Colleagues Response

Assignment:

Respond to at least two of your colleagues by providing an additional scholarly resource that supports or challenges their position along with a brief explanation of the resource.

Each response must have at least 2 references no more than five years old

Colleagues Response # 1

Psychotherapy and biological basis

         I believe that psychotherapy has a biological basis and there continues to be emerging evidence supporting this. Psychotherapy has ability to touch many aspects of the clients lives to include self-esteem. Family, work, and relationships (Laureate Education, 2016). Psychotherapy can work alone or in conjunction with psychopharmacology and it is often the first line of treatment (Laureate Eductaion, 2016).

         There have been studies on brain changes after psychotherapy for depression, anxiety disorders, and borderline personality disorder that have been published (Karlsson, 2011). Studies have focused on comparing behavior therapy against psychopharmacologic agents such as antidepressants and the changes in the brain with both modalities. “In the recent study by Karlsson and colleagues, clear differences emerged between short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy and fluoxetine among patients with MDD” (Karlsson, 2011).

           Many psychotherapies attempt to enhance patients’ problem-solving capacities, self-representation, and regulation of affective states. The brain areas that play a role in these functions include the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, ventral anterior cingulate cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, ventral and dorsal subregions of the medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus, insular cortex, amygdala, and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex. For example, the mechanism behind the effectiveness of cognitive therapy for patients with MDD could be through an increase in prefrontal function, which is involved in cognitive control, while antidepressant medications operate more directly on the amygdala, which is involved in the generation of negative emotion (Karlsson, 2011).

Culture, religion, and socioeconomic influences on the perception of psychotherapy treatment

It is important for the advanced nurse practitioner to always treat each client in a holistic manner because each client differ, based on their cultural, religion beliefs, and socioeconomic background. Culture and beliefs affect many aspects of psychosocial intervention, and cultural assessment will be imperative during the initial treatment phase. This assessment will facilitate the groundwork for treatment outcomes and interventions, indicated to tailor the treatment plan to the individual treating. Cultural evaluations completed by the healthcare professional will promote the trust that is imperative in a professional therapeutic relationship (Wheeler, 2014).

Some patient’s may have strong spiritual beliefs which provides stabilization in the treatment hierarchy framework for practice (Wheeler, 2014). And individuals’ spiritual beliefs are often a significant strength and/or protective factor that the health professional can utilize to assist with recovery or coping and in addition, incorporating the spiritual aspect of life into therapy ensures that existential needs are not swept under the carpet with psychological/psychiatric terms (such as depression) (Brown, Elkonin,  & Naicker, 2013).

Socioeconomic factors may determine if the client would have access to care, if the client would be adherent to the treatment and if the outcome would be successful or not. According to Hawley, Leibert, & Lane, (2014), socioeconomic Status affects therapeutic outcomes and significance of therapeutic intervention because client’s educational level and benefits of health insurance have shown greater compliance with the treatment regimen, therefore, improving client outcome and follow-up.

For Nurse Practitioners to successfully diagnose and treat mental illness ethnicity, religion, race, social, economic Status, and culture are imperative to address, and with the competence gained during the initial goal setting and assessment all the factors above must be thoroughly assessed and discussed (Wheeler, 2014). Preparing for successful intervention will encompass the whole patient to include support, socioeconomic means to healthy living and personal spiritual beliefs will identify what drives the client internally for holistic health.