Psychotherapy in consultation-liaison psychiatry

Psychotherapy in the Consultation-Liaison (C-L) setting ir shaped by the re alities of the patient's situation, since all patients referred ave dealing with physical illness. The patient's state of physical and mental health w ill determine both the type of therapeutic work possible and the focus of s uch work. Tailoring the therapeutic intervention to the patient's specific needs and flexibility in altering and adapting therapeutic strategies over time in line with the patient's changing needs ave essential Although perio ds of treatment may range from single session to long term, supportive, ins ight oriented, group, family, cognitive and behavioral techniques have all been used successfully in a C-L setting with measurable impact on well-bein g. Psychotherapeutic work in C-L is unique in that the focus of the therapi st extends beyond the patient and family to include all caregivers, includi ng other health cave professionals, in line with the biopsychosocial model.