Five Common Types of Therapy

In this week's segment, we will do an overview of five types of therapy and how they might be able to help you. An educated consumer is a strong consumer, and if you know what you are looking at, you can pick the kind of therapy that is right for you.

1. CBT/ Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
   • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that helps people manage their challenges by changing their thought patterns and behavior. It is solution oriented, focuses on the present and on finding solutions to current problems. It works with the belief that if you change your thoughts, you will change your behaviors; and if you change your behaviors, you will change your thoughts. This is considered a basic kind of therapy and is used by most clinicians. 
2. DBT/ Dialectical Behavior Therapy
   • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a type of psychotherapy that helps people manage their emotions and improve their relationships. DBT is based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), but it's adapted for people who have difficulty managing their emotions. A core concept of DBT is the idea that two opposite things can be true at the same time, and that people should try to "walk the middle path". DBT is a higher level of training, and not all clinicians are trained in it. 

      
3. Psychoanalysis
   • Psychoanalysis is a type of therapy that aims to heal a person by exploring their unconscious thoughts, feelings, and memories; often with a focus on early childhood experiences. The purpose of looking back is to understand how past experiences might be influencing current behaviors and patterns. Psychoanalysis is a specific approach to therapy and some clinicians are trained in it. 
4. IFS/ Internal Family Systems
   • Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a type of psychotherapy that helps people understand and heal their inner selves. It's based on the idea that the human mind is made up of multiple "parts" that interact with each other and with the core Self. The goal of IFS is to help people develop a more harmonious relationship with their parts and their core Self. IFS is used for many things, one of them trauma. Clinicians trained in IFS have engaged in a high level of training.
5. EMDR/ Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
   • EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) is a psychotherapy technique that treats mental health conditions related to traumatic experiences. During EMDR, a therapist instructs a patient to recall an unpleasant memory while simultaneously moving their eyes in a specific way. The technique is based on the idea that emotional distress can be processed during REM sleep, and that the brain's ability to reconsolidate memories can be enhanced through the eye's stimulation. Clinicians trained in EMDR have very advanced training; and will often do EMDR only after a patient has sufficient ability to ground themselves.

With therapy, one size doesn't fit all. Use this guide to help you look at treatment types that can help you achieve your healing goals. If you've tried one method and it didn't work, take courage and forge forward, until you find yourself where you'd like to be.  

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
• EMDR
• Emotion regulation
• Internal Family Systems (IFS)
• Psychoanalytic Therapy
• Trauma