If you ask the man on the street who has never been to therapy to describe what therapy is, you might get a vague description of someone laying on a couch telling a doctor their deepest thoughts and dreams. You might get a sense the person believes something mysterious happens and the therapist gets the person to change. Whatever the description is, the person has a sense the “patient” is acted upon by the doctor/therapist/counselor with psychological techniques and he/she is changed. This harkens back to a time when therapy was in its infancy in the 1800’s. Most of us have heard the name Sigmund Freud. He was a neurologist who began to explore the mind through psychoanalysis. The patient was able to “free associate” or to talk about whatever came to their minds without restrictions and the belief was that the patient would eventually come to an insight or awareness that would rid them of whatever their emotional/psychological affliction was. Sound reasonable (I assume) in theory. However, this process could possibly take 20 years and may never happen to some.

Today, therapy has evolved into many variations from its original format and now we have many kinds that can aid a person’s journey to whatever their goal is psychologically. We have Psychoanalysis, Psychodynamic, Cognitive-Behavioral, Dialectical-Behavioral. We have Inner child, Transgression, Inner Family System, Interpersonal, Acceptance and Commitment, Exposure, to name just a few. The list is long, and each technique has its uses and benefits.

In order to decide what type is best for you it may be important for you to answer the question, why are you going to therapy? The type of therapy can often be about the best match for you as a person and the reason you are seeking therapy. Although these topics are complicated and can’t be addressed in depth here, you can begin by asking questions like; Am I in a place in my life right now that I’m needing validation and emotional support (ie., recent awareness of childhood trauma, chronic stress of a special needs child, managing ongoing medical condition)? Am I in a place in my life right now where I’m dealing with one specific situation (ie., recent death of a loved one, a new realization, a life transition)? Am I in a place right now that I am ready to challenge myself to make changes in long-standing issues (ie., self-esteem, anxiety, weight management, procrastination)? Do I have certain behaviors that I’m ready to change (ie., anger issues, social withdrawal, fear of flying)?

As you can see, therapy is not “one size fits all”.  To get the most out of therapy, it is important for you to understand your desire goals and the purpose for entering into it. This will help you make the best choice for your needs.