Psycho-education Therapy

In the past, clinicians and therapists did not believe that clients needed education on their diagnoses or treatments. The client should follow the recommendations and recognize the therapist as the expert.

This belief began to shift in the early 1900s to improve treatment adherence and help clients become better advocates for their health. Psycho-education was first introduced by C. M. Anderson in psychiatry, who used it with clients suffering from schizophrenia to improve treatment outcomes [1][2].

The initial family psych-oeducation treatment began with teaching loved ones and caregivers about the diagnosis and treatment more than the patient, turning them into active participants. Now, psycho-education programs are used directly with the client to reduce relapse rates and improve adherence and compliance.

At its core, psycho-education is about the transfer of knowledge. There are no formal standards to govern sessions – they can be adapted and delivered according to the individual client.

Regardless of the method, psycho-education emphasizes teaching with the following objectives:

• Informing clients and families about specifics of the diagnosis, including symptoms and prognosis
• Eliminating myths and misconceptions about the condition and improving awareness
• Offering information about different treatment options, their risks, and the potential benefits
• Teaching loved ones how to interact with the client effectively
• Addressing coping skills, boundaries, social skills, and conflict resolution skills training
• Pinpointing the signs of relapse
• Improving the reintegration of clients into their homes, workplaces, and communities

Psycho-education therapy may take place in individual or group sessions, though group sessions are more common. The group may include several clients with similar conditions, multiple clients and their families, or the client and their families alone.

Along with in-person education, clients are often given homework assignments to deepen their learning experience and give them ownership over their condition and its treatment.

Psycho-education therapy occurs in most levels of care, including the following::

• Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
• Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
• Addiction Family Therapy
• Outpatient Care
• Aftercare

Psycho-education is part of the therapeutic process early on. It may be focused on a specific diagnosis or more general, depending on the needs of the client.

If the client suffers from a particular mental health condition, the focus is on that diagnosis and its available treatment options, such as CBT or medication. The therapist explains the psychological concepts and interventions that are recommended and why, as well as the benefits and risks involved.

The therapist will also explain why specific treatment approaches are chosen according to the client’s individualized care plan and any dual diagnosis.

There may be other elements of psycho-education, including an assessment to identify any gaps in life skills or specific challenges that can be addressed as part of psycho-education, emotional literacy training, and conflict resolution training.

In some cases, clients may receive homework to complete on their own time to deepen their understanding of their condition. Upon the next session, clients will have an opportunity to ask questions, express concerns, or expand on any topics.

In the medical model of illness in healthcare, mental health conditions are treated like physical health conditions in patients. Psycho-education aligns with that model as a straightforward, evidence-based, and clinically-focused intervention.

In studies, psycho-education has proven to be an important component of treatment for a variety of diagnoses. It’s particularly useful in treatment compliance for stress, depression, and anxiety disorders [3].

Clients who undergo psycho-education see improvement of symptoms and better adherence to their treatments. Because they understand their condition and why specific treatments were chosen, they are more likely to follow recommendations.

Some of the treatments addressed with psycho-education include:

• Psychological distress
• Schizophrenia
• Schizoaffective disorder
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Substance use disorder
• Personality disorders
• Bipolar disorder
• Depression

Psycho-education therapy can be used on its own, in conjunction with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or along with medication.