Thanks!
Thinkin' about Therapy

Dear Thinkin' about Therapy,

Good for you for considering seeking professional help in dealing with your anxiety. There are a lot of different options out there and you want to make sure you seek a treatment that will work for you.

You're right that psychologists have received graduate training in psychology, usually obtaining a Ph.D or Psy.D in clinical or counseling psychology. Psychiatrists first go through medical school and obtain an M.D., then complete an additional 4-year residency training in mental health. As medical doctors, they may prescribe medications to assist in treating patients.

Mental health professionals may practice a number of different kinds of therapy, such as cognitive therapy, and, for example, may call themselves cognitive behavioral therapists. Some of the more common types of therapy include:

• Psychotherapy (a.k.a. talk therapy, counseling, or just therapy) is a general term referring to treating mental and emotional disorders by talking with a mental health professional.
• Behavior therapy focuses on modifying and gaining control over unwanted behavior. A focus of behavior therapy is giving the individual control over his/her life.
• Cognitive therapy focuses on changing unproductive or upsetting thoughts and feelings. The therapist helps the patient examine his/her thoughts and feelings in order to identify unrealistic and intrusive thoughts.
• Cognitive-Behavioral therapy (CBT) is a combination of cognitive and behavior therapies.
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a type of CBT that teaches the patient skills to help tolerate stress, regulate emotions, and improve relationships.
• Exposure therapy is a kind of behavior therapy where the patient is exposed to stimuli that s/he has identified as upsetting or disturbing. Exposure therapy may be used with mental health disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Interpersonal therapy focuses on the patient's relationships with others with the goal of improving interpersonal skills.
• Psychoanalysis, made famous by Freud, is a type of therapy where the patient examines past events, feelings and memories to understand how they shape her/his life today. Psychoanalysis is a long-term approach to therapy, usually lasting a few years.
• Psychodynamic psychotherapy is like traditional psychotherapy, but focuses on becoming aware of unconscious thoughts and behaviors to help the patient understand his/her own motivation.

As you can see, there are a lot of options out there. Before you choose a therapist you may want to ask trusted friends and family for recommendations. If that doesn't work, check out