What Type of Therapy Is Right For Me? The Different Modalities You Want to Consider When Looking for a Therapist

If you’re starting your therapy journey, then you might be confused as to where to even begin. Not only do you want to find a therapist who takes your insurance, but who also uses a treatment modality that’s best suited to your needs. There are a handful of different therapy modalities that can be used to help treat a variety of conditions and cope with daily stressors with some more widely known than others. That said, we spoke with mental health professionals about some of the most common therapy modalities, what they are used for, and how to find a therapist that’s trained in a specific method. 

What is a treatment modality?

The same way that a medical professional may treat your health differently depending on what part of your body is ill, mental health professionals also use different treatments. We call these modalities or sometimes even “approaches.” 

Treating mental health isn’t always as straightforward as sewing up an open wound. Therapists usually mix different modalities depending on what a client needs. Also, each person’s mental health is unique: Two people with similar goals or conditions won’t always benefit from the same approach and would respond better to different modalities. 

Types of Therapy 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) 

According to an article published in the Frontiers of Psychology, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is considered the gold standard of psychotherapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy works by reframing thought patterns by recognizing unhelpful one’s and replacing them with more helpful one’s. It’s based on the idea that your thoughts affect your emotions which has an effect on behavior. 

CBT has been shown to improve symptoms of individuals dealing with anxiety, depression, phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder to name a few. To break it down even further, some examples of techniques that are commonly used in CBT include role-playing, exposure therapy, and mindfulness meditation. 

“CBT can be effective in helping your client learn techniques to improve their daily functioning,“ says Katie Coughlin, LCSW and Senior Director of Clinical Services at UpLift. “By practicing the skills learned in their therapy sessions the client may experience improved symptom management.”  

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) 

Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) was developed by psychologist Marsha Linehan and is most beneficial for individuals who experience intense emotions, especially those with Borderline Personality Disorder. Other conditions DBT can be helpful for those with self-harm tendencies, suicidal ideation, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. 

As the name suggests, dialectical behavioral therapy strongly focuses on dialectics and helping clients to sit with the reality of their circumstances while empowering them to engage in more helpful behaviors to create a life worth living. 

Traditional DBT involves a pre-assessment, individual therapy, group skills training, and individualized crisis coaching. The four core skills involved in DBT include mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. 

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

While motivational interviewing is a common therapeutic approach, it’s also a modality used in almost every healthcare discipline. It is a style of communication that helps motivate people towards a goal exploring their reasons for change with compassion.

Though it can be used on its own, motivational interviewing is often combined with other modalities to inform short-term and long-term treatment decisions, by both a provider and a client. Clinicians treat the client as an equal, actively engaging in conversation to reflect back their experiences so clients can understand the “why” of their change. The clarity about motivations and resolution of ambivalence inspires commitment and planning to achieve goals.

Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing is a method of information processing that uses bilateral stimulation like eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones to help the brain process and heal a troubling memory. 

EMDR is best-suited for those with a history of trauma (grief, sexual abuse, flashbacks, intrusive thoughts) and PTSD whether it happened long ago or is a current issue. It can be helpful for those who find it difficult to verbally talk about their emotions and experiences but instead lets the brain do most of the heavy lifting. 

Psychodynamic 

Sigmund Freud is recognized as popularizing this version of talk therapy that’s commonly represented in television and movies. You may be familiar with the idea that many of your issues and current behaviors stem from childhood. This isn’t the basis of a number of more popular modern day approaches, however, psychodynamic therapy is based on the notion that psychological problems may be rooted in their childhood experiences. 

Psychodynamic therapy is less structured than CBT or DBT and encourages clients to talk freely about their thoughts, fears, and desires in a stream of consciousness-like manner. 

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

Although family is in the name, this therapy modality actually doesn’t have much to do with that part. Instead, IFS focuses on the different ‘parts’ that make up an individual and is centered on building a healthy relationship with each of them by practicing confidence, calmness, compassion, courage, creativity, clarity, curiosity and connectedness. 

IFS is most helpful for individuals dealing with depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and phobias. 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy involves accepting what cannot be changed and working on ways to improve the situation if possible. Instead of actively fighting against painful emotions, you can try to acknowledge what’s in your control and commit to action based on your values. 

“ACT provides the opportunity to take the time to acknowledge the current reality of the client’s situation,” says UpLift’s Quality Assurance Manager, Danielle Besuden, LICSW. “This can be especially helpful for clients who need tools to acknowledge and manage their feelings in their current circumstances.”  

This modality is helpful for those with anxiety disorders, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other behavioral issues that can impair functioning. 

Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) 

Rational emotive behavioral therapy was introduced by Albert Ellis in the 1950s as a more action-oriented approach to therapy. REBT focuses on evaluating irrational thoughts and challenging them by developing more efficient beliefs. At its core, REBT promotes unconditional self acceptance, acceptance that we can’t control others actions or thoughts, and acceptance that we will inevitably experience unfavorable experiences at some point in our lives.

REBT is most beneficial for individuals with anxiety, depression, phobias, and relationship issues who are looking for a more goal-oriented approach. 

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

As you probably know, there isn’t a one-size-fits all approach to therapy. It’s important to do research about the different modalities and try to decipher which method is best suited for your needs. The information above can help you start the process of learning about the different types of therapy and trying to make the decision on what you want to start with first. There also many other types of approaches that therapists use that aren't covered here but that may resonate more with your needs.

That said, you may not hit it off with the first therapist or modality you try and that’s okay. It’s important to find a therapist that you not only feel comfortable with, but also can develop a rapport with which has been shown to be one of the top indicators of success. 

How do I find myself a therapist?

Therapy is most effective when you find someone you connect with and is trained in the modality you think will be most helpful. One way to do this is to look on the ‘about me’ page for a therapist or mental health practitioner. This section generally lists their education, credentials, and areas of expertise so you can make a more informed decision before scheduling an appointment. 

At UpLift, you can view a provider’s page and see what they specialize in treating, their treatment approaches, licenses, educational background—and what insurances they accept, so your care is covered.