Psychotherapy is a type of treatment for a variety of mental disorders that has been used in psychology for decades. The term psychotherapy is a limiting one because literally it means treatment of mental or nervous disorders. This suggests a restrictive medical model. To encompass all the troubles for which psychological help is sought under the term psychotherapy will necessitate a borrowing from theories and stratagems more appropriate to structures other than medical ones, such as sociological or rehabilitative and learning models. Functionally, this is what has happened over the years, often with protests from professionals in disciplines of sociology, anthropology, psychology, and education, who resent encroachment of their domains. Actually, psychotherapy should not be regarded as a cormorant intent on swallowing diverse disciplines. It is a body of procedures that overlap techniques used in counseling, social casework, education, and rehabilitation, even though its goals may be different. Psychotherapy is an important aspect in psychiatry. When patients ask about different therapy options, psychiatrists should know about these, and preferably be able to deliver some therapy themselves. In our recent survey of 574 trainees and young psychiatrists in Europe, 92 % considered psychotherapy important for their professional identity, and 90% wanted to practice psychotherapy after psychiatry training. However, the training possibilities are scarce and only 52 you look after trainees were training (or trained) in psychotherapy. Psychotherapy efficacy studies are quite hard to produce as there are still methodological problems to consider, but a lot of studies show a size effect comparable with biological treatments, even for severe illnesses like schizophrenia. As a psychiatrist, one needs to keep an open mind to other disciplines. In the past, inventions about the unconscious motivated psychoanalysis, neuropsychology motivated cognitive remediation treatment, theater motivated psychodrama, ancient Buddhism motivated mindfulness. Patients and family associations always challenged our practices in psychoeducation and Institutional psychotherapy to became as patient-centered as possible.
