Kathryn Lee, MHC

When I first started my own personal therapy journey in my early twenties I absolutely HATED it when my therapist would tell me to “Trust the process!” and gave me worksheets to complete. I would quickly fill out the worksheets minutes before our session (yikes) and go on with my week after sessions would end. After a few weeks, I decided to terminate with my therapist and took a break from therapy. 

In retrospect, as a therapist and client, I now know that there are so many different therapeutic approaches to therapy and that my former therapist simply was not a good fit for my needs at the time. So what are the different approaches to therapy? And what’s the right approach for you? 

Because therapy is so intimate and personal, it may take some time for you to learn what works best for you. Here are some common approaches to therapy to get you started on thinking about what you may want: 

1. Psychodynamic/Psychoanalysis - Often associated with Sigmund Freud, this approach explores one’s unconscious feelings and thoughts with an emphasis on an individual’s past, particularly early childhood. Psychodynamic sessions are often dictated by the client’s free association, which essentially looks like the client verbalizing their stream of consciousness. 

2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - CBT addresses thinking patterns that are maladaptive. In CBT, you become aware of your patterns of thought, behaviors, and beliefs. There is more focus on what the individual is currently experiencing and on completing homework assignments. 

3. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) - DBT aims to help individuals develop healthy ways to emotionally regulate, develop their interpersonal skills, and to develop distress tolerance skills. Mindfulness is a practice also utilized in DBT. (Mindfulness helps an individual to recognize thoughts, feelings, sensations that are happening in the moment to increase an individual’s self awareness.)

4. Client-Centered Therapy - Client centered therapy or person centered therapy is a “non-directive” form of therapy, where the therapist acts as an equal partner in the therapeutic relationship. The therapist creates a nonjudgmental space and practices unconditional positive regard. The goal in client centered therapy is for an individual to achieve self-actualization, an individual’s full potential. 

5. Trauma-Informed Therapy - Trauma informed therapy considers the impact of trauma on a person’s life, mind, behavior, and experiences. Trauma informed therapists aim to understand how a person’s past informs the present. Because safety is often a hallmark of trauma, a trauma informed therapist prioritizes the safety of his or her client in session. 

Therapists often incorporate various approaches but may have a predominant approach which may guide their therapeutic approach. Therapists may also incorporate art, music, spirituality, psychedelics etc. into their practices. Ultimately, every therapist is unique in his or her own approach; if you’re not sure what your therapist’s approach is, ask!