10 Different Types of Therapy for Mental Health

Therapy is a cornerstone of treatment for many mental health conditions. It can help you process your feelings, change your habits, and help you grow as a person. What’s more, research shows that therapy can even stimulate healthy changes in your brain. All of this can help with emotional control, mood, and more. 

It might seem like all therapy is the same. In reality, though, there are many different types. And with so many choices, it can be hard to know where to start. 

Let’s take a closer look at 10 common types of therapy and what they treat — so you can get an idea of what you might be looking for. We’ll also talk about how to find a therapist who’s a good match for your needs. 

1. Cognitive behavioral therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is based on the idea that unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors can lead to psychological problems. It’s one of the most widely used — and widely studied — types of therapy available today. 

In CBT, a therapist helps you recognize negative thoughts and unhelpful behaviors. They then guide you to new ways to think about things and better ways to cope through problem solving. 

Research has shown that CBT is effective in treating a range of mental health problems, especially anxiety disorders. Special types of CBT are also used to treat certain conditions, like obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and insomnia. 

CBT usually lasts 12 to 16 weeks, but it may need to be extended.

Here are some examples of what CBT treats:

• Depression

• Anxiety disorders

• Bipolar disorder

• Eating disorders

• Schizophrenia

• Insomnia

• OCD

• Substance use disorders

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2. Dialectical behavior therapy

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) focuses on regulating intense emotions. Though it stems from CBT, DBT centers more on your emotions than your thoughts and behaviors. 

DBT teaches you skills for: 

• Mindfulness

• Tolerating distressing emotions and experiences

• Regulating emotions

• Communicating effectively in relationships

DBT usually consists of weekly one-on-one therapy and a weekly group session.

Examples of what DBT treats include:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Substance use

• Depression

• Bipolar disorder

• Borderline personality disorder

• People with thoughts of self-harm

3. Exposure therapy

Exposure therapy helps you learn how to manage and respond to fear. 

There are many types of mental health disorders that center around fears. For example, you might avoid certain places or situations if you have a specific phobia or social anxiety disorder. In many cases, avoiding the fear reinforces it and can make it worse.

If your fears are negatively impacting your quality of life, you may benefit from exposure therapy. Exposure therapy targets these specific anxieties by carefully, slowly, and safely exposing yourself to your fears. Your therapist will guide you in this process using a variety of tools and techniques. Over time, this decreases your fears. 

Treatment is usually for a specified period of time, often weekly sessions for 3 months.

Examples of what exposure therapy treats are:

• Generalized anxiety disorder

• OCD

• Panic disorder

• Phobias

• PTSD

• Social anxiety disorder

4. Acceptance and commitment therapy

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is based on the theory that it’s important to accept your emotions and feelings, rather than seeing them as something to be fixed. 

In ACT, you learn to recognize and be mindful of your emotions and your past. Then you can start to make changes to your behavior that align with what’s important to you. 

Examples of what ACT treats include:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• PTSD

• Substance use disorders

• Chronic pain

• Psychosis

• Eating disorders

5. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy

This specialized type of therapy, known as EMDR, is used to treat trauma and PTSD. It uses a specific technique with eye movements. This helps to change the way a traumatic memory is stored in the brain. It also reduces the symptoms the trauma has caused. 

EMDR is based on a theory called dual stimulation. Here’s how that works: 

• With a trained therapist, you’re told to do back and forth eye movements. 

• You’re asked to briefly focus on memories of a traumatic event. 

• Bringing up the memory while your brain is being stimulated by the eye movement helps reduce the intensity and emotions around the trauma. 

• Sometimes, a therapist will do gentle tapping as a stimulation instead of eye movements.

EMDR is typically given for 6 to 12 sessions.

Here are examples of what EMDR treats:

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Complex trauma

• PTSD

6. Interpersonal therapy

Interpersonal therapy (IPT) is based on the theory that your relationships affect your mood and your mood affects your relationships. It’s designed to help you work on problems in your relationships with romantic partners, family, and friends. The goal is to treat depression and improve your life. 

Therapy typically lasts 12 to 16 weeks. 

Examples of what IPT treats are:

• Depression

• Bipolar disorder

• Bulimia

• Binge eating disorder

7. Psychodynamic therapy

Psychodynamic therapy examines how your current feelings and behaviors stem from past experiences. It’s more open-ended than many of the other types of therapy listed here. 

In psychodynamic therapy, the therapist helps you understand the roots of your emotions and helps you to process those thoughts and experiences. It also incorporates techniques from more traditional psychoanalysis. For example, it examines your dreams and subconscious thoughts. 

Psychodynamic therapy may be short-term or long-term. 

Here are examples of what this type of therapy treats:

• Depression

• Anxiety disorders

• Panic disorders

• Borderline personality disorder

8. Group therapy

Group therapy is therapy that’s done together with other people. The group is often made up of people who have a shared condition. It’s facilitated by one or two therapists. 

There are different types of group therapy, such as:

• Psychodynamic group therapy (focused on gaining self-insight) 

• Cognitive behavioral group therapy (similar to CBT done alone with a therapist) 

One benefit to group therapy is creating a safe environment that provides social support. 

Group therapy often meets weekly and can be attended on a short-term or long-term basis.

Examples of what group therapy treats are:

• Anxiety disorders

• Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

• Eating disorders

• Depression

• Obsessive-compulsive disorders

• Personality disorders

• PTSD

• Trauma

9. Couples therapy

If you’re in a partnership, attending couples therapy with your partner can help you learn the skills to work through problems together. Therapy can be given to both members of the couple at the same time, individually, or a combination.

The duration of couples counseling varies. It depends on your goals and progress.

Situations where couples therapy is used include:

• Substance use

• Infidelity

• Parenting challenges

• Sexual health issues

• Pre-marital or marital counseling

• Communication problems

• Breakup conflict resolution

• Protection against future problems down the road

10. Family therapy

Marriage and family therapy treats both the family as a whole and individuals within that family. The goal is to improve relationships and behavioral patterns within the family unit. Sometimes, the source of the conflict is between two people. Other times, it may be an issue with one individual who’s affecting the family as a whole.

Therapy is designed to be short-term, about 12 sessions. It can be longer or shorter, though, depending on the issue being addressed.

Here are examples of what family therapy treats:

• Adult schizophrenia

• Anorexia

• Anxiety

• Childhood autism

• Children’s conduct disorders

• Chronic illness

• Marital problems

• Mood disorders

• Problems between parent and child

• Substance use disorders

How do I choose what type of therapy is best for me?

With many options for the type of therapy to choose from, it can be tough to settle on the right one for you. Below, we go over some ways to think about therapy and find the therapist who’s best for your needs.

Think about your goals

First, focus on why you’re looking for treatment. That means thinking of problems you want to fix and your goals, said Brian Licuanan, PhD, a board-certified clinical psychologist in Orange County, California, and author of How to Get Your Resisting Loved One Into Treatment. 

This prep work “can be very helpful in selecting the right therapy as well as therapist,” said Licuanan.

Search for a therapist

To find a therapist, you can start by asking a clinician or acquaintances if they have any referrals. Another option is to contact your insurance provider to find one covered under your plan. You can also use a “find a therapist” tool like the one offered by Psychology Today. 

Make sure they’re a good match 

And yes: Before committing, it’s totally fine to ask the therapist about their technique or approach. This can be done during a free consultation call (if offered) or during an intake session. 

Also, Licuanan suggests considering other factors about the therapist that are important to you, such as their:

• Specialization in certain ages or life stages (like your 20s or midlife)

• Education and training

• Clinical specialties

• Experience with different cultural, spiritual, and/or religious belief systems

Trust your gut

It’s also worth mentioning that you might not get this “right” on your first try. If your therapist doesn’t feel like a good fit, it's OK to switch if needed. 

“There are many variables to look for and, at the end of the day, you have to make a decision based on the information you have at hand combined with your gut feeling,” Licuanan said. “Don’t minimize your instincts, as they can also be valuable data in making the best informed decision for yourself.”

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Written by:

Jessica Migala

Jessica Migala has been a full-time freelance health journalist for over a dozen years. She specializes in health, medical, nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle.

Edited by:

Sophie Vergnaud, MD

Sophie Vergnaud, MD, is the Senior Medical Director for GoodRx Health. An experienced and dedicated pulmonologist and hospitalist, she spent a decade practicing and teaching clinical medicine at academic hospitals throughout London before transitioning to a career in health education and health technology.

Reviewed by:

Sarah Gupta, MD

Sarah Gupta, MD, is a licensed physician with a special interest in mental health, sex and gender, eating disorders, and the human microbiome. She is currently board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

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