Supportive Psychotherapy

Supportive psychotherapy is a therapeutic approach aimed at offering emotional support, encouragement, and practical advice to help individuals handle stress, manage symptoms, and enhance their overall well-being. This adaptable method is frequently combined with other therapies or medications to boost self-esteem, enhance coping skills, and foster a sense of stability and resilience.

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Is Supportive Psychotherapy Evidence Based?

Research indicates that supportive psychotherapy might be the most commonly practiced form of therapy. It is fundamentally regarded as central to all doctor-client interactions and various therapeutic approaches. For example, when you visit your primary care physician and share your symptoms in a caring setting, you're experiencing a type of supportive psychotherapy.

This approach developed after psychoanalysis became prominent in the late 19th to mid-20th centuries, as clinicians recognized that some clients needed assistance but couldn’t engage in psychoanalysis for various reasons. Instead of maintaining a “neutral” provider stance, these clients received support and guidance, leading to the establishment of supportive psychotherapy.

While it may be less frequently studied, emerging evidence suggests it can be as effective, and in some cases even more effective, as psychotherapy.

Techniques Used in Supportive Psychotherapy

Active listening: Your provider pays close attention to your concerns and acknowledges your feelings.
Coping Skills: Working with your provider to build skills to allow you to manage symptoms.
Education: Your provider will provide education pertaining to physical and mental health and their relationship, helping to deepen your understanding of the mind-body relationship.
Empathy: Your provider displays understanding to your situation and needs, allowing you to feel supported.
Encouragement: Your provider gives positive feedback and encouragement, helping to build confidence and motivation to continue to see positive changes.
Problem-Solving: Working with your provider to address and work on specific problems or areas of concern.
Reframing: Your provider will help to view your specific situation from another perspective, in effort to view negative thoughts and emotions in a more positive way.