What Type of Therapy Do I Need?
The search for a therapist can be overwhelming and confusing. I’ve defined some of the common acronyms you may have encountered below. The good news is, you do not have to know the type of therapy you need in order to schedule a consultation call. I work with many of these modalities, at least one from each category, hence the term “eclectic therapy”.
💭 Cognitive & Behavioral Therapies
CBT – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors. It’s evidence-based and widely used for anxiety, depression, and many other conditions.DBT – Dialectical Behavior Therapy
A form of CBT that emphasizes balancing acceptance and change. It teaches skills in mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. Originally developed as a treatment for borderline personality disorder; this therapy is now widely used alongside or as a replacement for CBT.REBT – Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
Developed by Albert Ellis; focuses on identifying irrational beliefs and replacing them with rational, adaptive thoughts.ACT – Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Encourages acceptance of thoughts and feelings rather than fighting them, combined with commitment to actions aligned with personal values. Very Zen.
🧠 Trauma-Focused & Experiential Therapies
EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
Uses guided eye movements (or other bilateral stimulation) to help process and reduce distress from traumatic memories.IFS – Internal Family Systems Therapy
Helps individuals understand and heal their internal “parts” or subpersonalities, fostering self-compassion and inner harmony.SE – Somatic Experiencing
Focuses on body awareness to release physical tension and trauma stored in the nervous system.EFT – Emotionally Focused Therapy
For Couples: Strengthens emotional bonds and attachment security between partners.
For Individuals: Helps recognize, accept, and express emotions in healthy ways.
🧘 Mindfulness- & Compassion-Based Approaches
MBCT – Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
Combines mindfulness practices with CBT principles to prevent relapse in depression.MBSR – Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
A structured mindfulness program designed to reduce stress, pain, and illness-related distress.CFT – Compassion-Focused Therapy
Uses compassion and mindfulness to reduce shame and self-criticism, fostering emotional warmth and resilience.
💬 Humanistic & Relational Approaches
PCT – Person-Centered Therapy (also called Client-Centered Therapy)
Developed by Carl Rogers; emphasizes empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuineness from the therapist.EFT – Emotionally Focused Therapy (already listed, fits here too)
Focuses on emotions as key drivers of change in relationships and self-awareness.GT – Gestalt Therapy
Encourages awareness of the present moment and personal responsibility for thoughts, feelings, and actions. Frequently involves the use of chair work to help individual access subconscious thoughts and feelings.Existential Therapy
Focuses on questions of human existence, such as meaning of life, death, freedom, and responsibility. Search for meaning and purpose.
🧩 Other Common Modalities
SFBT – Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
Emphasizes identifying solutions and strengths rather than exploring problems in depth.MI – Motivational Interviewing
A collaborative approach that strengthens motivation and commitment to change, often used in addiction treatment.TF-CBT – Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
A structured, evidence-based therapy for children and adolescents who have experienced trauma.IPT – Interpersonal Therapy
Focuses on improving interpersonal relationships and communication patterns to reduce psychological distress.
As you can see, these all sound useful! Perhaps one approach resonates with you more than others. Perhaps a combination of several approaches, timed correctly, could help you. Let’s discuss!
