CBT, EMDR, psychoanalysis, psychotherapy… The world of therapy feels like a maze these days. It’s hard enough asking for help without having to figure out what kind of help you actually need. Let’s clear up the confusion so you can find your way through all this psychological jargon
Table of Contents
The Big Three
There are three main types of therapy that are officially recognized, though they definitely don’t cover everything out there. These are psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and humanistic therapies.
Psychodynamic Therapies
Psychodynamic therapy assumes your current problems stem from past experiences and unconscious patterns you keep repeating without realizing it. It’s all about exploring and talking – not necessarily trying to fix things right away, but really understanding what’s going on, often through your relationship with the therapist.
Main types:
- Classical psychoanalysis – with the couch and everything
- Psychodynamic psychotherapy – basically psychoanalysis but sitting face-to-face
- Analytically-inspired therapy – same thing as psychodynamic psychotherapy but with a different name
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT works on the idea that your thoughts, feelings, and actions are all connected. Change how you think or behave, and you’ll change how you feel. It’s very hands-on with homework between sessions. You’ll identify unhelpful thought patterns (called “automatic thoughts”), challenge them, and try out new ways of doing things.
Main types:
- Standard CBT – the original, very structured approach
- ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) – learning to accept difficult thoughts instead of fighting them
- DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) – CBT plus emotional regulation skills (especially helpful for borderline personality disorder)
- Behavioral therapy – focuses purely on changing behaviors
Humanistic Therapies
Humanistic approaches believe you already have what it takes to get better – you just need the right environment for it to happen. It’s very supportive and trusts your natural ability to grow and heal. The therapist walks alongside you as you explore, being genuine, empathetic, and non-judgmental. It focuses on personal growth, finding meaning, and big life questions. It’s about the here and now, not digging into the past.
Main types:
- Gestalt therapy – works with body awareness and what’s happening right now
- Person-centered therapy (Rogerian) – the therapist follows your lead without directing or interpreting
- Transactional analysis – looks at psychological games and relationship patterns
- Logotherapy – helps you find meaning and purpose
- Existential therapy – tackles the big questions about life and death
Other Approaches
These approaches are less official but they’re becoming increasingly popular and well-respected. This includes trauma-focused therapies, structural approaches, family and relationship work… and many others.
Trauma-Focused Therapies
These therapies understand that trauma and chronic stress mess up your nervous system, not just your psychology. They work directly with your body to help your nervous system settle down and increase your ability to handle stress. The idea is that some problems can’t be solved just by talking – you need to work through the body. This is especially helpful when you feel stuck or have overwhelming emotional reactions.
Main types:
- EMDR – uses eye movements to process trauma
- Brainspotting – uses specific eye positions to access and heal trauma
- Somatic Experiencing – helps your body complete stuck stress responses
- Neurofeedback – trains your brain to regulate better using real-time feedback
- Mindfulness-based therapy – brings meditation into traditional therapy
Structural Therapies
These look at how your thoughts and beliefs are actually organized in your mind. Instead of asking “why” you have problems, they ask “how” your mind processes things. Rather than just talking about issues, they directly change how you experience things – how you store memories, what beliefs drive your behavior, how different parts of your personality interact. They can be very effective and relatively quick.
Main types:
- NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) – changes how you internally represent experiences
- Schema Therapy – identifies and changes deep-rooted patterns from childhood
- IFS (Internal Family Systems) – works with different “parts” of yourself
- Solution-focused brief therapy – concentrates on what’s working rather than what’s wrong
Relationship and Family Therapies
These recognize that we’re social creatures and our relationships massively impact our mental health. They look at the systems you’re part of – family, relationships, work. The idea is that changing how you relate to others can solve a lot of personal problems. Even in individual therapy, you’ll explore how your relationships affect your wellbeing.
Main types:
- Family therapy – works with the whole family to improve dynamics
- Couples therapy – helps partners communicate better and resolve conflicts
- Systemic therapy – applies family systems thinking to individual work
- Attachment therapy – heals relationship wounds and builds secure connections
Creative and Body Therapies
There’s also a whole bunch of complementary therapies that people often use alongside other treatments to help them express themselves or just relax.
- Hypnotherapy – accesses and changes unconscious patterns
- Art therapy – uses creativity for expression and healing
- Music therapy – healing through music
- Sophrology – combines relaxation, breathing, and visualization
- Movement therapy – uses body movement to release emotions
So what should I choose?
You’re probably thinking: “This is great, but which one do I actually need?” It’s totally normal to feel lost with all these options. Ideally, you’d know what’s wrong before picking a therapy – but if you don’t, that’s actually useful information too!
If you’re not sure what the problem is, you have a few options. You could see a clinical psychologist for a proper assessment (though diagnostic mistakes do happen). If that feels too clinical, you can try self-diagnosis – it’s not rocket science, and let’s be honest, you’ve probably already spent hours Googling symptoms at 2am. You could also start with psychoanalysis or a humanistic approach since just talking about your life can be incredibly healing. Or simply go with whatever approach feels right to you.
If you do know what’s wrong, pick the therapy that matches your problem – like trauma therapy for trauma, or existential therapy for grief. The key is being an active participant in your own mental health.
You might also need a combination of approaches. More therapists these days train in multiple methods so they have a bigger toolkit to help you. These “integrative” therapists adapt to what you need. Others prefer to specialize and work with colleagues who have different skills. Both approaches work fine.
Conclusion
Don’t be shy about asking questions in your first session – good therapists love explaining their approach and checking if it’s right for you. Most importantly, find someone you feel comfortable with. If you don’t feel safe with your therapist, nothing else matters. This connection is called the therapeutic alliance, and without it, real change can’t happen.
Don’t be afraid to shop around. If your first choice doesn’t work out, that’s completely fine. You have every right to keep looking until you find the right fit. That person is out there, waiting for you.