Once people make the decision to enter therapy, they can begin to feel overwhelmed at the number of different types of therapies that are out there. If you pull up a therapist or agency information page you may see different types of therapy listed: CBT, DBT, EMDR, IFS, ACT, etc. You may also hear a loved one, or professional say things like “oh you should try CBT for this” or “DBT is the best for this”. Due to this, it can be hard to decide which one might be the right fit for you and your situation. In this post I want to discuss different types of therapies, and things to consider when trying to figure out the best fit for you.
The very first thing to consider is the reason behind attending therapy. If you are focusing on a specific area in your life (for example, trauma, divorce, infertility, grief, etc.), it will be important to search for people specializing in this area. For example, I highly recommend that people see someone who is trauma-informed if they are looking for trauma therapy. The reason this is the case is because we want to avoid someone being re-traumatized by the therapy process. Trauma therapy does not involve only talking about the trauma. It involves many other steps to ensure that you are healing from what happened.
It is next important to consider the demographic of yourself (or the person you are seeking therapy for). Not all therapists know how to modify therapies to meet different developmental, cultural, and other identities. For example, DBT is an effective therapy for emotional dysregulation. How someone would teach DBT skills would look different for a 12-year-old versus a 17-year-old. Some therapy modalities have additional training for specializing in a certain area.
Once you have explored a specialization and demographic information, you can begin to explore different types of therapy. Some people prefer to allow their therapist to decide the best approach, while others may want to have a general understanding before starting the process. Below I am going to give a brief explanation of therapies you may come across when starting therapy:
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Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) – CBT has been one of the most front running therapies for the last few decades. CBT is famous for their triangle that discusses how thoughts, feelings and actions all affect one another. This therapy typically involves getting to know your pattern, and finding ways to challenge and change thoughts, actions, and personal beliefs.
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Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) – DBT is another therapy that has been around for many years. DBT can be very helpful for people who struggle with impulsivity and emotional dysregulation. This approach works to creating a life worth living based on your values and goals. It has been widely used for people suffering from borderline personality disorder. The full DBT protocol includes weekly individual and group therapy, homework, and access to 24/7 phone coaching. However, most agencies are unable to provide the full service, and instead focus on teaching the core DBT skills.
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Trauma-Informed Therapy – When you see that this is written on someone’s page it usually means that they have taken training around understanding how trauma impacts an individual (biologically and psychologically). This understanding is important because it changes how we adapt therapy approaches. Many therapies have already been adapted to work with trauma, so you may find that a trauma-informed therapist may still use other approaches when working with you.
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – ACT has also been around for a while and adapted to many different types of mental health problems. This approach focuses on learning skills to accept your thoughts and feelings without trying to change or suppress them. Many people have benefited from being able to accept what is happening in the moment, versus actively working on changing it.
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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) – EMDR is a newer approach than the ones listed above. This approach was primarily focused on helping people re-process upsetting emotions, events, and memories. This process involves using bi-lateral stimulation while discussing these events. This is a simplified version and EMDR does require specialized training. Many people have found this approach helpful in making them less upset when thinking about the past.
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Internal Family Systems (IFS) – IFS has been around for a while but is slowly starting to emerge as a more popular approach with therapists. This approach discusses how we have different parts of ourselves. For example, when someone wakes up; a part of them may want to be productive and have a good day, while another part wants to stay in bed and continue to rest. Both parts have different opinions and wants. This approach works on trying to get the parts of us to work together more cohesively. This approach does not imply that everyone has dissociative identity disorder, but rather than our minds are complex and have different needs that battle with one another.
At the end of the day, each modality listed and not-listed here, has evidence that supports and disproves its claims. The reality is that different types of therapy work for different people and many people have different experiences with each. It is valuable to note that research has shown that one of the biggest factors is the relationship you have with your therapist, regardless of the approach. Feeling safe and trusting your therapist is one of the most important factors. Therefore, I recommend evaluating how you feel throughout the therapy process to ensure that you and this person are a good match. This also may include giving your therapist feedback when you disagree or don’t think something is working. The right therapist will work with you to solve the problem and move forward.
