J.B. Watson and B.F. Skinner. Therapists focus on a person's conscious thoughts or behaviors. Cognitive therapy, developed by Aaron T. Beck, M.D., examines distortions in thinking that lead to psychological problems. It is the most-studied therapy and is highly effective. A therapist may recommend individual therapy, group therapy or both.
Group therapy uses interaction among group members to initiate change.
The therapist may form groups on the basis of diagnosis, gender, age or other characteristics. Group therapy can be useful in treating social phobia, eating disorders and addictions to drugs, alcohol and gambling. Biological therapy Biological treatments include medication and electroconvulsive therapy. The discovery of new medications or new uses for long-available medications has fueled the evolution of mental health care over the past 50 years. In 1949 it was discovered that a compound of the element lithium relieved symptoms of mania.