Psychology as a loose field of inquiry has a long history that spans over 2,000 years. The more formal establishment of psychology as a scientific discipline took place in the late 19th century.
The inquiry into psychological processes has undergone various paradigm shifts throughout time:
Ancient Greece: The philosopher Aristotle investigated the workings of the mind and how these involve emotions, laying the groundwork for the development of Western psychology.
The Middle Ages: Psychology was largely ignored within Europe, as the dominant views of the time were focused on religion and philosophy.
The Enlightenment: The 18th century saw a heightening of interest in the study of the mind and behaviour. Philosophers such as John Locke, René Descartes, and Immanuel Kant made important contributions to the field.
19th century: The scientific study of psychology was established as a discipline in Germany. Wilhelm Wundt is considered the “father of psychology” for establishing the first psychology laboratory in 1879 and by consequently publishing the first textbook on psychology in 1874.
Early 20th century: The behaviourist movement, led by psychologist John B. Watson, dominated psychology throughout this time period. Radical behaviourism focused on observable behaviour and rejected the study of unconscious thoughts and feelings as the inner workings of the mind were not seen as relevant when investigating stimulus response contingencies.
Mid-20th century: A cognitive revolution in psychology took place, led by psychologist Noam Chomsky, Aaron Beck and others. This marked a shift towards a more mentalistic view of psychology, as researchers began to study internal processes such as memory, perception, and language. Information processing theory resulted out of this movement.
Late 20th century to present day: The field of psychology has continued to grow, New formalised areas of research such as developmental psychology, social psychology, and neuropsychology. Today, psychology is a diverse and interdisciplinary field that draws from a variety of disciplines, including biology, neuroscience, sociology, and philosophy.
One of the main traditions developed along side other important pillars of psychology is the field of psychotherapy. The history of psychotherapy can also be traced back to ancient civilizations, where mental health was often treated with religious or spiritual rituals. However, the development of psychotherapy as a modern therapeutic practice began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Here are some key milestones in the history of psychotherapy:
Late 19th century: Sigmund Freud developed the first systematic form of psychotherapy and coined it psychodynamic therapy. He believed that unconscious thoughts and feelings expressed the root of many mental health problems and that uncovering these unconscious thoughts and feelings through talk therapy could aid individuals in overcoming their problems.
Early 20th century: Other forms of psychotherapy began to emerge, including behaviour therapy, which focused on changing problematic behaviours through learning, and humanistic therapy, which emphasized the importance of understanding the individual’s subjective experiences. Some of the best therapists in London are behavioural psychotherapists.
Mid-20th century: The cognitive revolution in psychology had a major impact on psychotherapy, leading to the development of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT focused on changing problematic thoughts (or changing the relationship with them) and behaviours in order to improve well being.
Late 20th century to present day: The field of london psychotherapy has continued to evolve and diversify, with the development of new therapeutic approaches such as dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and mindfulness-based therapies.
Today, psychotherapy in London is a widely accepted and effective form of treatment for a variety of mental health problems. It is practised by a range of mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, and auxiliary staff.
