Psychoeducational Approach Essay

PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL APPROACH

Psychoeducation Approach is a therapeutic focus in which clients learn practical and positive emotional and behavioral skills to improve life adjustment, management of emotions and self-awareness. A psychoeducational approach appreciates the significance of education in changing unhealthy or negative emotional and behavioral patterns. Psychoeducation refers to the process of providing education and information to those seeking or receiving mental health services, such as people diagnosed with mental health conditions or life-threatening illnesses and their family members.

Purpose
The goal of psychoeducational approach is to help people understand better and become accustomed to living with mental health conditions. It is considered to be an essential aspect of all therapy programs. It is generally known that those who have a thorough understanding of the challenges they are facing as well as knowledge of

personal coping ability, internal and external resources, and their own areas of strength are often better able to address difficulties, feel more in control of the condition, and have a greater internal capacity to work toward mental and emotional well-being.

Role of a therapist:
Many individuals who have a mental health condition know little about the condition they have been diagnosed with, what they might expect from therapy, or the positive and negative effects of any medications they may be prescribed. Literature on these topics given to them by medical professionals may be confusing or otherwise difficult to comprehend and thus of little help.
Psychoeducation can benefit the individual diagnosed, parents and other family members, and caregivers and friends. It is not an approach to treatment in itself but represents an important early step in treatment, as it offers those individuals involved in a person’s care information on both how to offer support and how to maintain their own emotional health and overall well-being and provides them with the opportunity to develop a thorough understanding of the mental health concern affecting their loved one. Participating in psychoeducation may have a positive impact on quality of life.

Psychoeducation Process
Psychoeducation may be general or specified and can be provided in a number of ways, though it is broadly steered by four main goals: transfer of information, medication and treatment support, training and support in self-help and self-care, and the provision of a safe place to vent emotional frustrations.
All of the following constitute psychoeducation:
• A therapist explaining to a person in therapy the ways a mental health condition might impact function
• A psychiatrist describing how a prescribed medication can counteract symptoms of a mental health condition
• A psychiatric hospital providing support and education to family members of those receiving treatment
• Formal classes designed to educate the population about both specific mental health conditions and mental health in general
• Classroom behavior management assistance for students diagnosed with behavioral concerns
• Self-help and support groups designed to encourage those diagnosed with mental health concerns to share strategies and information with one another.

Some people can receive psychoeducation through online or electronic formats such as DVDs, CDs, or other audiovisual materials, though others may choose to participate in sessions with a mental health professional.
How Can Psychoeducation Help?
With the psychoeduational approach, clients learn valuable life skills of how to manage their behavior, emotions, relationships and generally improve their mental health through learning practical life skills strategies.

Stress management activities, counseling group activities to promote team building and interpersonal skills, as well as conflict resolution exercises are just a few examples of the vast array of life skills topics that are used in individual counseling and in psycho-educational group therapy. These topics and many more are addressed in individual counseling, mental health clinics, in-patient and out-patient settings, as well as school and college counseling centers and workplace wellness programs. Coping skills improve significantly in clients that learn skills based on effective and well established psychological theory and practice, such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. The learning is always augmented by carious Cognitive Behavior Therapy worksheets and DBT worksheets and

handouts.