Therapist Guide

Starting therapy can be intimidating. Especially if you don’t know where to start. Here you’ll find a comprehensive, stress-free guide to walk you through the process of finding the therapist right for you. Let’s take that first step together!

Perfect Fit

It’s important that you find a therapist best suited for your needs. Beyond what they specialize in or what their certifications are, they need to be a good fit for you on a personal level. I cannot stress enough that if you don’t trust your provider, they don’t understand your specific life circumstances, or your personalities simply don’t mesh, you won’t get as far as you’d like in your healing journey. Treat finding a therapist like dating. Go on as many “first dates” as you need to until you find “the one”. Use the first appointment as your opportunity to get a feel for who they are and how well you click.

Understanding Titles

You may have noticed that licensed mental health professionals have a series of letters associated with them. Those letters indicate their educational degree and/or their specialty. With so many combinations and variations, it can be confusing knowing what they each mean. It’s also easy to assume that best and most qualified individuals are those with doctorates but that isn’t the case. Many of the other titles are more than adequate for most needs.

Psychologists/Psychiatrists

Psy.D. - Doctor of Psychology

Ph.D. - Psychologist (with a Ph.D.)

M.D. - Doctor of Medicine

*Psychiatrists are M.D.’s because they possess a medical degree. This enables them to prescribe medications to treat mental health conditions.

Social Workers

LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker

CSW - Clinical Social Worker

BSW - Bachelor’s of Social Work

MSW - Master’s of Social Work

ACSW - Academy of Certified Social Workers

DCSW - Diplomate of Clinical Social Work

Marriage and Family Therapists & Professional Counselors

MA - Master of Arts

MS - Master of Science

M.Ed. - Master of Education

CAC I, II, or III - Certified Addiction Counselor

Types of Therapy

There a several different approaches to therapy but here are the four most popular:

  • Psychodynamic Therapy

    Psychodynamic therapy developed from psychoanalysis, a long-term approach to mental health treatment.

    In psychoanalysis, you can expect to talk about anything on your mind to uncover patterns in thoughts or behavior that might be contributing to distress. It’s also common to talk about your childhood and past, along with recurring dreams or fantasies you might have.

    Good for:

    depression

    anxiety

    eating disorders

    somatic symptoms

    substance use disorder

  • Behavioral Therapy

    Behavioral therapy is a focused, action-oriented approach to mental health treatment.

    According to behavioral theory, certain behaviors develop from things you learned in your past. Some of these behaviors might affect your life negatively or cause distress.

    Behavioral therapy can help you change your behavioral responses.

    Good for:

    anxiety

    phobias

    substance use disorder

    attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

    obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

    oppositional and defiant behaviors

    behavioral issues that result from communication difficulties or emotional challenges

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

    Cognitive behavioral therapy is a short-term approach to mental health treatment. It’s similar to behavioral therapy, but it also addresses unhelpful or problematic thought patterns.

    The idea behind CBT is that certain feelings or beliefs you have about yourself, or situations in your life can lead to distress. This distress may contribute to mental health issues, occur alongside them, or develop as a complication of other mental health issues.

    Subtypes of cognitive behavioral therapy include:

    Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). DBT uses CBT skills, but it prioritizes acceptance and emotional regulation. You can expect to work on developing skills to cope with distressing or challenging situations. You may also learn how to accept and deal with difficult emotions when they arise. DBT was originally created to treat borderline personality disorder.

    Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). REBT helps you learn how to challenge irrational beliefs that contribute to emotional distress or other issues. The idea behind rational emotive therapy is that replacing irrational thoughts with more rational ones can improve your well-being.

    Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). ACT is one of the newest subtypes of CBT. It is a mindfulness-based practice that focuses on accepting negative emotions rather than trying to suppress them and learning to diffuse from unhelpful thoughts.

    Good for:

    mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder

    anxiety and phobias

    eating disorders

    substance use disorders

    OCD

    insomnia

    some symptoms of schizophrenia

  • Humanistic Therapy

    Humanistic therapy is an approach that looks at how your worldview affects the choices you make, especially choices that cause distress. It’s based on the belief that you’re the best person to understand your experiences and needs.

    Humanistic therapists work to help you better understand what you’re experiencing, offering guidance and support without interpreting your feelings for you.

    Subtypes of humanistic therapy include:

    Existential therapy. In this philosophical approach to treatment, you’ll consider concepts such as responsibility for your choices and your freedom to make choices. You might spend time talking about what certain parts of your life mean to you and how you might find greater meaning in life.

    Person-centered therapy. This approach works from the belief that emotional distress can result when others criticize you or show disapproval for your choices or actions. This can make self-acceptance and growth difficult. Therapists offer acceptance, empathy, and guidance as you work on personal growth and positive change.

    Gestalt therapy. With this approach, you’ll look at unresolved issues, such as relationship and family conflicts, considering how they affect your emotional well-being. Gestalt therapy focuses on the present moment and often involves role-playing or acting out scenarios with movement or visualization.

    Good for:

    self-esteem issues

    difficulty coping with chronic health concerns

    effects of trauma

    depression

    relationship issues

    substance use disorder

    feelings of worthlessness or being lost in life

Make it

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world.