Finding the Right Mental Health Therapy

The purpose of mental health therapy is to help people live happier, more productive lives.

Therapy provides a supportive environment that allows people to talk openly with a nonjudgmental professional therapist about mental, emotional and behavioral issues. People seek therapy for many reasons, ranging from an anxious feeling that never seems to get better to severe depression or hallucinations.

Therapy is not about making decisions for you or simply giving you medication to feel better. Therapy can help you to

• Increase self-awareness and self-esteem
• Understand how others perceive them
• Learn to effectively relate to others
• Improve problem-solving skills
• Learn new behaviors

There are multiple types of therapy, and each has its own benefits.

• Psychoanalysis – Psychoanalysis is an intensive treatment approach that aims to change or modify a person's personality. Psychoanalysis promotes awareness of unconscious, maladaptive patterns of emotion and behavior and promotes optimal function.¹
• Psychodynamic therapy – Psychodynamic therapy focuses on self-reflection, self-examination and the use of the relationship between therapist and patient to evaluate problematic relationship patterns in the patient's life.²
• Cognitive behavioral therapy – Cognitive therapy focuses on helping the patient become more aware of inaccurate or negative thinking. With the underlying philosophy of thought influencing mood, cognitive therapy seeks to help the patient redirect their thinking in a more positive manner.
• Interpersonal therapy – During interpersonal therapy, the therapist reviews the patient's relationship patterns. The focus for treatment emerges from current relationship issues, such as a loved one's death, a struggle with a significant other or some other important life event.³
• Experiential therapy – In experiential therapy, the therapist uses role-play, guided imagery or other activities similar to the patient's experiences to help them understand their emotions and the meaning of these events.^{4, 5}
• Group therapy – Group therapy allows individuals to work through problems by sharing common issues with others who are experiencing the same thing. Types of groups include general, specialized and support groups. Group members usually receive less individualized attention than those going through individual therapy.⁶

There are multiple ways to access therapy. Talk with your primary care provider or speak with your employer for more information. You can also explore different types of mental health therapists, video chat live with a therapist for an introductory consultation, or access local resources through advocacy groups like the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the American Psychological Association or Mental Health America and its online provider search tool.

Before making an appointment with a provider, there are a few questions you should ask to determine if they are the right provider for you. These may include:

1. Are they licensed?
2. How many years have they been in practice?
3. Do they have experience in helping people who have the same kinds of symptoms that you have?
4. What fees are involved and will insurance cover your therapy?

After you have started therapy, there are additional questions that you can ask yourself to determine if this is the right therapist for you, including:

1. Do I feel better or do I think this will ultimately help me?
2. Do I trust this person and do I feel safe with them?
3. Did they answer my questions? Did I feel that I could answer their questions without being judged?
4. Can I contact them or someone who works with them after hours if I run into trouble?

To prepare for your visit, think about your personal history and what you want the mental health provider to help you with. Write down important life events, illnesses, medications, and events in your life such as major stressors, losses or emotions. Also, make a list of any questions you might have about your symptoms or your expectations about the therapy. Consider taking someone with you to your appointment in case you become overwhelmed.

The provider will meet with you and take an in-depth history about what brought you to the appointment. This will include questions about your symptoms, when they began and what seems to make them better or worse. A therapist will also ask questions about your family history, current living, work or school situations, and drug and alcohol use. Be prepared to answer all questions honestly. Remember that therapy is by nature nonjudgmental and holding back important information will impede the therapist's ability to help you.

Seeking out a mental health professional to help you with your problems may seem overwhelming, but it is a positive step in your mental well-being. For a list of mental health terminology and common conditions, visit our mental health glossary.