PSYCHOTHERAPY AND PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILTIES

Psychotherapy is about communication.  We all need to communicate, whether through words or non-verbally, especially when we are going through a bad time.  Sometimes it is easier to talk to a stranger than to relatives or friends.  Therapists are trained to listen attentively and help people find their own answers, without judging them.  Sessions usually last up to fifty minutes, and take place at the same time, the same place each week.
For a long time people have thought that psychotherapy cannot help people with learning disabilities. 

Over the past decade opinions on this have shifted enormously.   Thanks to the work of organisations such as Respond, and pioneering therapists such as Valerie Sinason, more people with learning disabilities are discovering how much therapy can help them to deal with difficulties in their lives.
One common misconception is that to use therapy you have to have a certain IQ level and have good verbal and receptive skills.  This is not the case.  Our work has shown that people with severe learning disabilities as well as people who do not communicate verbally can benefit from psychotherapy, as long as psychotherapy is adapted to their needs.  In such cases the pace of therapy may be slower, care may need to be taken in using abstract ideas, and other forms of communication may need to be used.

Therapy is not a magic solution, it can be hard work and progress can be slow or painful. It helps most when people want to explore their feelings and change their behaviour, so timing is an important issue to consider. What it can offer is an opportunity to help people to understand their feelings, make changes in their behaviour and relationships and to heal the hurt of past experiences.

DIFFERENT KINDS OF THERAPY

Therapists have different types of training, and their approach and way of working will vary.  Research has shown that the relationship with the individual therapist can be more important than the type of therapy it is.  Some types of therapy work well for some people and not for others.  We believe that long term (ie. more than two years) is needed for lasting change and for complex problems

COUNSELLING helps people look at problems they are facing now.  It is usually short or medium term and focuses on a specific problem.  You are encouraged to talk about the feelings you have about yourself and your situation and your counsellor helps you find ways to tackle them.  Longer term counselling may go deeper and be more like psychotherapy.

COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY aims to help people change patterns of thinking or behaviour that are causing problems.  It is a structured approach – you agree goals with your therapist and try things out between sessions.  Sessions are usually weekly and last an hour.  An average number of sessions is 10-15.

PSYCHOANALYTIC AND PSYCHODYNAMIC THERAPIES involve a therapist listening to your experiences, exploring connections between present feelings and actions and past events.  Therapists have different styles of working.  Some will take the lead with questions while others will follow your train of thought.  Psychoanalytic and psychodynamic therapy often continues for at least two or three years, but can sometimes be shorter term.  It can be especially useful in helping people with long term or recurring problems getting to the root of their difficulties.