Different Types of Therapy [Psychotherapy]: Which is best for you?

Here are many different types of therapy that might be right for you. To make the choice
manageable, we broke them down into the factors that make a “type” of psychotherapy (you can
use the handy links below to jump around the guide):

 In-Person or Online Therapy

 The Most Common Types of Therapy
 Less Common Types of Therapy
 Integrated or Singular Therapeutic Approach (Using Multiple Therapeutic Approaches or
Not)
 Types of Therapy for Groups (Couples, Families, or Group Therapy)
 Short-Term or Long-Term Therapy Options
 Therapy for People of a Certain Sexual Orientation, Race, Income Level, Gender,
Religion, Political Ideology and More
 Therapy for Certain Life Events, Medical Issues and Situations (Childbirth, Divorce,
Death, Impotence, Infertility, etc.)
 Therapy for Certain Mental Health Issues and Illnesses

Whether you are an aspiring therapist planning your career path or a potential client looking for
the type of therapy that best fits your preferences, considering all of these factors is crucial.
“Type of therapy” typically refers to a therapeutic approach, but this factor is not more important
than others. Many clients and therapists value the other factors far more than the particular
therapeutic approach. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to find the right kind of therapy
session for your mental health condition.

In-Person or Online Therapy

Regardless of therapeutic approach, online therapy offers results that are in line with in-person
therapy. Even less traditional methods of therapy, such as dance therapy and art therapy, can now
be realistically administered online with new video technology platforms.

With the exception of severe mental illnesses that require intensive in-person treatment, the
choice between online therapy and in-person therapy is a matter of preference.

The Most Common Types of Therapy

There are more than fifty types of therapeutic approaches. Yet, only a few of them are common.
Here are the types you are most likely to encounter. These approaches apply regardless of the
other type factors we will explore later in the guide.

Note: Remember, most therapists blend therapeutic approaches and customize an integrated
counselling approach for each client.

Client-Centered Therapy (Person-Centered Therapy, PCT, CCT or Rogerian Therapy)

Client-centered humanistic therapy focuses as much on the client as possible. The therapist
provides little authority or direction. Instead he or she offers subtle guidance on an individual’s
life or mental health illness and encourages the client to take control of their future.
CCT therapists demonstrate more overt care for their client than more analytical therapists. They
put more time and effort into empathizing with clients.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or also known as CBT treats dysfunctional thinking that leads to
maladaptive behaviors, mental illness, and negative emotion. It focuses on thoughts and
behaviors. This type of therapy is often used to treat individuals with Bipolar
Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, and much more.

Existential Therapy (part of the Humanistic-existential Approach)

Humanistic therapy as a whole focuses on one’s personal life experience to help guide
individuals in reaching their full potential. Existential therapy is part of the Humanistic-
existential Approach which helps clients manage aspects of the human condition, including all
the givens of human existence: isolation, meaninglessness, mortality, and freedom.

Gestalt Therapy (part of the humanistic category)

Gestalt therapy emphasizes personal responsibility and helps clients focus on the present. It also
stresses the development of the therapist-client relationship, the social context of the client’s life,
awareness, attitudes and direct feelings and perceptions rather than interpretations.

Psychoanalytic or Psychodynamic Therapy

The psychodynamic therapy approach explores unconscious feelings or thoughts and the impact
of the past on the present. It is the oldest type of psychotherapy and closest to what Freud
created.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical Behavior Therapy uses a problem solving and acceptance-based framework —

among other strategies — usually to treat severe and chronic mental health conditions, including:
borderline personality disorder, suicidal ideation, self-harming, eating disorders and PTSD.

Less Common Types of Therapy

There are so many types of psychotherapy. To stop the information from overwhelming you,
think about what you most want from psychotherapy then scroll through and see which keywords
align with what you were thinking.

Note: To make the list manageable, this guide mostly focuses on talk therapy for adults and
excludes forms of psychotherapy that are controversial or do not have sufficient evidence to back
their effectiveness.

Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Therapy (AEDP)

AEDP explores difficult emotional and relational experiences to develop coping tools that allow
better functioning.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT helps clients develop mindfulness skills with the goal of consistent values and
psychological flexibility.

Adlerian Psychotherapy

This approach improves the ability to adapt to feelings of inadequacy and inferiority relative to
others.
Anger Management

This approach teaches clients to identify stressors, remain calm and handle tense situations in a
positive and constructive manner.

Bibliotherapy

This approach uses literature to improve mental health and explore psychological issues.

Coherence Therapy (Depth-Oriented Brief Therapy)

Coherence therapy helps clients empathetically and quickly delve into deeply held emotional
beliefs.

Collaborative Therapy

In collaborative therapy both the therapist and client use knowledge and experience to make
progress.

Compassion-Focused Therapy

This approach encourages people to be compassionate toward themselves and others.

Conflict-Resolution Therapy

This approach teaches clients how to resolve conflicts with great results and minimal stress.

Contemplative Psychotherapy

This approach integrates Buddhist teachings and Western psychotherapy to focus on self-
awareness, improve overall health and use wisdom to heal.

Core Process Psychotherapy (CPP)

CPP is a mindfulness-based approach that emphasizes awareness of body and mind for self-
exploration and healing.

Ego State Therapy

Based on psychodynamic therapy, ego state therapy operates under the principle that a person’s
psyche is composed of identities and roles he or she takes on. It addresses these identities and the
mental health issues they might be connected to.

Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT)

Emotion-Foucsed Therapy (EFT) uses emotions as a source of healing and insight. It is

especially effective for moderate depression, issues of childhood abuse and couples in the middle
of a conflict.

Holistic Psychotherapy

Holistic psychotherapy integrates other therapeutic approaches and focuses on the relationship
between mind, body and spirit.

Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP)

ISTDP helps clients permanently change character flaws in a short period of time by releasing
emotional inhibitions and discussing the source of character issues.

Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT)

IPT focuses on interpersonal issues such as relationships and major life events. Its goal is to
improve mood and interpersonal issues within 6-20 weeks.

Journey Therapy

In journey therapy, the therapist guides the client on a mental and emotional journey to uncover
repressed memories that have created issues in the present.

Jungian Psychotherapy
Jungian psychotherapy focuses on the balance of consciousness and unconsciousness. Clients
can become more whole and well-adjusted by achieving this balance and exploring both sides.

Logotherapy

Logotherapy focuses on the pursuit of meaning and purpose in one’s life.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy

This therapy combines the best of CBT with mindfulness strategies that help clients assess
thoughts in the present.

Motivation Enhancement Therapy (MET)

MET focuses on improving motivations to make positive changes and eliminate maladaptive
patterns.

Narrative Therapy

Narrative therapy helps clients interpret their experiences as stories that give meaning to their
lives and guide them. It encourages people to identify their skills, values, and knowledge so they
can use them to live well.

Positive Psychotherapy

This approach helps clients view their illness or issues in a positive way. It focuses on the
abilities of the client, inner balance, storytelling and hope.

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

REBT helps clients develop rational thinking to facilitate healthy emotional behavior and
expression. It is similar to CBT.

Reality Therapy
Reality therapy focuses on present issues and encourages clients to change behavior that might
be preventing them from addressing those issues. It operates under the principle that people
experience distress when they are not meeting five basic needs: power, love/belonging, freedom,
fun and survival.

Redecision Therapy

Redecision therapy helps clients examine messages from caretakers and adults in their
childhood, as well as any negative decisions.

Regression Therapy

Regression therapy addresses three layers of consciousness and helps clients align them.

Relational Psychotherapy

Relational psychotherapy helps clients become cognitively and emotionally healthy by forming
and maintaining fulfilling relationships.

Schema Therapy

Schema therapy helps clients identify the cognitive and behavior patterns that are causing or
maintaining their mental health issues. It is especially effective in treating borderline personality
disorder.

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)

SFBT focuses on goals for the present and future rather than addressing the past or symptoms.

Symbolic Modeling

This therapeutic approach uses symbols, progressive questioning, metaphors and modeling to
enact positive change.

Integrated or Singular Therapeutic Approach

Most psychotherapists use an integrated approach that combines various aspects of the
aforementioned therapeutic approaches. They then customize the approach based on the client’s
needs and preferences.

An integrated approach is usually as effective as a singular therapeutic approach. There are,

however, circumstances where clients might prefer or benefit more from a singular approach.

It usually depends on whether the client is coming to therapy for a specific issue. If a client has
borderline personality disorder, a singular DBT approach might work better than an integrated
approach. For general mental health issues or depression and anxiety, an integrated approach
could be more effective.

Clients who like a more rigid structure of treatment should choose a singular approach. On the
other hand, an integrated approach is better for clients who see therapy as a place to explore
issues without limit.

Types of Therapy for Groups (Couples, Families or Group Therapy)

Therapists can apply aspects of the aforementioned therapeutic approaches to individuals,

couples, and groups.

While couples therapy applies to two or more people working on the health of their relationship,
clients can use individual or group therapy to work on their self–identified personal challenges.
Individual therapy provides singular attention and yields results that apply to that individual.
Group therapy may take more time but can also be a more affordable option. People also might
like the opportunity to connect with others who have similar issues or experiences.

Couples Therapy
 Collaborative Couple Therapy [CCT]: couples learn to help each other with problems
rather than opposing each other
 Developmental Model of Couples Therapy: focusing on partners’ development
individually and as a couple
 Gottman Method Couples Therapy: a structured and goal-oriented form of therapy that
focuses on understanding, empathy, connectedness, disarming verbal conflicts and
fostering interpersonal growth
 Imago Relationship Therapy: using spiritual, behavioral and Western psychological
methodologies to help couples relate to each other in healthy ways, resolve conflicts and
explore childhood factors that might have lead to current issues
 Relational Life Therapy: helping partners resolve conflicts, develop personal
accountability, improve communication and foster intimacy
 Relationship Enhancement Therapy: teaching couples and families to better communicate
feelings and develop coping strategies

Family Therapy

 Family Attachment Narrative Therapy: family therapy for behaviorally disturbed

children, often children who suffered from abuse and attachment issues in the past
 Family Systems Therapy: uses systems theory as a foundation to explore how behaviors
influence the functioning of a family unit and vice versa, usually tackles family conflicts
 Filial Therapy: teaching parents play therapy techniques so they can use the techniques
with their children
 Internal Family Systems: fully understanding individuals by analyzing them in the
context of a family; using this analysis to address issues and assess various parts of “sub-
personalities” of a person
 Parent-Child Interaction Therapy [PCIT]: teaching parents how to improve their
relationships with their children by better interacting with them, often with the goal of
reducing negative behaviors and strengthening bonds
 Parent Work: helping parents improve their parenting by analyzing the relationship
between parent and child, exploring themes and developing a positive parenting narrative
 Satir Transformational Systemic Therapy: improving relationships and communication
within a family by addressing actions, emotions and perceptions in the context of a
family dynamic

Group Therapy

In group therapy there are types of groups and therapeutic approaches for groups. Although most
of them deal with some form of substance abuse, the issues can range from trauma and grief to
abuse and addiction.

Here are the most common types and approaches:

 Cognitive-Behavioral/Problem Solving Groups: using the CBT approach to interpret

addiction and dependency as learned behaviors clients can modify
 Interpersonal Process Group Psychotherapy: healing by changing maladaptive internal
and interpersonal psychological dynamics
 Modified Dynamic Group Therapy [MDGT]: using an interpersonal approach to address
the self-regulatory ego deficits of abusers and addicts
 Psychoeducational Groups: educating clients about substance abuse, related behaviors
and consequences
 Skills Development Groups: teaching people the skills they need to abstain from abusing
drugs
 Support Groups: strengthening interpersonal skills and working with other clients to
maintain abstinence and improve self-esteem, confidence, etc.

Short-Term or Long-Term Therapy Options

When clients begin therapy, they can request short-term therapy and work with the therapist to
set a timeframe. They can also seek a therapist who practices a form of brief therapy. If the
therapist practices a form of brief therapy, he or she will suggest or prescribe a timeframe.
The duration of mental health treatment depends on the therapeutic approach, the severity of
issues and both the client and therapist’s preferences. 12 weeks is the typical time it takes to see
results and 10-20 weeks is the typical range for brief therapy. Therapy can be shorter or much
longer than that, though.

Some clients — regardless of choosing short or long-term psychotherapy — leave therapy when
they have dealt with the most acute symptoms of their condition or resolved the issue they sought
treatment for. Others stay because they see therapy as a long-term journey to improve their
mental health and become a better version of themselves. These people work with therapists for
years, sometimes decades.

Most therapeutic approaches can be short or long-term depending on the client’s preferences, but
there are a few that are only short-term. Here is a quick list of them:

Types of Psychotherapies That Are Only Short-Term

 Coherence Therapy (Depth-Oriented Brief Therapy)

 Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Therapy
 Interpersonal Psychotherapy
 Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
 Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Long-Term Therapy

Most therapeutic approaches, especially when applied as an eclectic intervention can be long
term. A client may decide to extend therapy, due to evolving goals or for mental health
maintenance.

Therapy for People of a Certain Sexual Orientation, Race, Income Level, Gender, Religion, Political
Ideology and More

To address the needs of minorities and people who want therapy that focuses on a specific part of
their identity, therapists created psychotherapies for clients of certain groups. Here are some
examples:

Affirmative Psychotherapy (for LGBTQIA+ community members)

Because of a history of mental health professionals pathologizing non-heterosexual orientations
and trying to change them, psychotherapists created affirmative psychotherapy that focuses on
authenticity and accepting sexual orientation.

Gender Aware Therapy (GAT)

GAT encourages male and female clients to explore gender-related experiences. It incorporates
feminist therapy and is a great option for men and women who feel they need to address issues
related to their gender.

Feminist Therapy

Feminist therapy acknowledges that women may experience mental health issues as a result of
psychological oppression that targets them because of their gender.

Multicultural Counseling

Multicultural counseling incorporates an understanding, sensitivity and appreciation of the

history, values and experiences of minority groups. It recognizes differences between the
counselor and client.

Religious Therapy

There are therapists who specialize in working with clients of all religious backgrounds.
Nonetheless, not all religious therapies have standardized names. Here are a few that have
commonly-used terms to describe them:

 Biblical Counseling, Christian Counseling, Pastoral Counseling, etc. (forms of therapy

that combine psychotherapeutic practices and Christian philosophy)
 Quranic Psychotherapy (therapy for Muslims or therapy that incorporates the teaching of
the Quran)

Therapy for Certain Life Events, Medical Issues and Situations (Childbirth, Divorce, Death,
Impotence, Infertility, etc.)

Sometimes therapy is simply a way to cope with a rough period of life or a medical issue with
mental health consequences or roots. Here are some types of therapy that address these issues
(remember that many therapeutic approaches can address these issues):
 Addiction Counseling (helping clients beat their addictions and address the related
psychological factors; the addiction can be for anything, including drugs, sex,
pornography etc.)
 Divorce Counseling (for couples who want to maintain good relationships and mental
health despite going through a divorce)
 Erectile Dysfunction Sex Therapy (addressing the mental issues that might be
contributing to erectile dysfunction)
 Grief Counseling (coping with the death of a loved one)
 Postpartum Counseling (coping with life changes and emotional adjustment after having
a child or postpartum depression)
 Sex Therapy (treating sexual dysfunction when there is no medical reason for the
dysfunction)
 Therapy for Infertility (coping with the emotional pain of being unable to conceive a
child or maintain successful pregnancy to term.)
 Therapy for Infidelity (coping with the aftermath of an affair and deciding whether to end
or heal the relationship)
 Therapy for Miscarriages (coping with the emotional pain and trauma of a miscarriage)
 Therapy for Pregnancy (coping with body and life changes during pregnancy)

Therapy for Certain Mental Health Issues and Illnesses

The vast majority of therapeutic approaches do not apply to only one mental health issue or
illness. Psychotherapists can use an approach to treat depression, for example, but there is no
“Depression Therapy.” Nonetheless, some types of psychotherapy are especially effective for
certain issues and illnesses.

Below is a short list of therapeutic approaches and types that are especially effective for treating
certain mental health conditions (listed in the parentheticals):

 Behavioral Types of Therapy (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder [ADHD])

 Dialectical Behavior Therapy (borderline personality disorder [BPD], eating disorders,
PTSD, self-harming or suicidal behavior)
 Exposure Response Prevention Therapy (obsessive compulsive disorder [OCD])
 Group Therapy (Addiction)
 Schema Therapy (borderline personality disorder)

Most types of therapy can address the following issues and illnesses:

 Anxiety
 Bipolar Disorder
 Depression
 Relationships
 Social Anxiety Disorder
 Trauma

Which Therapy Combination is Best for You?

If you are an aspiring therapist or a potential client seeking a type of psychotherapy, use the
factors in this guide to decide exactly what you want. Think about which factor you value most.
Is it the therapeutic approach? Is it the issues you might tackle?

Here are some examples of combinations you could consider:

 Long-term online therapy that uses an integrated approach and focuses on depression
 Short-term couples therapy that uses the Gottman Method
 Multicultural counseling that sometimes uses an existential approach

Once you figure out which type is best for you, it will be easier to structure your career or find a
therapist who can help you rapidly improve your mental health and be happier.