Individual therapy is a type of psychotherapy that aims to equip patients with essential coping and life skills. In individual therapy, the therapist helps the patient work through the issues they are facing. Individual therapy gives patients opportunities to open up to someone they trust – their therapists.
Studies have shown that individual therapy is an effective form of treatment for different mental illnesses such as depression, OCD, and anxiety. Many people with substance-use problems seek out individual therapy to conquer their demons. Individual therapy can also help recovering addicts stay on the path to recovery.
A typical individual therapy session lasts 45 minutes to an hour. During individual therapy sessions, therapists conduct various exercises designed to help individuals with mental health conditions learn the skills required to manage their condition. There are two main types of individual therapy – cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychotherapy.
Depending on the nature and seriousness of the mental illness they are grappling with, a patient can stay in therapy for a few weeks to a few years.