What can you expect
from us?

Psychotherapy means helping patients cope better with their own lives. Most people who seek therapy have underlying relationship problems. They often struggle to build and/or maintain lasting, satisfying relationships. Psychotherapy aims to remove the obstacles to satisfying relationships. One of the first steps is identifying the patient’s interpersonal problems. The therapist must listen carefully and observe closely. Every hour of therapy, filled with everyday details, is a wealth of information. It is a gradual process in which the therapist tries to get to know the patient as fully as possible. The therapist is often the only observer who has the opportunity to witness major dramas or acts of courage. The patient may confide in other people as well, but none of them can assess the effort involved or the significance of their actions as well as the therapist can. Patients benefit greatly from knowing that someone sees them as a whole person and understands them fully. It is therefore extremely important that the patient is honest with the therapist, but even more importantly, with themselves. The person you will spend the rest of your life with is yourself, and this is why self-love and acceptance are among the ingredients that lead to awareness and living life to the fullest.

A psychologist specializes in treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy or EMDR therapy. He or she has extensive knowledge of methods that have been scientifically proven effective for your situation. A psychologist helps you recognize, define, improve, and resolve inner problems. You receive knowledge and practical advice that you can put into practice. Sometimes you are confronted with feelings, habits, or thoughts that you would rather avoid, but this helps you see that change is possible.

For an appointment with a psychologist, you do not need to know everything about therapy or treatments. However, it is helpful to think about what you want to achieve with treatment and which form of treatment (online/ hybrid/ on-site) might be a good fit. This helps the therapist provide you with the right care. Both treatment and therapy are centered around you, and the goal is to achieve a desired change, whether this relates to your behavior, feelings, or something else. Therapy is not just talking, but also hard work, both during and outside the sessions. It is important that you are willing to work on yourself and have confidence in the process. In addition, it is essential that you are open about your thoughts and feelings. This can be difficult, but it enables the psychologist to help you better.

The effects of treatment are part of the work of both the patient and the therapist. The patient’s main contribution is motivation. Patients with a pessimistic attitude achieve much poorer health outcomes. During treatment, building a relationship between the therapist and the patient is an important element. The therapeutic relationship includes, among other things, a sense of working together on the problem, agreement between the patient and the therapist about the goals and objectives of therapy, and the bond between the patient and the therapist. The relationship with the therapist itself has therapeutic power, which is supported by therapists as well as by the scientific literature and many documented studies. Not only the patient’s motivation, but also their belief in achieving results improves the effectiveness of therapy. Hope encourages the patient to stay engaged. The progress of therapy is regularly monitored during the therapeutic process by the therapist and the lead practitioner. The results – depending on the situation – appear gradually, and their lasting effect depends on the duration of the therapy and the patient’s commitment. Ultimately, the goal is to permanently eliminate maladaptive behavior and replace it in such a way that the new thought patterns become permanently embedded in the patient’s life and help achieve lasting effects.

All information and materials relating to patients’ lives are covered by professional confidentiality at GGZ voor elkaar.