Psychiatrie & Psychotherapie Band 08: Therapietools

Therapy tools are aids used in psychiatry and psychotherapy to support the treatment of mental disorders. They can take various forms, such as questionnaires, scales, tests, apps, games, books, or worksheets. Therapy tools are designed to facilitate diagnostics, structure the therapy process, enhance therapy motivation, strengthen self-efficacy, and measure therapy success. Psychiatrists, psychological psychotherapists, child and adolescent psychotherapists, as well as alternative practitioners for psychotherapy can use therapy tools in their daily practice by adapting them to the needs and goals of their patients. In doing so, they should consider several aspects, such as scientific evidence, practical applicability, ethical guidelines, and data protection regulations. Therapy tools should always be embedded in the context of the therapeutic relationship and should not serve as a substitute for individualized and empathetic treatment. Therapy tools can be beneficial for therapy success by increasing the effectiveness of the interventions used.