The difference between acute therapy and short-term therapy

Have you ever wondered which kind of psychotherapy best fits your current situation? Today we take a closer look at two often-confused but fundamentally different approaches: acute therapy and short-term therapy.

Objective and focus

Imagine your mind were a house. Acute therapy is like an emergency plumber called to fix a burst water pipe — it manages an immediate crisis and stabilizes. Short-term therapy is more like an interior designer who makes some fundamental changes to make your “house” more livable.

Acute therapy focuses on rapid intervention in acute psychological crises — it gets you out of the immediate danger zone and gives you the stability you need to cope with everyday life again. Short-term therapy goes a step further and offers room for somewhat deeper work on your problems — sometimes as preparation for a possible long-term therapy.

Duration and scope

Acute therapy is designed for fast help and comprises up to 24 units of 25 minutes each, or alternatively 12 units of 50 minutes — like an intensive crash course. Short-term therapy provides more room: up to 24 units of 50 minutes, applied for in two stages.

Who is each therapy suitable for?

Acute therapy is like first aid on the field — fast and effective — and treats acute crises across the entire spectrum of psychological and psychosomatic disorders. Short-term therapy is more of a targeted training program: suitable for mild to moderate disorders and as a “trial training” to find out which longer-term support makes sense.

The setting

Acute therapy generally takes place in individual sessions, to give you full attention and a protected space during the crisis. Short-term therapy offers more flexibility — individual setting or group therapy, depending on your needs.

What comes afterward

Both forms can be the beginning of a longer therapeutic journey. An acute therapy can be transferred into a short- or long-term therapy; likewise, a short-term therapy can be converted into a long-term therapy if needed (with a new application).

Regardless of what you decide — the most important step is that you seek support. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Every journey begins with a first step — and sometimes that step is admitting to yourself that you need help.