Discussion: Does Psychotherapy Have a Biological Basis?

Discussion: Does Psychotherapy Have a Biological Basis?

Discussion: Does Psychotherapy Have a Biological Basis? Many studies have found that psychotherapy is as effective as psychopharmacology in terms of influencing changes in behaviors, symptoms of anxiety, and changes in mental state. Changes influenced by psychopharmacology can be explained by the biological basis of treatments. But how does psychotherapy achieve these changes? Does psychotherapy share common neuronal pathways with psychopharmacology? For this Discussion, consider whether psychotherapy also has a biological basis. Learning Objectives Students will: • Evaluate biological basis of psychotherapy treatments •

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Analyze influences of culture, religion, and socioeconomics on personal perspectives of psychotherapy treatments To prepare: Discussion: Does Psychotherapy Have a Biological Basis? • Review this week’s Learning Resources. • Reflect on foundational concepts of psychotherapy. QUESTION Post an explanation of whether psychotherapy has a biological basis. Explain how culture, religion, and socioeconomics might influence one’s perspective of the value of psychotherapy treatments. Support your rationale with evidence-based literature. NOTE: REFERENCES SHOULD BE 5 YEARS OR LESS. 2. LOOK AT THE LEARNING RESOURCES FOR THE BOOK REQUIRED.

Learning Resources

Required Readings

Wheeler, K. (Eds.). (2014). Psychotherapy for the advanced practice psychiatric nurse: A how-to guide for evidence-based practice (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.

  • Chapter 1, “The Nurse Psychotherapist and a Framework for Practice” (pp. 3–52) Discussion: Does Psychotherapy Have a Biological Basis?

Fournier, J. C., & Price, R. B. (2014). Psychotherapy and neuroimaging. Psychotherapy: New Evidence and New Approaches, 12(3), 290–298. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4207360/

Holttum, S. (2014). When bad things happen our brains change but psychotherapy and support can help the recovery of our brains and our lives. Mental Health and Social Inclusion, 18(2), 52–58. doi:10.1108/MHSI-02-2014-0006

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases Discussion: Does Psychotherapy Have a Biological Basis?.

Petiprin, A. (2016). Psychiatric and mental health nursing. Nursing Theory. Retrieved from http://www.nursing-theory.org/theories-and-models/psychiatric-and-mental-health-nursing.php

Fisher, M. A. (2016). Introduction. In Confidentiality limits in psychotherapy: Ethics checklists for mental health professionals (pp. 3–12). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/14860-001

 Document: Nurse Practitioner (NP) Student Clinical Orientation (PowerPoint file)

Document: Practicum Manual (PDF). Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/ld.php?content_id=7356923

Required Media

Laureate Education (Producer). (2016). Introduction to psychotherapy with individuals [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 2 minutes.

Laureate Education (Producer). (2015e). Therapies are helpful: Dodo bird conjecture [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Provided courtesy of the Laureate International Network of Universities.

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 2 minutes.

Does Psychotherapy have a Biological Basis?

Explanation of whether psychotherapy has a biological basis.

The brain is a major organ in the body that is responsible for controlling the other body organs through communication systems that include hormones. Although the brain is intended to function optimally, there are occasions when its capacity to function is compromised resulting in abnormal behavior characterized by difficulty in completing routine tasks and even compromising social interactions. This change in behavior could be attributed to a psychological conditions that may either be voluntary or involuntary. Whatever the designation, the psychological conditions cannot be considered as an abnormality since each individual is unique and no two persons are identical so that diversity in both the body and body would be expected. This distinction recognizes the fact that the societal spectrum for what is normal or baseline is fundamentally prejudiced and subjective thereby contributing to the ambiguity on what a mental or psychiatric condition entails since there are some conditions that do not interfere with the completion of routine tasks (Holttum, 2014)Discussion: Does Psychotherapy Have a Biological Basis?.

Based on this awareness, it is evident that any changes to behavior with psychiatric links and requiring intervention using psychotherapy can at least be considered as changes to the brain’s ability to process information and communicate. This means that psychotherapy focus on returning the brain to a state considered ‘normal’. These are notions echoed by neuroimaging that has linked psychological conditions to changes in specific areas of the brain with psychotherapy able to provide a solution by correcting the changes. This means that psychotherapy treatment is simply correcting the imbalances present in the brain to return it to a ‘normal’ state (Fournier & Price, 2014). As a result, evidence that psychotherapy has biological basis can be seen from the fact that is seeks to correct ‘abnormalities’ present in the brain that can be tracked using neuroimaging Discussion: Does Psychotherapy Have a Biological Basis?.

Explain how culture, religion, and socioeconomics might influence one’s perspective of the value of psychotherapy treatments.

Psychotherapy focuses on improving functioning and social interactions (Petiprin, 2016). That is because it introduces self-care as an element of the holistic model that links culture, religion and socioeconomics with relationships (Holttum, 2014). To have a better understanding of this link, let us consider the intentions of psychotherapy. Ideally, psychotherapy is intentioned to facilitate symptoms reduction, functioning improvement, relapse prevention and empowerment, as well as achieving any other realistic goals the patient may have set. This means that the existing symptoms are an imbalance that cause the psychiatric condition, acts as a contributor or is a coexisting condition. Reviewing the holistic model shows that symptoms are the body’s way of communicating that a dys-regulation exists and it is in disharmony. Psychotherapy holds a similar view by showing that symptoms are the body’s way of presenting the message that it is not okay. Other models would have a contrasting view by viewing symptoms as irritations that require medication to clear. Based on the views expressed through the holistic model and psychotherapy, using medication to clear the symptoms is simply shooting the message thus failing to clear the ‘root cause’. Understandably, it is unrealistic to eliminate all forms of medication or their use in clearing symptoms, particularly when fast relief is required. To be more concise, psychotherapy matches the holistic model in showing that symptoms are an indication of the existing condition, showing conformity with the mandate for recovery-oriented behavioral care. This makes it evident that psychotherapy facilitates recovery by using partnerships and relationships to address the root cause even as symptoms are cleared using medication to realize holistic care (Wheeler, 2014).

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In this respect, psychotherapy heals psychiatric conditions using partnerships and relationships to imply that is can be influenced by culture, religion and socioeconomics even as the symptoms are cleared using medication to achieve holistic care Discussion: Does Psychotherapy Have a Biological Basis?.

References

Fournier, J. C., & Price, R. B. (2014). Psychotherapy and neuroimaging. Psychotherapy: New Evidence and New Approaches, 12(3), 290–298. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4207360/

Holttum, S. (2014). When bad things happen our brains change but psychotherapy and support can help the recovery of our brains and our lives. Mental Health and Social Inclusion, 18(2), 52–58. doi:10.1108/MHSI-02-2014-0006

Petiprin, A. (2016). Psychiatric and mental health nursing. Retrieved from http://www.nursing-theory.org/theories-and-models/psychiatric-and-mental-health-nursing.php

Wheeler, K. (Eds.). (2014). Psychotherapy for the advanced practice psychiatric nurse: A how-to guide for evidence-based practice (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company Discussion: Does Psychotherapy Have a Biological Basis?.