‘Which Therapy is Best For Me?” Find Out Now

Are you planning to go for therapy? Amazing!

Thank you for caring about your mental health and yourself!

But, did you know there are more than 100 types of therapies which can make it tedious for you to decide which is the best therapy for you. But, don’t worry we are here to make the healing process easy for you. We are sharing with you an overview of 9 most common therapies along with a brief discussion on why it is best therapy for you.

Disclaimer: This write-up attempts to give you an overview of different therapies along with a brief-description on why it can be the best therapy for you. It does not imply that you have to necessarily work with that particular therapy alone.

Before you start exploring different types of therapies and find out which therapy is best for you it is important to understand certain aspects of therapy.

• The therapist identifies which therapy will work best for you. If he specializes in it he will provide you with his services otherwise he will suggest you a specialized therapist.
• It often happens that a particular type of therapy might work for you but not for someone else you know. That’s completely fine. Each individual has different issues and unique requirements. So don’t compare your progress in a therapy with anyone.

Time to find an answer to your question “Which Therapy Is Best For Me?”

1. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

As the name suggests cognitive behavior therapy focuses on two important aspects in combination. This includes your thinking patterns (cognition) and your behavioral outcomes. The belief behind the therapy is simple, that your thoughts and internal belief system influence how you feel. So, by bringing positive and necessary changes in the distorted thinking patterns one can achieve healing and peace within.

Is CBT best for me?

CBT is used for a wide variety of mental health issues. Intensive research on CBT has shown that it is helpful for people with depression, anxiety, OCD, personality disorders, self-harm ideation, chronic pain or illness, addictions, and phobias. Basically, if your thoughts have started to interfere with your behavior/actions then CBT will be helpful for you.

2. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

The practice of mindfulness in daily life and its impact on mental health has recently gained much recognition. Mindfulness has been found as an effective tool for healing. Considering the success rate and multiple benefits of mindfulness, it has now been incorporated into therapy as well. MBCT aims at training you to be more mindful of your thoughts and behavior to overcome the challenging aspects of life. It generally takes place in groups.

Is MCBT best for me?

If you want to bring transforming changes in your life then MBCT will be the right choice for you. It will help you deal with anxiety, sadness, and will cultivate self-compassion. Interestingly, recent researches have shown the positive impact of MBCT on various physical health issues as well such as diabetes. So if you want to be more mindful and focus on holistic health then MBCT is the right choice.

4. Psychoanalysis or Psychodynamic Therapy

Psychoanalysis is probably one of the oldest forms of therapy propounded by Sigmund Freud. The aim of this therapy is to help you understand your relationship with self and others around you by creating the deepest level of awareness. It helps us identify the defense mechanisms that have started to interfere in our daily life functioning. Along with this psychodynamic therapy also evaluates our past (childhood) experiences and dreams through free-talking,dream analysis, and more such techniques. This way it analyzes all the three zones of our life- the past, the present, and the future. Thus, offering a better understanding of self and resolving the unknown conflicts.

Is Psychoanalysis best for me?

Research shows that psychoanalysis can be helpful for those who have experienced trauma or those who want to explore their relationship with themselves at a deeper level. It is more of healing therapy.

5. Interpersonal Psychological Therapy

The idea behind IPT is that the issues in your interpersonal relationships are an outward manifestation of your mental health symptoms. With this central idea, the therapy aims at resolving the interpersonal issues, bringing relief in your signs. This therapy makes use of different techniques (like- role-playing) that in turn will help you develop better interpersonal relationships.

Is IPT best for me?

This therapy is found to be useful in treating various mental health conditions like anxiety, major depressive disorder, eating disorders, and more. It is also found useful in helping to deal with transitional phases of life. This includes instances such as divorce, a new job, moving to a new city, and more.

6. Meaning-Centered Therapy

This therapy primarily focuses on helping an individual deal with break-up grief. While going through a break-up phase an individual might experience different overwhelming emotions like anger, denial, shock, and sadness. To help an individual to get over the feelings of hopelessness in life and make sense of the loss.

Is Meaning-Centered therapy best for me?

Well, of course, MCT is perfect for those who want to overcome break-up grief but that’s not it. Research has shown it to work very well even for those who are suffering from chronic illnesses like cancer. Paul Wong an MCT researcher suggests that this therapy works well for everyone who is looking for a silver lining in their life.

7. Expressive Art Therapy

Generally, people believe that expressive art therapy is exclusively for kids! But, that’s not true! It is widely used for kids as they can’t express much through words but this doesn’t limit it. But, we all have some stories and repressed memories that we can’t really express well. To discover those troubling aspects of life, expressive art therapy can be used. This therapy integrates various forms of creative outlets like music, drama, storytelling, art, and writing. This works as a healing process for the mind, body, and spirit.

Is Expressive Art Therapy best for me?

If you have any unresolved childhood conflicts, repressed memories, difficulty trusting others, inability to regulate upsetting emotions, or childhood trauma then you may opt for healing through expressive art therapy. It will eventually foster resilience and self-connection in your life.

8. Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing

Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing, commonly called EDMR. This a relatively new form of therapy. This therapy helps you deal with the unhelpful memories and the overwhelming emotions that accompany them. The focus on this therapy is on your eye movements, other physical stimuli, and traumatic memories. By resolving the memories and helping you cope with them, the therapy aims to make you feel stress-free.

Is EMDR therapy best for me?

If you have experienced or suffered through any traumatic life event then this therapy will work for you effectively. The therapy is widely used for people with traumatic experiences and memories (coming from assault, wartimes, or disasters).

9. Family or Couple Therapy

Sometimes the therapy not only aims to resolve the conflicts and issues within but also the conflicts with the outer world that you are placed in. Depending on the situation being discussed and tackled, sometimes therapy might need to resolve the dynamics, emotional patterns, and more in your supportive environment. That’s when family or couple therapy comes to play. The idea of this therapy group is based on system theory which considers family or your better half as an emotional unit.

Is Family or Couple Therapy best for me?

If your family members or partner agree on the fact that there might be some deep-rooted problems that can be best resolved as a team and not as opposing forces then you should go for this therapy. Remember that to avail the maximum benefits of this therapy you and your family or partner have to be equally motivated to bring positive changes in your life.

10. Existential Therapy

A one-line description of existential therapy is “finding meaning in your life.” But, instead of forming new belief systems or values, existential therapists will guide you in exploring the meaning of life in accordance with your existing values and beliefs. This therapy will help you manage different aspects of the human condition. This includes conditions like isolation, meaninglessness, freedom, and more.

Is Existential Therapy best for me?

If you are going through an identity crisis, midlife crisis, or existential crisis this therapy will work for you. It helps find meaning and purpose in life along with helping you deal with your feelings of isolation and confusion.

With this, you have a clearer understanding of different and most popular therapies that are likely to be a part of your treatment approach. We would advise you to seek consultation with a certified therapist before seeking help as it will help you further.

And remember it is not just the type of therapy but various other aspects of therapy that promise therapy success.

To know more feel free to reach us on support@calmsage.com

Good luck with your first therapy session. Don’t forget to make the most of it!

More power to you.

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