During the Dark Ages, people assumed that mental illnesses were caused by demons and evil spirits, which led them to treat psychological patients very cruelly and try to cure them through beatings and other tortuous methods. The Enlightenment led to better conditions for people in mental institutions, and Dorothea Dix and Pinel advocated for better conditions in the 19th century. Some Ancient Greeks, such as Galen, were some of the first to believe that psychological disorders were caused biologically.

Flooding, also known as Immersion Therapy or Prolonged Exposure Therapy, refers to the process of exposing patients to the stimulus or situation that they fear (sometimes, even just by asking the patient to imagine that experience) while explaining or demonstrating that they are in no danger, and that their fear is irrational.

The Cognitive Behavioral model creates a platform for therapy. It encompasses the idea that thoughts lead to emotions and by changing cognition, one can change emotions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on replacing negative behaviors and thought-patterns with action, as opposed to focusing on the underlying causes of those behaviors and thought-patterns.

Carl Jung had a generally compassionate attitude towards the mentally ill, who had traditionally been punished and mistreated by the societies they inhabited, especially with the development of industrial society. He believed that the mentally were labelled by society as disturbed due to the fact that they may have stories, beliefs, or attitudes that society as a whole rejects. This could be a number of things-people who are not Christian, who believe in the paranormal, or who have customs and practices that aren't acceptable. He thought the key to healing the mentally ill was through dream analysis and giving an attentive ear to their personal stories that have been suppressed.

"Trephining" is the name for an old treatment of mental illnesses in which doctors made holes in the afflicted person's skull. This treatment was popular in the Middle Ages, and although by modern standards it is considered cruel and ineffective, at the time there was little alternatives. Also mental illness was seen as the intervention of demonic forces, which did little to promote scientific thinking to come up with an effective cure.

Group therapy, like individual therapy, refers to the format of treatment, rather than a treatment orientation. A behavioral orientation might cause a therapist to focus on how the patient should change their behavior, while a cognitive orientation might cause a therapist to focus on their patient's thoughts. A therapist with a psychoanalytic orientation is probably influenced by the work of Freud and interested in the unconscious. One with a humanistic orientation would be more influenced by Carl Rogers and focus on patients achieving self-actualization.

Humanistic psychology arose during the 20th century to address the limitations of behaviorism and psychoanalysis. It is commonly regarded as the third wave of psychology. Influential humanistic theorists include Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers. It assumes that people are good, unique, and have an innate desire for personal growth. Carl Rogers's person-centered therapy emphasizes empathy and unconditional positive regard when working with clients. One criticism of humanistic psychology is that it is difficult to study because it cannot be objectively measured. Bringing the unconscious into the conscious is a goal of psychoanalysis, not humanistic psychology.

“Jung and Gestalt Therapy” is the only choice that contains an incorrectly matched pair of theorist and theory. Carl Jung founded analytical psychology, which is a split off from Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis. Analytical psychology focuses on archetypes, the collective unconscious, and individuation. Fritz Perls developed Gestalt therapy, which focuses on personal responsibility, the present moment, and increasing self-awareness

The primary aim of humanistic therapy is to help the client develop a stronger and healthier sense of self, also known as "self-actualization."