Psychotherapy Effectiveness Facts

Effectiveness Increases: Studies indicate short-term treatment improved symptoms of depression, anxiety, and anorexia nervosa.

(Busch, Rudden, & Shapiro, 2004).

Meta-analyses of psychodynamic psychotherapy studies indicated that short-term treatment improved symptoms of depression, anxiety, and anorexia nervosa. When patients were reassessed nine months after treatment, the effect size of psychodynamic therapy had increased. An indication of lasting psychological changes that yielded further benefits as time passed (Busch, Rudden, & Shapiro, 2004).

Effective as medication: Psychotherapy produced the same level of systolic blood pressure reductions as anti-hypertension medication. Linden & Moseley (2006). Ongoing anger and stress are major contributors to high blood pressure and a number of related health issues. Linden & Moseley (2006) found that psychotherapy produced the same level of systolic blood pressure reductions as anti-hypertension medication.

Freedom from Addiction: Patients receiving Psychotherapy more likely to stick with long-term treatment of addiction (Rawson, Mann, Tennant, & Clabough,1983). 

Psychotherapeutic counseling in the treatment of heroin addiction has been shown to improve the attendance of subjects while undertaking detoxification treatment. When compared to those receiving detoxification alone, subjects receiving both treatments simultaneously were more likely to enter long-term treatment following the initial program (Rawson, Mann, Tennant, & Clabough, 1983).

Decreases Hospitalization: Psychotherapy decreases use of psychiatric hospitalization and other medical and surgical services. (Cummings, et al., 2003). A growing body of evidence indicates that psychotherapy decreases the use of psychiatric hospitalization and reduces the use of other medical and surgical services (Cummings, et al., 2003).

Reduces Medical Costs: Successful integration of psychotherapy may reduce medical costs by 20-30% (Cummings, et al., 2003).Successful integration of psychotherapy into primary care may reduce medical costs by 20-30% (Cummings, et al., 2003).

Effective for range of mental disorders: Improves symptoms of depression, general anxiety disorder, social anxiety, bipolar disorder, OCD, phobias, and panic disorders. (Hunsley, Elliott & Therrien, 2013).

Psychotherapy can improve symptoms of depression, general anxiety disorder, social anxiety, bipolar disorder, OCD, phobias, and panic disorders when used as either the sole treatment or in conjunction with pharmacological treatments (Hunsley, Elliott & Therrien, 2013).

Medication Helps: Relapse rate reduced among patients received psychotherapy with medication. Hollon, DeRubeis, Shelton (2005)

Psychotherapy in conjunction with pharmaceutical treatment has been shown to be more enduring and effective in the long-term than medication alone. Hollon, DeRubeis, Shelton (2005) found that relapses of anxiety and mild to moderate depression occurred in 76.2% of those who had received medication. The relapse rate was 30.8% among those who had received medication and psychotherapy simultaneously.

Early Treatment Matters: Early assessment key to early realization of benefits. (Mind, 2010) Individuals who wait less than three months from assessment to treatment are almost 5 times more likely to report that psychotherapy was beneficial when compared to those waiting twelve months or longer 

85% improvement over a year: 60-65% reported significant relief from 1- 7 sessions. (Krause & Orlinsky, 1986) found that between 60-65% of people experienced significant symptomatic relief within one to seven psychotherapy sessions. This number increased to 70-75% after six months, and 85% at one year.

CBT is Effective: Effective with fewer side effects  (Kamenov, Twomey, Cabello, Prina, & Ayuso-Mateos, 2017).Cognitive behavioral therapy for depression was found to cause fewer adverse side effects such as insomnia, fatigue, restlessness than antidepressants (Kamenov, Twomey, Cabello, Prina, & Ayuso-Mateos, 2017).

Effective in Multiple Settings: Psychotherapy delivered in a routine care setting is generally as effective as psychotherapy delivered in clinical trials (Minami, Wampold, Serlin, Hamilton, Brown, & Kircher, 2008)

Other Methods Used: While psychotherapy primarily involves mutual discussion between a therapist and client, other methods may be used, for example, art, music, drama, and movement.

Relationship Matters: Client Clinician Relationship explains 25-30% variance in outcomes - (Horvath, Del Re, Flückiger, & Symonds, 2011). The relationship between client and clinician has a significant impact on psychotherapy effectiveness. Research into the factors associated with therapeutic outcomes suggested that the therapeutic alliance explains 25-30% of the variance in psychotherapy outcomes.

Helps Ill Patients: Group Psychotherapy* shown to reduce psychological distress in patients with advanced or terminal cancer (Breitbart, 2015). Meaning-centered group psychotherapy has been shown to reduce psychological distress and improve spiritual well-being in patients with advanced or terminal cancer (Breitbart, 2015).