Types of Therapy: An Overview of Psychotherapy Approaches
New to therapy? Start with: What is Psychotherapy?, How to Choose a Therapist.
The kind of psychotherapy a person receives depends on his or her own unique needs. Often times a therapist will use a blended approach, sampling techniques from several different types of psychotherapy.
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» Cognitive & Behavioral » Trauma & Somatic » Expressive & Creative » Humanistic & Integrative » Family & Relational » Faith-Based & Cultural » Specialized & Emerging
Cognitive & Behavioral Therapies
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Helps clients accept difficult thoughts and feelings instead of fighting them, while committing to actions that reflect their personal values. ACT combines mindfulness and behavioral strategies to build psychological flexibility, helping individuals respond to life’s challenges with greater openness and purpose. This approach can reduce anxiety, depression, and avoidance by teaching skills to stay grounded in the present moment and live more meaningfully. Learn more about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) »
Behavioral Therapy
Focuses on changing unhelpful behaviors through learning techniques such as reinforcement, desensitization, and skills practice. Rooted in behavioral science, it is often used to treat phobias, anxiety, and habits like smoking or procrastination. By breaking complex problems into manageable steps, clients gain confidence through observable progress. Modern variations include Behavioral Activation for depression and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for developmental conditions.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
One of the most widely practiced and researched approaches, CBT helps people identify unhelpful thinking patterns and replace them with healthier, more realistic perspectives. It emphasizes the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, offering practical tools for managing anxiety, depression, and stress. Clients often learn techniques such as cognitive restructuring and exposure exercises to create lasting change and improve daily functioning. Specialized forms like Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD and Trauma-Focused CBT for PTSD extend CBT’s evidence-based effectiveness across diverse mental health concerns. Learn more about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) »
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Combines cognitive behavioral techniques with mindfulness to help individuals regulate emotions, tolerate distress, and build stronger relationships. Originally developed for borderline personality disorder, DBT is now used for mood disorders, self harm, and trauma recovery. It teaches four core skill sets — mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness — through individual therapy and skills training. Learn more about Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) »
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
Combines mindfulness practices with cognitive therapy techniques to prevent depression relapse and reduce anxiety. MBCT teaches clients to observe thoughts without judgment, develop awareness of mental habits, and respond to challenges with calm clarity. It encourages present moment focus and acceptance rather than suppression of emotion, building ongoing resilience through mindful awareness. Learn more about Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) »
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
A collaborative, client centered method designed to strengthen motivation for change. MI helps people explore ambivalence and clarify personal goals through empathy, reflective listening, and open ended questions. It is especially effective for addressing substance use, health behaviors, and lifestyle changes. Rather than confrontation, MI fosters self efficacy and autonomy so clients make choices aligned with their values.
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
Developed by Albert Ellis, REBT teaches clients to identify irrational beliefs and replace them with more logical, helpful thoughts. By challenging rigid musts and shoulds, individuals learn emotional resilience and self acceptance. REBT combines cognitive restructuring with behavioral practice to manage anger, anxiety, perfectionism, and guilt, emphasizing that while events may be outside our control, our interpretations are changeable.
Reality Therapy / Choice Theory
Centers on personal responsibility and the choices we make in the present moment. Reality Therapy helps clients evaluate whether their behaviors are meeting needs for love, power, freedom, fun, and survival. Through solution focused dialogue, individuals learn to make choices aligned with their goals rather than reacting to external pressures, improving relationships, communication, and self direction.
Schema Therapy
Integrates cognitive-behavioral, attachment, and experiential techniques to address deeply rooted emotional patterns, or “schemas,” often formed in childhood. Schema Therapy helps clients recognize how these patterns influence thoughts, behaviors, and relationships in the present. Through guided imagery, role play, and cognitive restructuring, clients learn to heal unmet emotional needs and build healthier coping styles. This approach is especially effective for long-standing issues such as personality disorders, chronic anxiety, or relationship difficulties, promoting lasting emotional growth and self-understanding.
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
Centers on identifying strengths, setting achievable goals, and creating actionable steps toward positive change. Rather than analyzing problems, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy helps clients envision desired outcomes and build on what already works. This short-term, practical approach generates motivation, confidence, and measurable progress, making it ideal for clients seeking focused, goal-driven results.
Psychodynamic & Psychoanalytic Therapies
Adlerian Therapy
Focuses on belonging, purpose, and early experiences to understand behavior and motivation. Adlerian Therapy helps clients overcome feelings of inferiority, develop confidence, and cultivate a sense of contribution within their communities. Through encouragement and exploration of personal goals, individuals learn to redirect discouragement into growth, empathy, and social connectedness. This approach emphasizes equality, purpose, and empowerment as foundations for change.
Psychoanalysis
An in-depth, long-term therapy that seeks to uncover unconscious thoughts, memories, and emotions influencing present behavior. Through open dialogue, dream exploration, and reflection on the therapeutic relationship, psychoanalysis helps individuals gain profound self-understanding, resolve inner conflicts, and achieve lasting psychological change. While classical psychoanalysis is less common today, its modern forms remain a cornerstone of insight-oriented therapy.
Psychodynamic Therapy
Focuses on increasing self-awareness and understanding how past experiences, unconscious feelings, and early relationships shape current behavior. By exploring emotional patterns and unresolved conflicts, clients develop insight and achieve deeper emotional growth. Psychodynamic therapy is often less intensive than traditional psychoanalysis, but both share an emphasis on uncovering the roots of emotional distress. Learn more Psychodynamic Therapy »
Trauma & Somatic Therapies
Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)
A trauma-informed, attachment-based therapy that helps individuals process painful emotional experiences within a safe, supportive relationship. AEDP focuses on undoing emotional blocks created by past trauma and fostering new, positive experiences of connection and self-compassion. Through experiential techniques, clients access core emotions and transform distress into resilience and self-understanding. This approach emphasizes the healing power of the therapeutic relationship and the innate human capacity for growth, integration, and change. Learn more about Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) »
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
A trauma-focused approach that uses eye movements and imagery to help the brain reprocess distressing memories quickly and safely. During ART sessions, clients visualize targeted memories while following guided eye movements, allowing emotional and physical sensations tied to trauma to fade or transform. This method can produce rapid relief from symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and grief by engaging the brain’s natural capacity for adaptive change. ART is often completed in fewer sessions than traditional talk therapy, offering an efficient path toward emotional clarity and resilience.
Brainspotting
Uses specific eye positions to access and process unresolved trauma stored deep in the brain and body. By focusing on these “brainspots,” clients can release emotional and physical pain that talking alone may not reach. Brainspotting helps regulate the nervous system and promotes integration of traumatic experiences, leading to a calmer, more centered state. It is effective for trauma, anxiety, chronic pain, and performance enhancement, and can be combined with EMDR or somatic work to deepen healing.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
An evidence-based cognitive-behavioral treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related conditions. CPT helps clients identify and challenge distorted beliefs about traumatic events—such as guilt, blame, or safety—and replace them with more balanced, realistic thinking. Through structured writing and discussion, individuals process memories safely and reduce the emotional power of trauma. CPT is widely used in clinical and veteran settings and is endorsed by major health organizations for its long-term effectiveness in trauma recovery.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
A structured therapy that uses bilateral stimulation—such as eye movements, tapping, or tones—to help the brain reprocess traumatic memories. EMDR enables clients to access and integrate distressing experiences without being re-traumatized, allowing emotional charge to dissipate and self-beliefs to shift. Extensively researched and endorsed by the American Psychological Association and the World Health Organization, EMDR is effective for PTSD, anxiety, phobias, and grief. Many therapists integrate EMDR with somatic or mindfulness work to support comprehensive healing. Learn more about Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) »
Somatic Therapy
Helps clients recognize how trauma, stress, and emotion are held within the body. By developing awareness of physical sensations and patterns, individuals can release tension, restore balance, and reconnect body and mind. Somatic Therapy often incorporates breathwork, movement, grounding exercises, and gentle touch to process experiences non-verbally. Drawing from integrative body-based methods such as Somatic Experiencing and the Hakomi Method, this approach helps clients regulate the nervous system, resolve stored trauma, and foster a renewed sense of safety, connection, and vitality.
Expressive & Creative Therapies
Art Therapy
Encourages creative expression through drawing, painting, sculpting, or other visual art forms to help individuals communicate emotions that may be difficult to express verbally. Art Therapy provides a safe, nonjudgmental space for exploring feelings, processing trauma, and reducing stress. It is used with children, adolescents, and adults experiencing anxiety, grief, or self-esteem challenges. No artistic skill is required—the emphasis is on the process of creation as a path to insight, regulation, and personal growth.
Expressive Arts Therapy
Integrates multiple creative modalities—such as movement, drama, music, writing, and visual arts—within a single therapeutic framework. Expressive Arts Therapy encourages spontaneous expression and imagination to access deeper emotions and promote healing. It can involve techniques from Drama Therapy, Dance/Movement Therapy, and Music Therapy, tailored to each client’s comfort and needs. This approach supports emotional release, enhances self-awareness, and fosters resilience by uniting mind, body, and spirit through creative exploration.
Play Therapy
Uses toys, games, art, and imaginative play to help children express feelings, develop problem-solving skills, and process life experiences in a safe environment. Play Therapy allows children to communicate symbolically when words are hard to find, fostering emotional growth and resilience. Some therapists also incorporate Sandplay or Sand Tray Therapy—a form of symbolic play using miniature figures and tactile materials—to explore inner worlds and support healing after trauma, grief, or stress. This approach also strengthens family relationships through observation and guided parent involvement.
Humanistic & Integrative Therapies
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT)
Builds emotional resilience by developing self-compassion and soothing the brain’s threat response. CFT integrates evolutionary psychology, mindfulness, and attachment theory to help clients struggling with shame, self-criticism, or trauma. Through guided imagery, breathing, and cognitive exercises, individuals strengthen their capacity for warmth and understanding toward themselves and others—transforming harsh self-judgment into balance and self-kindness. Learn more about Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) »
Existential / Humanistic Therapy
Encourages exploration of meaning, values, and personal responsibility in the face of life’s challenges. Clients learn to live with greater awareness and authenticity by reflecting on freedom, mortality, and connection. Therapists emphasize empathy and self-acceptance, guiding individuals toward purpose and fulfillment. This approach helps people navigate identity, loss, or uncertainty by focusing on growth and alignment with what truly matters.
Experiential Therapy
Engages clients in activities such as role-play, guided imagery, or creative expression to help emotions surface in the present moment. Experiential Therapy moves beyond discussion to create real-time emotional insight and release. It is often used in trauma, family, or addiction work to build trust, enhance communication, and foster authentic self-expression. Clients practice new ways of responding and connecting, promoting lasting change through experience rather than theory.
Feminist Therapy
Explores how gender, identity, and power dynamics influence well-being and relationships. Feminist Therapy empowers clients to challenge limiting beliefs, assert boundaries, and cultivate confidence. The therapist-client relationship is collaborative and egalitarian, helping individuals transform internalized oppression into agency and self-advocacy. This approach integrates social awareness with personal healing to promote empowerment, equity, and self-defined growth.
Gestalt Therapy
Emphasizes awareness and authenticity in the “here and now.” Gestalt Therapy helps clients notice patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior to integrate fragmented parts of the self. Through dialogue, mindfulness, and creative exercises, clients gain insight into unfinished experiences and develop greater emotional balance. This approach is especially useful for those seeking personal growth, improved relationships, and a stronger sense of presence and wholeness.
Hypnotherapy
Uses focused attention and guided relaxation to access the subconscious mind and promote meaningful change. Hypnotherapy can help reduce stress, manage pain, and modify unhelpful behaviors such as insomnia, smoking, or anxiety. Many clinicians combine hypnosis with evidence-based models like CBT to reinforce positive coping and self-regulation. Clients remain aware and in control while using a state of deep focus to reframe thoughts and support healing. Learn more about Hypnotherapy »
Integrative Therapy
Blends techniques from multiple modalities—such as cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, humanistic, and somatic approaches—into a personalized treatment plan. Integrative Therapy recognizes that no single model fits everyone and adapts as therapy evolves. This flexible, holistic method honors the uniqueness of each client, uniting insight, emotion, and behavior to create balanced, lasting change across mind and body.
Transpersonal Therapy
Integrates psychological and spiritual perspectives to support growth beyond the individual self. Transpersonal Therapy may include mindfulness, meditation, guided imagery, or contemplative inquiry to explore purpose, creativity, and connection. Rooted in both Eastern and Western traditions, it helps clients cultivate compassion, inner peace, and a sense of meaning. This approach is suitable for those seeking to integrate spirituality and personal development within the healing process.
Family & Relational Therapies
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
Centers on identifying and transforming negative emotional patterns within close relationships. Emotionally Focused Therapy helps couples and families recognize cycles of disconnection and replace them with secure, supportive interactions. Grounded in attachment theory, EFT teaches emotional responsiveness and communication that foster lasting trust and intimacy. Research shows it to be one of the most effective approaches for strengthening relational bonds and resolving conflict. Learn more about Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) »
Family-Focused Therapy (FFT)
Combines education, communication training, and collaborative problem-solving to help families manage mental health challenges together. Originally developed for mood and psychotic disorders, Family-Focused Therapy teaches families to recognize warning signs, reduce stress, and develop shared strategies for coping. This structured, evidence-based approach improves understanding and support among family members, fostering stability and resilience over time. Learn more about Family-Focused Therapy (FFT) »
Family Systems Therapy
Views the family as an interconnected emotional system, where change in one member affects the entire unit. Family Systems Therapy explores communication patterns, roles, and boundaries to improve harmony and connection. Therapists work with individuals or multiple members together to reduce conflict, increase empathy, and strengthen problem-solving. This approach helps families navigate transitions, heal relational wounds, and build healthier ways of relating. Learn more about Family Systems Therapy »
Gottman Method Couples Therapy
Developed by Drs. John and Julie Gottman, this method uses decades of relationship research to help couples improve communication, manage conflict, and strengthen friendship and intimacy. The Gottman Method emphasizes understanding each partner’s inner world, nurturing appreciation, and replacing negative interaction patterns with constructive dialogue. Practical tools and shared meaning exercises help couples rebuild trust and connection at any stage of a relationship.
Imago Relationship Therapy
Explores how early childhood experiences influence adult relationship dynamics. Imago Therapy helps couples identify unmet needs from the past and communicate them safely in the present. Using structured dialogue and active listening, partners learn empathy, validation, and emotional attunement. The goal is to transform conflict into connection by understanding each other’s deeper emotional triggers and creating a conscious, supportive partnership.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy
Helps individuals heal by exploring and harmonizing different “parts” of themselves—such as inner critics, protectors, or wounded child parts—that may be in conflict. Though often used individually, IFS has powerful relational benefits, teaching compassion toward the self and others. By connecting with one’s core “Self,” clients learn to lead their internal system with curiosity and calm, improving emotional regulation and external relationships. Learn more Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy »
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
A structured, short-term therapy focused on improving communication and strengthening relationships to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Interpersonal Therapy helps clients identify and address relational stressors such as grief, conflict, or life transitions. By enhancing social support and emotional expression, IPT improves mood and promotes healthier, more fulfilling connections. Learn more Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) »
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
Strengthens the bond between parents and children while improving behavior through live, real-time coaching. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy teaches parents positive communication strategies, consistent discipline, and emotional attunement. By practicing these skills during sessions, families build trust, cooperation, and confidence at home. PCIT is especially effective for addressing oppositional behavior, anxiety, and family stress.
Psychoeducational Therapy
Combines clear education about mental health conditions, treatments, and coping strategies with practical skills training to improve outcomes and self-management. Psychoeducational Therapy helps individuals, couples, or families understand challenges more objectively while developing tools for daily resilience. Often structured and time-limited, it may include communication exercises, stress reduction techniques, and relapse-prevention planning. This approach fosters empowerment through knowledge and collaborative learning.
Faith-Based & Cultural Therapies
Christian Counseling
Blends psychological principles with faith-based guidance rooted in Christian values and scripture. Christian Counseling helps clients address emotional, relational, and spiritual challenges while strengthening their relationship with God and others. It integrates evidence-based practices with prayer, reflection, and moral insight to promote healing, forgiveness, and personal growth. This approach is especially meaningful for individuals who wish to incorporate faith into their therapeutic journey. Learn more Christian Counseling »
Faith-Integrated Therapy
Recognizes the importance of spirituality and belief systems as part of emotional well-being. Faith-Integrated Therapy invites clients of any background to explore meaning, purpose, and resilience through their own spiritual traditions. Therapists collaborate respectfully with each client’s worldview—whether rooted in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, or other paths—to strengthen coping, community connection, and inner peace. This inclusive approach bridges science and spirituality to support holistic healing.
Multicultural Therapy
Celebrates diversity and honors the role of culture, race, ethnicity, gender, and identity in shaping mental health. Multicultural Therapy adapts therapeutic methods to each person’s background and lived experience, promoting inclusion, respect, and empowerment. It helps clients explore the impact of cultural norms, systemic barriers, and intersectional identity on their well-being. This approach creates a culturally responsive, affirming space where all perspectives are valued.
Specialized & Emerging Approaches
Ketamine-Assisted Therapy
Combines low-dose ketamine with psychotherapy to relieve treatment-resistant depression, trauma, and anxiety. Under medical supervision, clients explore emotions and insights that arise during or after ketamine sessions, helping to reprocess painful experiences in a safe and supported way. This emerging, research-backed approach can catalyze breakthroughs when traditional therapy or medication alone has not been effective.
Neurofeedback / Biofeedback Therapy
Uses real-time monitoring of brain or body activity to help individuals learn self-regulation and stress management. Neurofeedback trains the brain to achieve healthier patterns of function, while biofeedback focuses on metrics such as heart rate, muscle tension, or breathing. Both techniques empower clients to reduce anxiety, ADHD symptoms, and chronic pain through awareness and control of physiological responses.
Types of Psychotherapy (A-Z)
A-Z Psychotherapy Glossary
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
Existential / Humanistic Therapy
Gottman Method Couples Therapy
Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Neurofeedback / Biofeedback Therapy
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
Reality Therapy / Choice Theory
FAQ
1. How do I choose the right type of therapy?
Choosing the right therapy depends on your goals, symptoms, and personal preferences. If you want practical tools, approaches like CBT or DBT may fit well. If you’re working through trauma, EMDR or trauma-focused therapies may be helpful. A licensed therapist can assess your needs and recommend an approach that fits you.
2. Which therapy is most effective?
No single therapy is “best” for everyone. CBT, EMDR, DBT, and IPT are among the most well-studied, evidence-based treatments. The most effective therapy is the one that fits your symptoms, comfort level, and the quality of your relationship with your therapist.
3. What’s the difference between CBT and DBT?
CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. DBT is a form of CBT designed for intense emotions and includes skills training in mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.
4. Does therapy actually work?
Yes. Decades of research show that people who engage consistently in evidence-based therapy improve more than those who don’t receive care. The strongest predictor of success is a good relationship with your therapist.
5. How long does therapy take to work?
Some short-term approaches, like CBT, MI, or SFBT, may show improvements within 6–12 sessions. Trauma-focused therapies may require more time. Progress varies depending on goals, session frequency, and the type of therapy used.
6. Is online therapy as effective as in-person therapy?
For many conditions—especially anxiety, depression, and relationship concerns—online therapy is as effective as in-person care. It is also more accessible for people with busy schedules, mobility challenges, or limited transportation.
7. What therapy is best for trauma or PTSD?
Evidence-based options include EMDR, trauma-focused CBT, CPT, and some somatic approaches. A trauma-trained therapist can help determine which method is best for your experiences and comfort level.
8. What therapy is best for anxiety or panic attacks?
CBT, Exposure Therapy, ACT, and mindfulness-based treatments have strong research support for anxiety and panic. Many therapists use a combination of skills to match your symptoms.
9. What therapy is best for couples?
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and the Gottman Method have the strongest support for improving communication, rebuilding trust, and strengthening connection.
10. How do I find a therapist who uses a specific approach?
You can search by treatment approach in the TherapyTribe directory and filter for therapists who specialize in the method you’re looking for—CBT, EMDR, DBT, EFT, IFS, and more.
Learn More
Below is a list of articles written about some of the most common types of psychotherapy.
This list is not comprehensive and many of these therapies are constantly evolving. Some therapy techniques have been scientifically tested on a large scale basis; while others are newer and often combined with more established psychotherapies. Many therapist update their treatment approaches and mythology as the field of psychology continues to evolve.