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Psychotherapy is widely used to treat different mental health disorders and emotional difficulties. The main objective of psychotherapy is to help clients become aware of and have control over their thoughts, moods, feelings and behaviours, as well as create healthy strategies to respond to challenging situations. Since the existing psychotherapy approaches and other methods of treatment are not always effective in treating mental health disorders, there is still space for new approaches to fill this gap. In this paper, we provide information about internal cohesion psychotherapy, which is a new integrative approach. This paper presents a new approach to eclectic psychotherapy, focussing on four detrimental aspects of human functioning through different time perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Routine outcome monitoring (ROM), including the use of feedback, has become a much vaunted method in psychological therapies but is little used in university/college counselling and mental health services, perhaps because its adoption raises questions for many practitioners and service leaders. There is a need for both clinical‐ and research‐based statements to clarify the reasoning and rationale for ROM. This paper aims to present and respond to common challenges of and reservations about using ROM in student counselling and/or mental health services. Method: The article poses 15 questions and issues about the adoption of ROM drawn from the literature on this topic and further refined by practitioner‐ and researcher‐members of a consortium comprising service leads, practitioners, and researchers working in the field of student counselling in the UK. The questions address nine themes: (1) the purpose and yield of ROM; (2) the burden of measurement; (3) the impact on clients and process of therapy; (4) consistency with therapeutic theory; (5) client groups and settings; (6) concern from practitioners; (7) equality, diversity, and inclusion; (8) implementation; and (9) relationship with the paradigm of practice‐based evidence. Findings: Responses to each of the 15 questions are provided from a methodological, evidence‐based, and clinical perspective. Conclusions: The responses provide practitioners with the necessary information to enable them to make informed decisions as to the value, or otherwise, of adopting ROM, including feedback, in the delivery of counselling interventions, and generating evidence created from clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathological narcissism is a personality constellation comprising distorted self‐image, maladaptive self‐esteem regulation, and difficulties in intimate relationships. Patients with elevated pathological narcissism may not necessarily meet criteria for narcissistic personality disorder, and may seek treatment for a range of mental health concerns across various clinical settings. An understanding of key principles of control‐mastery theory (CMT) can help clinicians understand the specific goals and challenges of the individual patient with pathological narcissism, and can illuminate ways in which the patient may work in psychotherapy. This paper outlines how patients with pathological narcissism may engage in testing of their pathogenic beliefs, and how therapists can respond in ways that facilitate the patient's sense of safety and foster psychological work. The role of the therapist's attitude is highlighted as a means for countering pathogenic beliefs associated with pathological narcissism. Clinical material from a single case of time‐limited supportive psychotherapy will be used to illustrate these principles and associated therapeutic processes. Insights from CMT regarding pathogenic beliefs and the patient's plan for addressing them can help to explain how therapy works or does not work for patients with pathological narcissism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a growing momentum around the world to foster greater opportunities for the involvement of mental health service users in their care and treatment planning. In‐principle support for this aim is widespread across mental healthcare professionals. Yet, progress in mental health services towards this objective has lagged in practice. Objectives: We conducted a systematic review of quantitative, qualitative and mixed‐method research on interventions to improve opportunities for the involvement of mental healthcare service users in treatment planning, to understand the current research evidence and the barriers to implementation. Methods: Seven databases were searched and 5137 articles were screened. Articles were included if they reported on an intervention for adult service users, were published between 2008 and October 2023 and were in English. Evidence in the 140 included articles was synthesised according to the JBI guidance on Mixed Methods Systematic Reviews. Results: Research in this field remains exploratory in nature, with a wide range of interventions investigated to date but little experimental replication. Overarching barriers to shared and supported decision‐making in mental health treatment planning were (1) Organisational (resource limitations, culture barriers, risk management priorities and structure); (2) Process (lack of knowledge, time constraints, health‐related concerns, problems completing and using plans); and (3) Relationship barriers (fear and distrust for both service users and clinicians). Conclusions: On the basis of the barriers identified, recommendations are made to enable the implementation of new policies and programs, the designing of new tools and for clinicians seeking to practice shared and supported decision‐making in the healthcare they offer. Patient or Public Contribution: This systematic review has been guided at all stages by a researcher with experience of mental health service use, who does not wish to be identified at this point in time. The findings may inform organisations, researchers and practitioners on implementing supported decision‐making, for the greater involvement of people with mental ill health in their healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the wake of the incessant evolution of virtual reality (VR) technology, its pervasive integration into an expanding array of sectors, notably the medical field, has become increasingly conspicuous. Amid these developments, post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a prevalent and debilitating mental health condition, has garnered heightened attention from the medical community. The contemporary therapeutic landscape predominantly revolves around psychological interventions, exemplified by exposure therapy and positive thinking therapy. However, a groundbreaking advancement, namely virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET), has emerged as a prominent achievement, effectively intertwining VR technology with medical applications, particularly in the nuanced treatment of PTSD. As the realms of human‐computer interaction and brain‐computer interface undergo continuous and dynamic expansion, electroencephalography (EEG) has surfaced as a pivotal convergence point across diverse disciplines. The confluence of VRET technology with EEG signals holds the promise of enhancing the precision and objectivity of patient diagnoses. Furthermore, leveraging EEG signals enables a more nuanced and individualized approach to treatment within the framework of VRET technology. Despite extant studies that offer comprehensive summaries of VRET technology, the integration with EEG signals has thus far been a relatively unexplored terrain. This research endeavors to direct attention toward recent advancements in VRET technology within the sphere of mental health treatment. A meticulous synthesis and exposition of existing techniques and applications are presented, providing a comprehensive overview of the current landscape. The exploration extends to the developmental trajectory and prospective implications arising from the amalgamation of VRET technology and EEG technology. Furthermore, a rigorous analysis of the tangible contributions and practical significance of EEG signals in the domain of mental health treatment is undertaken, underscoring the potential avenues for their future applications and the transformative impact on the trajectory of therapeutic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]