Which Type of Therapy Is Best for Me?

How Do I Know What Kind of Therapy I Need?

Knowing which types of therapy to seek can feel overwhelming due to the numerous options available. You must consider preferences, such as having a male or female therapist, receiving help virtually or in person, and participating in individual or group therapies. It is also good to know what you want to focus on during therapy, how long you want to be in therapy, and what your learning style is. These answers get you closer to knowing which type of therapy to seek.

Trying to figure out the best therapy for you can be daunting, which is why seeking assistance from a mental health professional is recommended. You don’t have to make this important decision alone. Working with a licensed therapist gives you access to various effective treatments designed to help you improve your mental health and overall well-being.

The goal of therapy is to teach you how to self-manage your symptoms using the proper coping skills you learn in treatment. Choosing the right therapy starts with deciding which goal you want to reach first. To help you prioritize therapy needs, you can answer questions like the following:

• What are your symptoms?
• Are your symptoms making performing work, home, or school duties difficult?
• Are you having trouble sleeping?
• Has your appetite changed for no apparent reason?
• Do you struggle to get out of bed to start your day?
• Is it challenging to stay focused on tasks?
• Have you lost interest in activities you once enjoyed?
• Do you have thoughts of self-harm or suicide?
• Do you drink alcohol or misuse drugs to cope with your symptoms?

There are hundreds of reasons to seek therapy, and each can benefit from specific types of therapy or a combination of therapies. A therapist will complete a comprehensive assessment to determine the issues and match them with the right treatment.

What Are Common Types of Therapy?

Therapists often use a combination of evidence-based therapies depending on your needs and situation. Some therapies work best for specific mental health diagnoses, relationships, families, and substance misuse. Whatever your issues, you can receive a custom therapeutic protocol to help you achieve your goals. Common types of therapy include:

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is one of the most effective therapies utilized today for mental illnesses. It is talk therapy between you and your therapist. There are numerous CBT techniques from which your therapist can choose to help you learn coping skills, avoid inaccurate perceptions, boost self-confidence, and improve thought patterns and behaviors. CBT is effective in treating anxiety and many other mental health disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, PTSD, and more. Examples of common CBT methods include:

• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) for dealing with trauma.
• Dialectical-behavioral therapy (DBT) that teaches mindfulness.
• Contingency management (CM) to incentivize recovery.
• Rational emotive behavioral therapy (REBT) for recognizing and changing unhealthy thought patterns.

CBT methods are excellent for integrating with other treatments. A therapist can incorporate them into individual, group, couples, and family therapies.

Relationship-Based Therapies

People in intimate relationships with another person can benefit from relationship-based therapies. Whether they need to work out specific issues or want to enhance communication, there are techniques to help, such as the following:

• Relationship education
• Cognitive-behavioral couples therapy
• Acceptance and commitment couples therapy
• Gottman method
• Integrative-behavioral couples therapy
• Emotionally-focused couples therapy

Couples therapies can address specific issues, like sexuality, parenting, religion, codependency, substance misuse, and extended family. It can also help couples who have decided to separate or divorce make it a healthy transition for the entire family.

Family Therapies

The mental health of each individual can affect the overall mental health of the family. Everyone must receive the necessary treatment to enhance the family unit. Therapists often use the following techniques:

• Systemic family therapy (SFT)
• Systemic motivational family therapy (SMFT)
• Psychoeducation
• Multi-dimensional family therapy (MDFT)
• Behavioral family therapy (BFT)
• Brief strategic family therapy (BSFT)
• Functional family therapy (FFT)

The goal of family therapy is to reduce stressors and distress by changing the way family members interact. Therapists aim to motivate family members to make positive changes that lead to improved relationships. Family therapy can also help individuals address mental health or substance misuse issues.

The Importance of Choosing the Right Therapy for You

Choosing the right types of therapy for you will help you begin working on your issues quickly, which will help you see positive results sooner than expected. Experiencing the benefits of treatment motivates you to continue improving your mental health by working on yourself, making healthy changes, and learning new skills.

Why Should I Go to Therapy?

Therapy offers many benefits for individuals, couples, and families. Every person deserves a place where they feel comfortable discussing their issues. Therapy provides this and so much more, like the following:

• Time to focus on yourself
• Boost self-confidence
• Learn new coping skills
• Improve decision-making skills
• Empower you to manage your life

Suppose there are specific issues you feel need to be addressed, like a mental health disorder, communication problems, relationship issues, financial woes, academic challenges, or social stressors. In that case, therapy is the best place to do so. Your therapist will use the most effective treatments to help you find solutions to the issues you want to address.

What Are the Different Types of Mental Health Professionals?

Searching for the right mental health professional can be confusing if you aren’t sure how each can help you. There are multiple types of mental health professionals, such as:

• Psychiatrists, who are licensed physicians who prescribe medications to help treat mental health or substance use disorders.
• Psychologists, who are professionals with a doctorate who can administer psychological testing and counseling to individuals of all ages, families, and couples.
• Therapists, also known as licensed social workers, professional counselors, alcohol and drug counselors, and marriage and family therapists, have a minimum of a master’s degree in counseling or a closely related field.

Although there are several types of mental health professionals, you don’t have to choose one based solely on their licensure or educational background. Also, consider how comfortable you feel talking to them. You may want to choose a therapist who understands your issues personally. It is okay to interview several therapists before deciding which one to choose.

Where To Find the Right Therapist

The National Institute of Mental Health provides a list of organizations and associations with directories for mental health professionals, such as the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association. Most mental health professionals are members of organizations with outstanding reputations, which helps them stay up to date on treatments and industry news.

Additional ways to find the right therapist include asking friends, coworkers, or family members for references. Also, try talking with your family physician, school counselor, teacher, or employee assistance program. You can Google “therapists near me,” allowing you to read their reviews and search their websites for more information.

Final Takeaway on Choosing the Best Therapy

Determining which types of therapy are best for you involves reflecting on your needs, preferences, and goals. Knowing the different types of therapists and their specialties can help narrow your search and help you start the process sooner.

Consider your search for a therapist or doctor as a job interview since you are hiring them to provide a service. Don’t be afraid to ask questions during your first therapy session and interview more than one therapist. Because mental health treatment involves collaboration between multiple professionals, ensure you are satisfied with everyone in your network. For example, you may need a psychiatrist for medication, a family physician to treat general health issues, and a therapist for CBT, relationship therapy, family therapy, or a combination.

Working with your treatment team, you will create a plan with specific goals that lead to positive outcomes. You deserve the benefits therapy offers, and mental health professionals can help you attain them.