Psychotherapy is based upon a therapeutic alliance between a therapist and client. Thus, it involves the creation of an emotional bond as well as an agreement about the goals of treatment.
Psychotherapy, which includes individual, group, couple and family therapy, is a practice that is designed to provide the relief of symptoms, reduce the occurrence of symptoms in the future, produce personality change, and to promote healthy decision making and increased adaptive functioning in all spheres of life.
Psychotherapy is informed by evidence based practice, which involves utilizing scientific research to inform the clinical application of therapeutic approaches. It is based upon using established psychological principles to assist clients to modify their thoughts, emotional responses, decision making skills, and other intrapersonal and interpersonal behaviors in a direction agreed upon by the client and therapist.
(Adapted from the American Psychological Association's resolution, "Recognition of Psychotherapy Effectiveness," Approved August, 2012).