Multimodal Therapy
Introduction
Arnold Lazarus created Multimodal Therapy which is based on the need for customized treatments depending on the patient. The therapist can use various treatment modals by asking what is best for the individual. It is the therapist's job to tune into the client's being and then study various modalities. The person who chooses to use the treatment is known as a nonjudgmental trainer who focuses on the psychoeducation of the patient by using BASIC ID techniques. The foundation is social learning and communication theories in which the therapist acknowledges BASIC ID: affective responses, sensory reactions, images, cognitions, interpersonal relationships and drugs. These are known as modalities and when they are all addressed the client can be assessed while the therapist builds a customized treatment plan. It is based on recognizing mental conditions and how they affect the personal responses and emotions.
Goals of Multimodal Therapy
The goal of Multimodal Therapy is to create customized treatment for each patient depending on their psychological or behavioral problems. Not all clients will benefit from one therapy structure because everyone has a different perception of life, others and how they deal with trust or relationships. When therapists can recognize that each patient has a different way of thinking and feeling they will be more successful in treating the patient's disorder. At times Multimodal Therapy may also focus on the physiological conditions that the patient is experiencing through combined treatments if necessary. The treatment will deliberate why there are different forms of mental health therapy and why finding the right one for the patient may take some analyzing using BASIC ID. Assuming that every client is going to benefit from a structured therapy contradicts the need for mental health assistance. This methodology is accurate in the sense that it is open to changing and using combined treatments to help an individual overcome a unique conflict.
When is Multimodal Therapy Used?
Multimodal Therapy is used then the health care professional is studying and determining the type of single treatment or combined treatment the patient needs through BASIC ID factors. Everyone has a different personality type and varying perception. This is necessary when diagnosing anyone who is suffering from mental or physiological conditions. Although many people will have a similar structural profile it doesn't mean that their personalities are similar. The therapist does not have to submit one ideology but strategies toward varying ideologies through a method that is called technical eclecticism. Multimodal Therapy is used by these specific therapists every time that they are diagnosing a patient through the use of the BASIC ID factors. Instead of committing to one strategy they are using formalities from different methods based on the patient's personality type and behavior.
How Multimodal Therapy Works
Therapy begins when the patient is tested on their emotional responses, sensory displays and how they interact with other people through behavior, affect, sensations, images, cognition, interpersonal and drugs. The therapist will use this framework when introducing the client in the first session. They will then create a list of their problems and the treatments that can work on each of them. Since the treatment can be catered to each strategy the overall method is effective.
After the initial assessments have been completed more detailed ones are often performed through questionnaires. The therapist will diagnose the structural profile of the client and their actual profile, which is a depiction of the way that they want to be after treatment has been completed. The therapist will design the treatment by looking into other methods of therapy freely. It's common that relaxation tapes are used to help the client calm down. The will also look into activities outside of psychotherapy such as dieting and practicing a healthy lifestyle in dealing with stress. The method focuses on the pains of the individual and tailors to their needs by reading mannerisms and behavior.
Unless the client doesn't agree to it, the therapist will tape the sessions and provide a copy of the tape to the patient. This is effective when they are studying the client's behavior in case there was something that they missed during the session. Multimodal Therapy is a flexible approach when treating a patient because it outlines all possibilities. When the session is treating one individual it could be very short or last for a few hours, depending on the patient's analysis. If they display a condition that requires more than one treatment the session may be longer so that the therapist can study the patient furthermore.
References
Multimodal therapy. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/mmt.htm
Palmer, S. (n.d.). A multimodal approach to stress management and counselling. Retrieved from http://www.managingstress.com/
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