Individual psychotherapy provides a patient with an opportunity to explore well-ingrained and longstanding patterns that although adaptive when established might impede optimal growth and satisfaction in the present.
In the context of the therapist-patient relationship, the patient often gains increased awareness of his or her sense of self particularly in relation to others. These experiences provide opportunities to question assumptions that may no longer be productive and lead to more satisfying ways of being.
Individual therapy might also help to uncover underlying emotions, allowing the patient to be guided by those feelings that lead to more adaptive actions helping to get relationship and other needs better met.
More cognitively oriented therapy may be incorporated to offer concrete tools for different ways of thinking. Additionally, techniques for behavioral change such as exercising action opposite to the initial urge may be employed.
Appropriately, the therapy is tailored to the individual.