Empowering your mental health with psychoeducation

Psychoeducation is a mental health intervention that helps people understand their diagnosis. It involves learning activities designed to help people manage their symptoms, challenge stigma, and improve their quality of life. 

In psychoeducation, therapists provide their clients with factual, current information about mental health. They do this in a variety of ways, from one-on-one conversations to recommending books, podcasts, or other learning materials. Psychoeducation can be used in individual or group therapy sessions. But it can also be used to help loved ones learn about their family member’s mental health condition, if appropriate. 

How psychoeducation works in mental healthcare

Psychoeducation can come in a variety of forms. You can work with your provider to decide what might be most helpful for you, depending on your needs. 

Explore these examples of how psychoeducation might work for various mental health concerns:

• Depression: “I’d been feeling sad and hopeless for so long that it felt like there was something deeply wrong with me. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t find joy in life like other people. My therapist taught me about how things like genetics, brain chemistry, and stress can affect my mood. They helped me see that depression was affecting my view of the world, but it wasn’t my fault.”

• Anxiety: “It got to the point where my anxiety was making it difficult to leave my house. I tried to avoid social situations as much as possible and wound up spending most of my time alone. My therapist showed me a worksheet on the avoidance cycle, which helped me see how my avoidance made sense — it gave me temporary relief. But she also helped me understand that slowly and gradually engaging with triggers in a supportive environment could help me manage my fears.

• Schizophrenia: “When my son got diagnosed with schizophrenia, I was so scared. I only knew what I’d seen in the movies, and I didn’t know how to help. I feared that he’d never be able to live independently — or worse, that he could be unsafe to be around. Our family therapist helped me see that those things weren’t inherently true and recommended a book that gave me a better understanding of what my son was going through. We worked together to help my son stay engaged with care, and things are much more stable now.”

One of the strengths of psychoeducation is that it can be adapted to different learning styles. Sometimes it’s as simple as having a one-on-one conversation with your therapist in which they share facts or statistics that relate to your diagnosis. But psychoeducation can also include “homework” activities so that you can absorb information at your own pace. 

For example, your provider might suggest reading a book, watching a TV show, or listening to a podcast. You can then talk about what you learned in your next session. Psychoeducation can also include things like journaling, symptom tracking, attending a workshop, or other activities to help increase awareness about your mental health.

Why psychoeducation is so important

Unfortunately, myths around mental health persist in media. TV, movies, and social media don’t always depict people with mental health conditions in an accurate or compassionate light. 

These portrayals often reinforce harmful stereotypes. They can make people with mental health concerns seem unpredictable, dangerous, or untreatable, when that isn’t the case. These myths can make it harder to ask for help and damage a person’s self-esteem. They may also cause a person to be excluded or treated unfairly because of their diagnosis. 

Psychoeducation is important because it’s one of the best tools we have to combat this stigma. When people have the facts about their mental health, they can start to see themselves as separate from their diagnosis and cultivate hope for a brighter future.

The benefits of psychoeducation  

Psychoeducation is all about challenging stigma and increasing understanding. It might benefit you or your loved ones in a variety of ways, including: 

• Learning what does and doesn’t cause mental health concerns can help you let go of any shame or blame you might be carrying. 

• Knowing that mental health concerns aren’t your fault or a sign of weakness can inspire compassion and acceptance. 

• Exploring coping strategies and treatment options can empower you to play a more active role in the treatment process.

The idea of learning about mental health might sound simple. But research shows that it’s an effective intervention that can have significant benefits, especially when families are involved. 

Psychoeducation can improve outcomes for people living with:

• Schizophrenia

• Schizoaffective disorder

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Bipolar disorder

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

• Substance use disorders (SUDs)

• Borderline personality disorder (BPD)

How to ask for psychoeducation in treatment

If you’re interested in psychoeducation, you can always talk to your provider. Let them know that you want to get a better grasp on your diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, or anything else that feels important to you. 

As you learn about your (or your loved one’s) diagnosis, keep in mind that mental health isn’t an exact science. Your provider may recommend some activities or resources. But it’s OK if you don’t resonate with every bit of information you consume. Try to keep an open mind and embrace the learning process. As always, if you have more questions or would like additional information, let your provider know.

Clinician’s take

Once clients start to really understand their diagnosis, I often see a shift from shame to self-compassion. They begin to realize that their symptoms have explanations, not moral failings, and that knowledge gives them a sense of control and hope.

Brandy Chalmers, LPC

Clinical reviewer