Suoma Saarni: Timely Help from Psychotherapy

Saarni says that psychotherapy research is tasked with producing information that can be used to develop safer and more effective treatments. 

Many forms of psychotherapy are very effective as methods of treatment. Psychotherapeutic treatments can be used to affect the life and thinking of a patient in a very versatile manner. At its best, successful psychotherapy can significantly reduce symptoms and improve functional capacities. Psychotherapy can also improve the patient's self-knowledge and their personal relationships, and even prevent suicides, Saarni says. 

“Studies show that therapeutic outcomes are better when the time it takes to receive treatment is shorter. This keeps symptoms from becoming chronic and prevents comorbidities, which are often linked with psychological disorders. For this reason, low-threshold psychotherapeutic treatment options have been developed both nationally and globally, and the aim is to make them easily accessible for patients.”

Saarni's research has, among other things, focused on these low-threshold treatment options, such as brief therapy and online therapy. The results of this research can, for example, be used in the improvement of the treatment system such that resources can be utilized more efficiently. 

“A key factor in ensuring good therapeutic outcomes is the quality of the cooperative relationship between the therapist and the patient. Interestingly, studies show that a strong cooperative relationship is forged between the patient and the therapist with lighter forms of therapy as well.”