Comparing Therapy
What makes us different?
Quality Care and Service.
Mental Health Therapy has various modalities of treatment. There is not a one size fits all, but the majority of modalities view the therapist as the expert on the clients’ lives and experiences. Fredrike P. Bannink proposes this metaphor to explain the problem focused therapies:
Suppose you are hungry and decide to eat in a restaurant. After having waited for some time, you are invited to take a seat and the manager introduces himself.
He asks you questions regarding your hunger: ‘How hungry are you? For how long have you been preoccupied with this feeling? Were you hungry in the past? What role did hunger play at home with your family or with other relatives? What disadvantages and possibly advantages does hunger have for you?’
After this, having become even hungrier, you ask if you can now eat. But in addition the manager wants you to complete some questionnaires about hunger (and perhaps about other issues that the manager finds important).
Once everything is finished, a meal is served to you that you did not order, but that the manager claims is good for you and has helped other hungry people.
What are the chances of you leaving the restaurant feeling satisfied?
The Hope Place, instead, uses solution focused language and techniques to focus on when the
problem is less of a problem.
This metaphor by Rachel Terry helps explain:
Suppose you are hungry and decide to eat in a restaurant. After having waited for some time, you are invited to take a seat and the manager introduces himself.
He welcomes you to the restaurant, thanks you for choosing his restaurant, and asks you what you would like to eat?
You tell him that you are unsure of what to eat, but you know that you are incredibly hungry.
He ponders this for a moment and asks you, “Do you prefer sweet or savory meals? What are your favorite foods? Did you enjoy the last meal you ate? If so, what was it about that meal that you enjoyed? If we were to ask your most close and trusted friends and family members what you loved to eat, what would they say?”
Throughout this process you have created a dish that is personalized to your tastes and needs. The manager has written your responses and makes the suggestion, “How about a savory medium rare steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, and a slice of chocolate cake for dessert?”
This suggestion is perfect for you and you are hopeful and excited to eat this meal. The order is placed, the meal is served to you, and you are no longer hungry.
What are the chances of you leaving the restaurant feeling satisfied?
