Presented by BetterHelp
Everyone seeks out therapy for different reasons, and everyone is expecting something different from therapy. Before we get into explaining these topics, let’s just take a moment to ensure that we are approaching the idea of therapy with an open mind. Everyone hears different things about therapy and might have stereotypes or ideas about how it works. But therapy is just as varied as people themselves, and even within certain branches of therapy, there are still different subtypes, and even every therapist has their own style.
Let’s explore how you can find the best therapist for your needs.
Table of Contents
Forget Everything You Thought You Knew About Therapy
Try to go into therapy without expectations. Your experience will be different from everyone who has undergone therapy before, and while we should approach the situations with a critical mind, try to be open to new possibilities as well. You might hear things about yourself or learn about certain personality types that can be frustrating. Sometimes, growth is hard. Open yourself up to the whole experience, even the difficult parts, and go in without particular stereotypes or preconceptions.
Think About Your Needs
The type of therapy you seek out will vary greatly depending on your needs and symptoms. Are you experiencing some forms of anxiety? Maybe there is an addiction in your life that you would like to get under control. Or perhaps you want to unpack some trauma from your past, or learn about emotional control techniques that you can implement in your family.
Research what type of therapy is best for your specific symptoms.
Learn About Different Types Of Therapy
Many people think sometimes that therapy always follows the same model: you relax on a couch and talk about your childhood while an intellectual with a notepad says, “And how did that make you feel?” In reality, there are a wide array of different types of therapy options for you to choose from.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Perhaps the most common type of therapy, CBT is based on identifying and re-working thought patterns that aren’t beneficial to you. BetterHelp offers cognitive behavioral therapy completely online.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
DBT is similar to CBT and uses many of the same techniques, but it also incorporates mindfulness and meditation techniques for calming, emotional management, and personal growth.
Psychodynamic Therapy
When you think of traditional therapy, this might be what comes to mind. Psychodynamic therapy involves unraveling and understanding childhood experiences to understand the unconscious mind better.
Interpersonal Therapy
This type of therapy focuses on different types of relationships between people and family dynamics. It allows you to examine and rebuild those relationships, working out different communication methods, so that you can grow together as a unit.
Group Therapy
Sometimes people prefer to grow as part of a community of like-minded people. Group therapy allows you to talk about your thoughts and experiences with other people who are experiencing something similar. You can do this under the helpful guidance of a healthcare professional.
Narrative Therapy
Narrative therapy is a sort of story-based therapy in which you look at your life as a series of stories, and you re-work those stories to meet certain ends. For example, perhaps you want to re-write your life story so that you no longer see yourself as a victim. Narrative therapy could help with that.
Note that this is not a comprehensive list! There are even more types of therapy that you may have never even heard of.
Consider Location and Logistics
Fortunately, nowadays, you can get therapy online or in-person. That means that you could have therapy from the comfort of your own home, or you could go meet with someone in person, if that’s what you prefer.
Get in touch with your insurance. They might offer coverage if you go through certain providers, or maybe there is some paperwork to do with them before you can move forward with a therapy plan.
Ask Your Therapist About Their Qualifications
Here are some questions you can ask people who you are thinking about contacting for therapy:
- Do you have experience with people with my type of concern or mental health condition?
- Do you have any testimonials from previous or current patients?
- Are you a licensed therapist? What is your educational background?
- Do you have a certain type of specialization?
- What type of therapy do you practice?
- Do you offer any help with financing, such as a sliding scale model?
Meet Up For A “Test Meeting”
Sometimes there are certain things we don’t know about people until we see them. Most therapists offer an initial consultation to see if it’s a good fit. Meet up with a few different therapists and have a chat with them. See if you have any particular feelings about them after meeting, and see if you are aligned on your opinions and thoughts regarding therapy.
We hope that this is the start of a long, healthy relationship with therapy.
Check out the rest of the ‘Updated Ideas‘ site; there are some cool articles waiting for you! Fancy writing for us? Just give that contact button in the top right a tap. Cheers!