Insight Therapy

Definition of Insight Therapy in Psychology

Insight therapies help a person self-reflect and search for solutions to life problems from within the self. Insight is suddenly realizing a solution to a problem you have been facing. There are three different therapeutic approaches that fall under the category of insight therapies: psychodynamic, psychoanalytic, and humanistic therapies. What makes them insight therapies?

These therapies seek to improve a client's psychological functioning by helping the client become more aware of their motives and defense mechanisms. Through guided sessions and a safe, trusting relationship, the client has the opportunity to develop greater self-awareness and understanding of their own thoughts and behavior patterns. This increased self-awareness is what insight therapists believe will improve the client's life.

Types of Insight Therapies

Psychoanalysis is the starting point for all types of therapy, but especially for insight therapy approaches in psychology. Freud created this type of therapy based on the idea that the unconscious mind holds information that can help us gain better insight into ourselves. Freud included aspects such as resistance, transference, and catharsis in psychoanalytic therapy.

In psychoanalysis, clients can display resistance simply by arriving late to a session or not showing up at all. Freud was certain that spending time with a client would lead to transference. This meant that the client would begin treating the therapist as if they were someone else (maybe their mother or father). The client might even become angry or dependent on the therapist, depending on their relationship with the other person.

Catharsis is more of a goal or a good part of psychoanalysis. It is the pleasant release of emotions built up inside the client through talking about past experiences. Catharsis brings a feeling of relief and release of tension or anxiety that was attached to the past experience.

Psychodynamic Therapy

In psychodynamic therapy, the sessions focus on internal conflicts and motivations. They also focus on defense mechanisms: the client's problematic ways of dealing with life problems. Psychodynamic therapists believe that the unconscious mind influences how we act, think, and feel. They want to help their clients become more self-aware to take control of their lives.

Humanistic Therapy

The humanistic approach to therapy is all about the human potential for growth and the uniqueness of every person. There are many different types, but all of them are considered insight therapies. In the humanistic approach, problems in life are caused by external factors that restrict the client's inherent goodness and potential for growth.

Two of the main humanistic therapies are client-centered therapy developed by Carl Rogers and Gestalt psychotherapy developed by Fritz Perls. All humanistic approaches include a focus on the client's ideal self, developing a positive self-image, and identifying personal strengths. Humanistic therapists want their clients to realize that they can take control of their lives so that past experiences don't control them.

Techniques in Insight Therapy

There are so many different insight therapy techniques! Some of them are unique to a particular approach, like psychoanalysis. Freud relied heavily on hypnosis, dream analysis, free association, and interpretations of life events.

Free association in psychoanalysis means that the client says whatever comes to mind, especially things they don't want to admit! The idea was to freely release or talk about all of the client's thoughts and feelings. If a client became uncomfortable with free association and stopped sharing freely, Freud might interpret this as resistance or unresolved internal conflicts.

Psychodynamic Therapy

Psychodynamic therapy grew out of Freud's psychoanalytic methods. It discards some parts of Freud's approach and keeps others. A psychodynamic therapist is still interested in helping the client gain insight into internal blocks or defenses against personal growth. Talking about the earliest years of life and other past experiences and relationships is the driving force of psychodynamic therapy.

How does a client's past impact what they are experiencing in the present? Is there any unfinished business from the past that the client needs to acknowledge and talk about? If the client can talk about past experiences and painful memories, this could help with gaining better self-awareness and insight into current struggles.

Humanistic Therapy

Humanistic approaches are all about championing the strengths and potential of each person. The therapist's goal is to create a warm, inviting, and accepting atmosphere that helps each client share freely and openly. Humanistic therapists focus on encouraging the client through the use of empathy and unconditional positive regard.

Humanistic therapists strive to be genuine, sensitive listeners. They want each client to gain greater insight into anything standing in the way of their personal growth. Just like the other insight therapies, humanistic therapy is about helping the client build self-awareness and self-reflection skills. Unlike the other two approaches, however, humanistic therapy focuses on the present more than the past.

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Examples of Insight Therapies

Remember those two types of humanistic therapy we mentioned earlier? Even though they are both humanistic approaches, client-centered therapy and Gestalt therapy are different in several ways. The goal is the same, though: helping clients gain insight into themselves and their problems.

Client-Centered Therapy

Carl Rogers wanted to help his clients reflect on their own thoughts and feelings. He encouraged his clients to speak freely without interruptions without any possibility of feeling judged or shamed. Unlike Freud's approach, there is little interpretation in client-centered therapy. Instead of providing insight to the client, Rogers wanted to help clients discover their own insight. His approach to therapy is non-directive: the client is in control of each therapy session rather than the therapist.

Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt therapy is less directive than psychoanalysis, but it is more directive than client-centered therapy. Gestalt therapists purposefully push a client to make decisions and take control of life. The therapist uses strategic questions and challenging statements to move the client towards greater self-awareness and personal responsibility. Gestalt therapy also includes role-playing scenarios and dream interpretations (like psychoanalysis) to help the client gain insight.

Efficacy of Insight Therapies

Out of the different kinds of insight therapies, psychodynamic and client-centered therapies are the two most commonly used today. They are often combined with other therapy approaches like cognitive-behavioral therapy to help a client as much as possible. Does insight therapy work? In general, insight therapies seem to be helpful for most clients. The reason they are helpful is due to building a client's self-awareness and ability to self-reflect. Armed with this new knowledge or insight about themselves, clients can apply what they learned in therapy to future situations and events.