, which may relate to underlying emotional conflicts, interpretation of defensive processes which obstruct emotional awareness, and consideration of issues related to sense of self and self esteem.
Art therapy is a technique employed by therapists to aid individuals in deciphering, conveying, and addressing their emotions and thoughts. Collaborating with an art therapist, patients delve into their emotional landscape, gaining insights into conflicts or distressing feelings, and harnessing the power of art to seek resolutions for such challenges.
Family therapy is a type of group psychotherapy. In family therapy, "family" is defined as a group of people who care about each other and call themselves a family. This could include parents and children, partners, grandparents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, cousins, friends, caregivers and other professionals that are close to the group. The goal of family therapy is to help everyone in the family understand and support each other. This type of therapy can help when families are feeling overwhelmed, sad and angry; when they're unsure how to move forward; or when they feel that they are repeating the same harmful behaviors over and over. If a family is dealing with changes associated with illness, mental health and substance use problems, unemployment, moving, aging, divorce, trauma, and death and grieving, family therapy can be helpful.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a structured, goal-oriented type of talk therapy. It can help manage mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, and emotional concerns, such as coping with grief or stress. CBT can also help manage nonpsychological health conditions, such as insomnia and chronic pain.
Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) addresses the mental health needs of children, adolescents, and families suffering from the destructive effects of early trauma. The treatment is particularly sensitive to the unique problems of youth with post-traumatic stress and mood disorders resulting from sexual abuse, as well as from physical abuse, violence, or grief. Because the client is usually a child, TF-CBT often brings non-offending parents or other caregivers into treatment and incorporates principles of family therapy.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a structured program of psychotherapy with a strong educational component designed to provide skills for managing intense emotions and negotiating social relationships. Originally developed to curb the self-destructive impulses of chronic suicidal patients, it is also the treatment of choice for borderline personality disorder, emotion dysregulation, and a growing array of psychiatric conditions. It consists of group instruction and individual therapy sessions, both conducted weekly for six months to a year.
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an action-oriented approach to psychotherapy that stems from traditional behavior therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Clients learn to stop avoiding, denying, and struggling with their inner emotions and, instead, accept that these deeper feelings are appropriate responses to certain situations that should not prevent them from moving forward in their lives. With this understanding, clients begin to accept their hardships and commit to making necessary changes in their behavior, regardless of what is going on in their lives and how they feel about it.
There are a number of resources you can use to search for and find therapist in your area that are right for you. Consider using one of the following:
