Evolution of Psychotherapy: An Overview of the Western and Indian Contexts

Abstract

Psychotherapy can be defined as the treatment of mental disorders through the use of various psychological techniques. The present paper is a review of literature devoted to the changing paradigms within psychotherapy. Articles for the review were drawn from published papers, articles, reports, and reviews. The authors view the changing patterns of psychotherapy in two ways: a) in terms of the major schools of thought- how, at a given point in time, the dominance of a particular school has influenced which paradigm would be preferred, and b) in terms of the changing lifestyle of individuals who seek therapy. Moreover, special emphasis is also laid on the evolution of psychotherapy within the Indian context.