Therapy is a process of exploring, understanding, and changing your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors with the help of a professional. In this article you will learn how to find the right therapy for your needs. Therapy can help you cope with various mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, trauma, stress, and more. However, not all types of therapy are the same. There are different approaches, methods, and techniques that therapists use to help their clients. How do you know which type of therapy is best for you? In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of some of the most common types of therapy and how to find the right therapy for your needs.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)

CBT is one of the most widely used and evidence-based types of therapy. CBT is based on the idea that your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are interconnected and influence each other. CBT helps you identify and challenge negative or distorted thoughts that cause you distress and replace them with more realistic and positive ones. CBT also helps you learn and practice new skills and strategies to cope with difficult situations and emotions.

Some of the pros of CBT are:

• CBT is effective for a variety of mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and more¹.
• CBT is short-term and goal-oriented, which means you can see results in a relatively short period of time and focus on specific problems and solutions².
• CBT is structured and collaborative, which means you and your therapist work together to set goals, monitor progress, and evaluate outcomes².
• CBT is empowering and educational, which means you learn how to become your own therapist and apply the skills and techniques you learn in therapy to your daily life².

Some of the cons of CBT are:

• CBT can be challenging and uncomfortable, which means you may have to face and confront your fears, negative emotions, and painful memories in order to change them³.
• CBT can be demanding and homework-intensive, which means you may have to complete assignments and exercises between sessions to practice and reinforce what you learn in therapy³.
• CBT can be limited and superficial, which means it may not address the deeper or underlying causes of your problems, such as childhood trauma, attachment issues, or personality disorders⁴.

Psychodynamic therapy

Psychodynamic therapy is one of the oldest and most influential types of therapy. Psychodynamic therapy is based on the idea that your unconscious mind influences your conscious thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Psychodynamic therapy helps you uncover and resolve the hidden or repressed conflicts, memories, and emotions that stem from your early life experiences and affect your current relationships and functioning.

Some of the pros of psychodynamic therapy are:

• Psychodynamic therapy is comprehensive and holistic, which means it addresses the whole person and the complexity of human nature⁵.
• Psychodynamic therapy is insightful and transformative, which means it helps you gain a deeper understanding of yourself and your patterns and make lasting changes in your personality and identity⁵.
• Psychodynamic therapy is supportive and empathic, which means it provides you with a safe and trusting relationship with your therapist where you can express and explore your feelings and needs⁵.

Some of the cons of psychodynamic therapy are:

• Psychodynamic therapy is time-consuming and costly, which means it may take years and a lot of money to achieve your goals and see results.
• Psychodynamic therapy is vague and subjective, which means it may lack clear and measurable outcomes and rely on the interpretation and intuition of your therapist.
• Psychodynamic therapy is controversial and outdated, which means it may not be supported by scientific evidence and based on outdated theories and concepts.

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)

DBT is a type of therapy that was originally developed to treat borderline personality disorder, but has since been adapted to treat other mental health issues, such as suicidal ideation, self-harm, substance abuse, eating disorders, and more. DBT is based on the idea that some people have difficulty regulating their emotions and coping with distress. DBT helps you learn and practice four core skills: mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Some of the pros of DBT are:

• DBT is life-saving and crisis-oriented, which means it helps you reduce and prevent harmful behaviors and cope with suicidal thoughts and urges.
• DBT is comprehensive and multifaceted, which means it combines individual therapy, group therapy, phone coaching, and therapist consultation to provide you with multiple sources of support and guidance.
• DBT is validating and accepting, which means it acknowledges and respects your feelings and experiences and helps you accept yourself and your situation.

Some of the cons of DBT are:

• DBT can be overwhelming and demanding, which means you may have to commit to a lot of time and effort to participate in all the components of the treatment and follow the rules and expectations.
• DBT can be challenging and confrontational, which means you may have to face and change some of your beliefs and behaviors that interfere with your goals and values.
• DBT can be limited and specific, which means it may not address some of the underlying or co-occurring issues that contribute to your problems, such as trauma, depression, or anxiety.

Family or group therapy

Family or group therapy is a type of therapy that involves more than one person in the treatment process. Family therapy focuses on the relationships and interactions among family members and how they affect each other’s mental health and well-being. Group therapy involves a small number of people who share similar problems or goals and meet regularly with a therapist to provide and receive support, feedback, and guidance.

Some of the pros of family or group therapy are:

• Family or group therapy is relational and social, which means it helps you improve your communication, problem-solving, and conflict-resolution skills and enhance your sense of belonging and connection.
• Family or group therapy is supportive and empowering, which means it helps you receive and offer support, encouragement, and empathy and learn from the experiences and perspectives of others.
• Family or group therapy is cost-effective and accessible, which means it can be more affordable and available than individual therapy and offer more flexibility and diversity.

Some of the cons of family or group therapy are:

• Family or group therapy can be stressful and uncomfortable, which means you may have to deal with interpersonal issues, such as disagreements, conflicts, or misunderstandings, and cope with negative emotions, such as anger, jealousy, or resentment.
• Family or group therapy can be challenging and risky, which means you may have to share personal and sensitive information with others and trust them to respect your confidentiality and privacy.
• Family or group therapy can be limited and variable, which means it may not address your individual needs and preferences and depend on the quality and dynamics of the group or family.

How to find the right therapy for your needs

Choosing the right type of therapy for you can be a difficult and confusing decision. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, and different types of therapy may work better for different people and situations. Here are some idea when thinking about how to find the right therapy for your needs.

• Your goals and expectations: What do you want to achieve from therapy and what do you expect from your therapist? Choose a type of therapy that matches your specific goals and expectations and helps you measure your progress and success.
• Your preferences and personality: What do you prefer and what suits your personality? Choose a type of therapy that matches your preferences and personality and helps you feel comfortable and motivated.
• Your resources and availability: What are your resources and availability? Choose a type of therapy that matches your resources and availability and helps you access and afford the treatment.
• Your research and evaluation: What are the research and evaluation of the type of therapy? Choose a type of therapy that is supported by scientific evidence and has positive reviews and feedback from other clients and professionals.

So that brings us back to the question: how to find the right therapy for your needs? The best way to choose the right type of therapy for you is to try it out and see how it works for you. You can always change your mind and switch to a different type of therapy if you are not satisfied or comfortable with your current one. The most important thing is to find a type of therapy that helps you improve your mental health and well-being and achieve your goals.

Further Reading

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: https://positivepsychology.com/types-of-therapies/

Psychodynamic Therapy: https://health.usnews.com/health-care/patient-advice/articles/types-of-therapy

Dialectical Behavior Therapy: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/types-of-psychotherapy/

Family Therapy: https://mentalhealthmatch.com/articles/about-therapy-and-mental-health/how-do-i-know-what-type-of-therapy-is-best-for-me

Group Therapy: https://www.verywellmind.com/ask-a-therapist-choosing-a-type-of-therapy-5198101