Supportive psychotherapy

Supportive psychotherapy is a psychotherapeutic approach that integrates various schools to provide therapeutic support. It includes components from therapeutic schools such as psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and interpersonal conceptual models and techniques. The aim of supportive psychotherapy is to reduce or to relieve the intensity of manifested or presenting symptoms, distress or disability. It also reduces the extent of behavioral disruptions caused by the patient's psychic conflicts or disturbances. The objective of the therapist is to reinforce the patient's healthy and adaptive patterns of thought behaviors in order to reduce the intrapsychic conflicts that produce symptoms of mental disorders. Unlike in psychoanalysis, in which the analyst works to maintain a neutral demeanor as a 'blank canvas' for transference, in supportive therapy the therapist engages in a fully emotional, encouraging, and supportive relationship with the patient as a method of furthering healthy defense mechanisms, especially in the context of interpersonal relationships.This therapy has been used for patients suffering from severe cases of addiction as well as bulimia nervosa, stress and other mental illnesses.Internet-based supportive psychotherapy is a type of supportive psychotherapy that is characterized by having a two-hour initial meeting between the client and therapist, and then periodic and occasional study conducted by therapist through email and telephone.Some studies suggest that genetics, animal studies and neuroscience may have an impact or play a role in supportive psychotherapy.