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In addition to providing psychotherapy for the treatment of depression, anxiety and addiction, psychologists also diagnose health problems and provide preventive and disease management services for patients suffering both mental and physical disorders. The mind and body are linked, and mental disorders frequently co-exist with physical problems.
Undetected Mental Disorders
Research shows that 24 percent of patients who regularly visit their primary care physician suffer from a well-defined mental disorder. 69 percent of these patients actually have undetected and untreated mental disorders (APA 2020).
Further, about 90 percent of individuals who die by suicide had a mental disorder, and 40 percent of these people visited their primary care doctor within the month prior to the suicide (APA 2020).
Mental health promotion seeks to strengthen well-being and quality of life. Today’s therapists integrate health promoting practices with positive psychology.
Health Promoting Conditions Include:
- Offering the client unconditional positive regard (unshakable personal acceptance). The therapist refuses to react with shock, dismay or disapproval at anything the client says or feels. Total acceptance.
- Striving to be authentic (genuine and honest). Must not hide behind a professional role. Phony fronts destroy the growth atmostphere.
- Attempts to achieve genuine empathy by trying to see the world through the client’s eyes and feel what the client feels.
- Does not make interpretations, propose solutions or offer advice. Instead, the therapist reflects (re-phrases, summarizes, or repeats) the client’s thoughts and feelings. This allows the therapist to act as a psychological “mirror” so clients can see themselves more clearly.
The Result
A client armed with a realistic self-image and greater self-acceptance will gradually discover solutions to life’s problems.
This report is not a diagnosis. We hope this information can guide you toward improving your life.
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