Brief Therapy

The goal of brief psychotherapy is helping the person deal with the current problems, in the shortest possible period of time. It focuses on the current problems of the client. Insight into clients’ problems, improved acceptance of self and others and the utilization of one’s inner resources, are all important in this mode of treatment. What sets brief psychotherapy apart from long-term therapy is that this is time bound, direct and goal-oriented. Brief psychotherapy is particularly suitable for adolescents owing to the emergence of a new identity in them. There are certain types of illnesses for which this form of therapy is clearly contraindicated. The goal of brief psychotherapy is the resolution of present problems. Therefore, understanding of the past should always be subordinated to problems of present therapeutic concrete goals. From the very beginning of therapy this approach works toward direct and concrete goals. Outcome then is very much a part of the clinical diagnosis. The aim of this approach is to deal with current preoccupations in short steps leading towards long-term goals.