Do you need help managing depression, anxiety, or any other mental health issue but don’t know where to get started? Well, for starters, you are not alone with major therapy types.
Sometimes, the uncertainties of life can be overwhelming, and finding ways to cope can often kick us in a never-ending pit of sadness. In such circumstances, showing bravery and admitting that you need a little help is the only way to go. Lucky for you, the world of psychotherapy is vivid and full of possibilities that can lead to new beginnings and perspectives.
There is no “one size fits all” treatment for anxiety and depression, just as no two people are affected in the same way. What works for one person may not work for the other. The best way to treat anxiety or depression is to learn as much as you can about the available treatments and then tailor them to your particular needs. In many cases, working with a professional to identify the best fit is beneficial.
To help you choose the right type of treatment for you, we’ve broken down five of the most effective therapy types known to man. By the end, you will be well-equipped to determine which type of therapy best suits your needs.
1. Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychodynamic therapy focuses on how ancient and modern life events and relationships impact your current feelings, connections, and decisions. The goal is to assist you in recognizing and understanding negative feelings and suppressed emotions to resolve internal psychological conflicts and achieve life experiences, personalities, and connections. This method is a well-known treatment for depression. Furthermore, if you, as a recovering individual, want to help others suffering from mental health problems, expanding your education in the counseling sector can be helpful. If you’ve studied a few psychology-related subjects in your bachelor’s degree, you can opt for an online counseling masters. The best part about obtaining education online is that it will not interfere with your professional life; you can maintain your work-life balance.
Now, let’s come back to psychodynamic therapy. Therapists will recommend starting openly about various issues to help you reveal various remembrances, perspectives, or dreams that shaped your life. You will specifically investigate why you have made certain unfavorable decisions and actions to avoid making similar unfortunate decisions in the future. You can also use your newfound self-awareness to resolve current problems and improve relationships. Psychodynamic therapy can be an effective option in some cases. Still, it often takes a year or more to achieve long-term benefits.
2. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) offered in Bellwood treatment center, is a type of cognitive behavior therapy. Its main goal is to teach people how to manage their emotions, healthily deal with stress, build relationships, and live thoughtfully. DBT was initially developed for treating people with borderline personality disorder. Still, it is now used to treat a wide range of psychological illnesses. It is thought to be especially beneficial for people who have seemingly unmanageable feelings of distress or are at risk of self-harm.
DBT differs from CBT in that it instructs you to accept yourself, despite your unique issues and life experiences. Treatment typically consists of one-on-one sessions with a psychotherapist and therapist-led group meetings. Participants grow and practice skills and behaviors required for a more controllable daily life. DBT patients in both circumstances learn how to label emotions, handle anger, explore conflict without succumbing to impulsive inclinations, and gain awareness of their feelings in the present moment. DBT, like CBT, has a schoolwork component. DBT is best practiced in both group and personal sessions simultaneously. In general, people find this combination to be quite beneficial.
3. Humanistic Therapy
Humanistic therapy is based on your unique traits and characteristics rather than attempting to identify what you and others have in common to classify these common traits as a condition. This methodology relies on how you perceive yourself and your surroundings and how these perceptions influence your opinions, emotional responses, and behaviors. Humanistic therapy’s primary purpose is to help you reach your full potential by becoming more self-aware and accepting yourself. A humanistic therapist will respect your preferences for how you want to approach each session.
There are many approaches based on humanism. They include:
- Existential psychotherapy
- Gestalt therapy
- Person-centered therapy
- Positive psychology
- Experimental therapy
4. Behavioral Therapy
Behavioral therapy, in contrast to psychodynamic therapy, provides focus. There is less emphasis on why a behavior began and a greater focus on the obstacles to changing it. It is frequently used with children to establish rewards for making their bed and taking away special rights for acting out. Among the subsets of behavioral therapy are:
- Systematic desensitization: This technique exposes you to your phobias. It helps you uncover viable strategies to get rid of your phobias or anxiety, such as the fear of tarantulas.
- Flooding: This is a more direct approach to dealing with irrational fears. It places you in a situation where you are faced with your problem, allowing you to process your emotions at once.
- Aversion therapy: The concept here is to create repercussions for behaviors you want to stop, such as nail-biting.
Behavioral therapy effectively treats substance abuse disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and phobias.
5. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive-behavioral therapy integrates some behavioral therapy principles with the theory that our sentiments, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected and impactful. So, if we think or behave differently, we are more likely to feel differently. And our emotions will sometimes impact how we feel and act. A large part of CBT entails talking with your therapist about your thoughts on any circumstances you’d like to discuss.
Your therapist will inquire about what you were thinking and how it affected you. The plan replaces harmful or false thought patterns or behaviors with beneficial and positive ones. Furthermore, CBT may be helpful for people suffering from mood disorders, eating disorders, and anxiety.
Conclusion: Which One Is Best?
Hopefully, this guide has provided you with the fundamentals of therapeutic approaches with therapy types. You are now well-versed in various therapy types to make informed decisions. Each therapy approach has benefits and drawbacks for each individual. Only you can determine which type is best for you. Your decision will be influenced by your goal, how you understand your troubles, and possibly what your insurance covers. Whatever type of therapy you choose, ensure that you and your therapist get along well and that you feel at ease with this person during your first session. It is the cornerstone of effective therapy.