Therapies

Finding a Therapist

Directories, referral ideas, and ways to begin a therapist search.

Resources coming soon.

Therapy Types

Plain-language guides to common therapeutic approaches.

Resources coming soon.

Questions to Ask a Therapist

Conversation prompts for learning about training, approach, and fit.

Resources coming soon.

Insurance & Cost Resources

Information about insurance, sliding scales, community clinics, and lower-cost care.

Resources coming soon.

Self-Help Resources

Educational books, worksheets, skills, and tools that may complement professional care.

Resources coming soon.

Crisis Resources

Immediate support options for urgent mental health needs.

Resources coming soon.

What Therapy Is

Psychotherapy uses evidence-informed conversations and activities with a trained professional to address thoughts, emotions, behaviors, relationships, or life challenges.

Common Goals

Goals may include symptom relief, coping skills, self-understanding, behavior change, trauma recovery, communication, or improved daily functioning.

What to Expect

Early sessions often cover concerns, history, goals, privacy, and a treatment plan. The process, pace, and activities depend on the approach and the individual.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

What it is: A structured approach examining connections among thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Common uses: Depression, anxiety, insomnia, and other concerns.

Potential benefits: Practical skills, goal setting, and practice between sessions.

Consider: The structure and homework may need adaptation for access, energy, or learning style.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

What it is: A skills-focused approach emphasizing mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and relationships.

Common uses: Intense emotions, self-harm risk, and relationship difficulties.

Potential benefits: Concrete crisis and regulation skills.

Consider: Comprehensive programs may involve individual therapy, groups, and substantial practice.

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

What it is: Gradual, planned exposure to feared triggers while reducing compulsive or avoidance responses.

Common uses: Especially associated with OCD; exposure-based methods may also address anxiety-related concerns.

Potential benefits: Reduced fear and compulsive cycles over time.

Consider: It should be collaborative, paced, and provided by someone trained in ERP.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

What it is: Builds psychological flexibility through acceptance, mindfulness, values, and committed action.

Common uses: Anxiety, depression, stress, chronic pain, and adjustment concerns.

Potential benefits: Values-based action even when difficult thoughts or feelings are present.

Consider: Acceptance does not mean approval or giving up.

EMDR

What it is: A structured trauma therapy using memory processing with bilateral stimulation.

Common uses: PTSD and trauma-related symptoms.

Potential benefits: May reduce distress connected with traumatic memories.

Consider: Ask about training, preparation, stabilization, pacing, and whether it fits your history.

Psychodynamic Therapy

What it is: Explores emotions, relationships, past experiences, and recurring patterns.

Common uses: Depression, anxiety, relationship concerns, identity, and longstanding patterns.

Potential benefits: Deeper insight and changes in recurring patterns.

Consider: It may be less structured and can be short- or long-term.

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)

What it is: A time-limited approach focused on relationships, grief, role transitions, and interpersonal conflict.

Common uses: Depression and some related mood concerns.

Potential benefits: Improved communication and relationship functioning.

Consider: It focuses primarily on current interpersonal patterns.

Family Therapy

What it is: Involves family members in understanding patterns and improving communication or support.

Common uses: Family conflict, transitions, child or adolescent concerns, and chronic illness.

Potential benefits: Shared understanding and coordinated change.

Consider: Safety, privacy, participation, and cultural context matter.

Couples Therapy

What it is: Helps partners address communication, conflict, trust, intimacy, or transitions.

Common uses: Relationship distress and recurring conflict.

Potential benefits: More constructive communication and shared problem solving.

Consider: Joint therapy may not be appropriate when abuse or coercive control is present.

Group Therapy

What it is: Therapist-led treatment with several participants working on related goals.

Common uses: Anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, skills, and substance-use recovery.

Potential benefits: Skill practice, perspective, and reduced isolation.

Consider: Ask about confidentiality, group expectations, size, and facilitation.

Support Groups

What it is: Peer or professionally facilitated spaces centered on shared experiences.

Common uses: Grief, caregiving, diagnoses, recovery, and life transitions.

Potential benefits: Connection, practical knowledge, and belonging.

Consider: Support groups vary in training and are not always a substitute for therapy.

Trauma-Informed Therapy

What it is: Care organized around safety, choice, collaboration, trust, and awareness of trauma's effects.

Common uses: Trauma histories across many diagnoses and life experiences.

Potential benefits: Greater agency, pacing, and attention to safety.

Consider: Trauma-informed describes how care is delivered, not one single therapy method.

Credentials

Ask about licensure, education, specialty training, supervision, and experience with your concerns.

Approach

Learn how the therapist works, how progress is reviewed, and whether sessions are structured or exploratory.

Preferences

Consider identity, culture, faith, communication style, accessibility, telehealth, schedule, and cost.

Therapeutic Rapport

Feeling respected, heard, safe, and able to discuss concerns about therapy is an important part of fit.